The Cycle Club - Menstrual Cycle Awareness

10/04/2021

These are the best activities to do on each phase of your cycle 🌀

🏃🏽‍♀️🏋️‍♀️🧘🏼‍♀️

Which one is your favorite?

03/04/2021

WHO LOVES MORNING RITUALS? 🌞✨🙌🏼

These are some of the things I love doing during my inner spring

This phase is full of growth & is a great a moment to flourish !

It feels as if after your period you have pressed the reset button. Am I right?!

So let me share some ways to make the most out of this phase 🌝

_______

MIND

A great way to reset mentally is by counting your blessings.

🌼

Start the day by feeling gratitude for what you have & how far you’ve come.

💫

This will set the tone for the rest of the day but also for the rest of the cycle!

🌈

_______

BODY

Help your body flush out excess hormones with a fresh green juice

🍏

Add dark leafy greens, celery, cucumber, parsley, green apple & ginger

🥒

This a great way to support your liver during this phase!

🥬

_______

ENERGY

Jump into the mat for a balancing hatha yoga sequence

🧘🏻‍♀️

Include inversions to help revitalize your womb by bringing the blood flow down to the pelvic area

🩸

Focus on your womb & heart as you move through each pose

🤸🏼‍♂️

_______

EMOTIONS

Boost your motivation and creativity by listening to upbeat music

🎧

This will rise your dopamine and serotonin levels, giving you all the juicy good feelings!

✨

Once you get that motivation going take some time to create an action plan for the new cycle ahead

🌟

_______

☞ ︎I shared some tips on how to create an action plan in my previous post “Hello, new cycle!“ (last post with 🌕 background) ☜︎

What’s your morning ritual like? 😍

03/04/2021

WHO LOVES MORNING RITUALS?

These are some of the things I love doing during my inner spring

This phase is full of growth & a moment to flourish !

It feels as if after your period you have pressed the reset button. Am I right?!

So let me share some ways to make the most out of this phase 🌝

_______

MIND

A great way to reset mentally is by counting your blessings.

🌼

Start the day by feeling gratitude for what you have & how far you’ve come.

💫

This will set the tone for the rest of the day but also for the rest of the cycle!

🌈

_______

BODY

Help your body flush out excess hormones with a fresh green juice

🍏

Add dark green leaves, celery, cucumber, parsley, green apple & ginger

🥒

This a great way to support your liver during this phase!

🥬

_______

ENERGY

Jump into the mat for a balancing hatha yoga sequence

🧘🏻‍♀️

Include inversions to help revitalize your womb by bringing the blood flow down to the pelvic area

🩸

Focus on your womb & heart as you move through each pose

🤸🏼‍♂️

_______

EMOTIONS

Boost your motivation and creativity by listening to upbeat music

🎧

This will rise your dopamine and serotonin levels, giving you all the juicy good feelings!

✨

Once you get that motivation going take some time to create an action plan for the new cycle ahead

🌟

_______

☞ ︎I shared some tips on how to create an action plan in my previous post “Hello, new cycle!“ (last post with 🌕 background) ☜︎

31/03/2021

WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES 🐺

“Healthy wolves and healthy women share certain psychic characteristics: keen sensing, playful spirit, and a heightened capacity for devotion.

Wolves and women are relational by nature, inquiring, possessed of great endurance and strength.

They are deeply intuitive, intensely concerned with their young, their mates, and their pack.

They are experienced in adapting to constantly changing circumstances; they are fiercely stalwart and very brave.

Yet both have been hounded, harassed, and falsely imputed to be devouring and devious, overly aggressive, of less value than those who are their detractors.

They have been the targets of those who would clean up the wilds as well as the wildish environs of the psyche, extincting the instinctual, and leaving no trace of it behind.

The predation of wolves and women by those who misunderstand them is strikingly similar.

So that is where the concept of the Wild Woman archetype first crystallized for me, in the study of wolves.

I've studied other creatures as well, such as bear, elephant, and the soul-birds—butterflies.

The characteristics of each species give abundant metaphoric hints into what is knowable about the feminine instinctual psyche.”

(Clarissa Pincola Estes - Women Who Run With The Wolves - Myths And Storie by the Wild Woman Archetype)

19/03/2021

Here’s a lovely chat I had with Rachel from around what it takes to start your own business!

www.free-to-flourish.com

Frida Ayala, hormone health coach, shares her story on building a business that helps women’s health from a holistic approach.Frida shares some of the risks ...

18/03/2021

Do you fear your negative emotions? 🙀
 
The most common struggle that my clients have is navigating the emotional rollercoaster.

