Let's talk, PERIOD!
- Tuesday Platt
- Sep 8, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 20, 2020
The stages of your menstrual cycle:
The menstrual cycle is made up of 2 cycles! One of which occurs in our ovaries (Ovarian cycle) and the other in our uterus (Uterine cycle).
Each cycle can be divided into phases. The ovarian cycle is split into the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. The uterine cycle consists of menstruation (period), proliferative phase, and secretory phase. (See picture below).
(Table taken from helloclue.com)
Pre-Ovulation & Ovulation
Uterus:
Menstruation (period): is from the time bleeding starts to the time bleeding ends. This is the first stage of our cycle. The uterus sheds it's lining through the vagina. This may last up to 8 days. Hormones: oestrogen & progesterone are low.
Proliferative phase: is from the end of menstruation (period) until ovulation. Thick inner uterine lining is built back up ready for ovulation- the endometrium proliferates, hence the name.
Ovaries:
Follicular phase: is from the start of menstruation until ovulation. Brain signals tell the ovaries to prepare an egg to be released for ovulation. This usually lasts between 10-22 days. Hormones: oestrogen rises.
Ovulation: roughly halfway through your cycle an egg is released from the ovary into the Fallopian tube. This usually occurs around 13-15 days before your next period. Hormones: oestrogen peaks just before ovulation, then declines afterwards.
Post-Ovulation
Uterus:
Secretory phase: is from ovulation until the start of your next period. This is where hormones are secreted to either help an egg attach to the uterine lining or help the lining breakdown and shed if the egg is not fertilised.
Ovaries:
Luteal phase: is from the end of ovulation until your next period. This is where the follicle that contained the egg transforms into a corpus luteum which produces oestrogen and progesterone. This phase usually lasts around 14 days but this varies. Hormones: progesterone peaks and then drops.
Now that we can identify the different stages of our cycle let's look at how we can use this information to optimise our training and nutrition!
Exercise & Nutrition at every stage of your cycle:
Menstruation phase (period): Days 1-5
During this phase your hormone levels drop and a lack of iron can cause you to feel sluggish and low on energy.
Exercise: cramps paired with lower energy levels are likely to impact on your physical performance so it's really important that you listen to your body! If you don't feel up to it then a gentle walk might help to relieve your cramps and clear your mind.
Nutrition: eating iron-rich foods such as liver, red meat, green leafy vegetables, nuts and lentils can help to combat this drop in energy. Plus, pairing these with a source of vitamin C will aid iron absorption. Foods high in vitamin C are citrus fruits, peppers, tomatoes and leafy greens! An example meal may be a beef chilli and rice with a squeeze of lime!
Follicular phase: Days 1-14
Exercise: during this phase studies have shown that strength training has been shown to produce greater increases in muscular strength compared to training in the luteal phase. However, studies have shown that women who play sports are 3-6 times more likely than men to suffer from injuries to their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This risk was highest in the days leading up to ovulation, when oestrogen is high and was believed to be due to a change in tendon laxity. Therefore, it may be worth participating in longer warm-ups!
Nutrition: Just as vitamin C helps to increase our iron absorption, caffeinated drinks can interfere or even inhibit this absorption. Caffeine is also a vasoconstrictor so women who experience painful cramps find this actually males their symptoms worse. So maybe it's best that we opt for decaf during this time!
Ovulation: Day 14
Exercise: A surge in oestrogen levels can act as a natural energy boost so make the most of this! This can be a great time to focus on more moderate-high intensity training to keep you feeling energised.
Nutrition: Having lots of energy during this time means you can really cook up a storm. Get creative in the kitchen and meal prep for later on when you might not be feeling on top form.
Luteal phase: Days 14-28 (Oh no!)
It's at this phase where we suffer from those lovely pre-menstrual symptoms, things like cramps, headaches, mood swings, bloating, fatigue and many other pleasantries.
Exercise: During this phase our hormone levels decline which results in the lovely PMS symptoms described above. You might find that you don't feel like training, especially in the days coming up to your period, so activities like yoga and pilates can be a great way of moving your body in a relaxing manner. During this time it might be beneficial to plan in a few more rest days and lighter sessions!
Nutrition: Notice your food cravings! These food cravings have been scientifically proven so listen to them! Do you crave sweet carb-rich foods, salty crunchy snacks, soft doughy pizza? The first thing I don't advise is trying to avoid these foods because you're only going to then binge on them later on which isn't going to leave you feeling too hot! Since we're about to go into out menstruation phase we need to fuel our bodies properly so incorporating things like whole grains and fibrous carbohydrates are going to maintain our energy levels throughout the day. Bloating is also super common during this time to reducing your sodium intake and sticking to drinking plain water over fizzy drinks may help to relieve these symptoms!
Summary
I'm sure by now you're all experts on how your body feels at certain times of the month so you're probably already doing these things naturally because that's what feels best! If you are struggling then incorporating these tips above can hopefully get you feeling your best no matter what your hormones throw at you!
After reading this you may want to start tracking your cycle so a few apps include Clue, Glow and Period Tracker but definitely have a look around and see which works best for you!
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