It has been my biggest struggle as well.

Being more emotionally stable does not mean not having negative emotions anymore.

It means that whatever emotion you are experiencing you are able to surf the wave without fear. 🏄🏻‍♀️

Have you ever realized that you fear your negative emotions?

There's this belief that once we are healed we will suffer no more, we won't struggle, and our life will be all joy and sunshine. 🌞

It can be joy and sunshine but that does not mean difficulties won't appear, it does not mean that negative thoughts & emotions won't show up.🌦

They will but what will be different is the way you manage them and that's what will give you joy or pain.

☀️+🌧=🌈

It will hurt a little but your reaction will be different each time.

Embrace the pain without fear and it will naturally transform.

You will approach cyclical situations with a different level of awareness each time.

Here it comes again, yes, but how will I react this time? 🤔

If I really want different results what do I need to do differently?

Seek the opportunity to do things differently in whatever emotional pattern that you are currently navigating.

If you feel stuck, change your approach.

Try something new, a different thought, a different feeling, follow your intuition until you find what works best for you!

One of my teachers once told me to remind myself:

"In this life, I came to solve this"

Whatever that is for you, remember that you are here to solve it out and free yourself from it.

13/03/2021

During menstruation, happens the biggest release of the cycle – physically, emotionally, mentally & energetically.

Taking some time off during your period to nourish yourself is definitely a game-changer.
🧚🏼‍♀️

These are simple practices but will make a huge difference, trust me.

Having at least one day off screens during your period will help you sleep better since the blue light of screens disrupts the production of melatonin, your sleep hormone. 😴

📚Instead, read a book or journal. It's the perfect moment to analyze certain situations of your life from which you need a deeper understanding and clarity around.

Why?💁🏻‍♀️

The left and right hemispheres of your brain are communicating more than at other times of your cycle.

Meaning your logic & feelings are in partnership, making it easier to be objective.

It will also help you focus inwards and enter the precious silence that's needed to connect deeper with yourself.
🌚

Do you know what's the best workout for your period?

NAPPING BABY!

For reals, your hormone levels are low so the best way to work out during your period is by doing restorative & gentle practices – Yin yoga, Nidra yoga, walking & my favorite, napping.

Whether you have cramps or not, is best to be gentle with yourself during this time.🐻

Focus on deeper belly breaths especially during the first day of your period. Inhale through your nose. Exhale through your mouth with an HAAAA sound.

Use a hot water bottle or heating pad on your womb & also drink up to 3 cups of red raspberry leaf & nettle tea to promote a better flow and reduce cramps.

🍵Drink this tea all month if you have heavy & super painful periods for at least 3 cycles.

Drink it during luteal & menstrual only if you have medium to mild menstrual pain.

Or drink it only during your period if you don't have a lot of pain.

What self-care practices do you have during your period? ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

11/03/2021

꧁ PLAN WITH YOUR CYCLES ꧂

After each bleed 🩸 once follicular phase or inner spring begins 🌹 It’s the perfect time to restart & create something new.

I want to share with you how to create an action plan for the new cycle ahead once your period ends. 🙌🏼

So that you can increase your productivity but also feel nourished on the way. 🌸🕊

___________________________________

1. Set ONLY 3 goals for the cycle ahead.

💁🏽‍♀️Why 3 goals only??

It will be easier for you to feel in flow by only focusing on three specific goals rather than 5 or 6 goals that might leave you feeling overwhelmed and under pressure.

___________________________________

2. Know your WHY, HOW & WHAT.

Write down your intentions:

💓 WHY is it important for you to achieve these goals?

💓 HOW do you want to feel by the end of the cycle?

💓 WHAT will be your main theme or mantra?

___________________________________

3. Brainstorm all the steps needed to achieve these goals.

Before you start planning, write down a list of all the tasks you need to do during this new cycle.

___________________________________

3. Organize each task according to your phases & optimal times.

Calculate the dates and length of each of your cycle phases & then organize each task during the best phase to do so.

You can do this on your agenda, journal or calendar.

🌺 Follicular: brainstorm ideas, research, design, plan & organize

🌞 Ovulatory: get out there, launch, collaborate & communicate.

🦥 Luteal: review, edit, administrate your finances, do unfinished tasks.

🩸Menstrual: meditate, read, self-care, release & receive new visions.

To know more about the optimal times check out the last productivity post ’Cyclical Productivity’

___________________________________

Do you have any questions?

Let me know if you will try this out! 🤩

💞

09/03/2021

Today is so today I want to create more visibility around women's health problems

The truth is, the health "care" industry does not really "care" about women's health at all.

And just so you know what I'm talking about...

Here are some excerpts from a few articles:

"...Less than a quarter of the subjects in clinical trials are women.

And when trials do enroll women, they're generally studied only at their most biologically "male-like" (when neither ovulating nor menstruating).

It's a bit like trying to study rainfall on a sunny day.

Researchers say that they do this because the ovarian cycle makes studying women "complex."
..In fact, because we don’t study women, we often make them sick.

Women are far more likely than men to experience negative outcomes from medication, in part because women metabolize drugs differently.

Even your typical flu vaccine, which is calibrated for men, includes twice the dosage your average woman needs." [1]

"Policies that encourage the inclusion of women in research originated during the women’s health movement... During the 1970s, few women worked in either medicine or science, and many women believed that women’s health needs were a low priority in the scientific and medical fields." [2]

It is because of our complexity that we need to be researched the most, don't you think?

But if we wait until the research is done, we can wait a million years.

This is why I do what I do, by being a menstrual educator and providing you with information you are being empowered to make informed decisions about your body & your health.

And I want you to know that you don't have to suffer every month.

Going the natural way might take more time than just taking medication but trust me, is worth it in the long run!

If our health care system does not really care about women's health, we will care for each other & we will heal ourselves.

We will take the matter into our own hands.

Are you with me?

[1] https://www.popsci.com/male-female-research-subjects/
[2] https://orwh.od.nih.gov/toolkit/recruitment/history

05/03/2021

Did you know women have a fifth vital sign? 🤔

The four vital signs are:

• Heart rate
• Blood pressure
• Respiratory rate
• Body temperature

But did you know women have a fifth vital sign?

Guess what?

✨Your fifth vital sign is your menstrual cycle!✨

"According to The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)... Once young females begin menstruating, evaluation of the menstrual cycle should be included with an assess­ment of other vital signs. By including this information with the other vital signs, clinicians emphasize the important role of menstrual patterns in reflecting overall health status."

So what about our menstrual cycle shows if we're healthy?

OVULATION 🌞

If you're ovulating regularly that's a sign of good health since ovulation can only occur if your endocrine system is functioning normally.

If you have irregular periods that are longer than 35 days or shorter than 25 days, that's a sign that ovulation is probably being disrupted and therefore indicates a health problem. 👀

“Ovulation has been recognized as an event linked with reproduction; however, recent evidence supports the role of ovulation as a sign of health.”
— Pilar Vigil et al., The Linacre Quarterly

Did you know this? 🤯 Let me know if you have any questions in the comments...
 
(Lisa Hendrickson-Jack. “The Fifth Vital Sign”.)

02/03/2021

Start your own business & pursue your heart hunches!

Tomorrow I'll be joining Rachel Fry from for her Passion Stories series.

If you are wanting to start your own business but need some inspiration to get started join us tomorrow for this Instagram live!

Rachel is currently in the final stages of my 1:1 coaching program and I'm so happy that she invited me to share more about the womb work I do and my story.

I'll be sharing my journey in pursuing my own business in women's health & wellness, and why I decided to focus on menstrual cycles & holistic hormone health.

I hope that our stories resonate with you and inspire you to begin your own business or project!

Join us tomorrow at 10:30 AM CT / 11:30 AM EST

(:

                           

26/02/2021

More than 80 ml of menstrual blood in total during the whole duration of your period is considered heavy bleeding.

If you change your pads/tampons/cup fully saturated every 2 hours then that’s a heavy period.

Here’s a herbal formula for heavy bleeding from the book Herbs for Women's Health, I highly suggest you getting this book if you are into herbalism for hormonal balance.

“Take herbs that support and cleanse the liver such as dandelion root, burdock root, fennel seed, milk thistle seed, turmeric, artichoke or celandine.

For example, drink an herbal decoction made from one or more of those herbs 2 to 3 times a day; take 2 milk thistle seed capsules 3 times a day; or take a tincture mixture of several of the above-named liver herbs at 1 tsp. 3 times a day for several months.

Also include lemon juice, beets, artichokes and leafy green vegetables in your diet to aid the liver in its work.

Formula for Heavy Bleeding

Mix the following herbal tincture:

1 part yarrow flowers
1 part geranium root
1 part lady's mantle
2 parts shepherd's purse

Use 1/2 to 1 tsp. 3 to 4 times a day during the heavy days of the cycle.”

(Mary Bove, N.D. and Linda Costarella, N.D., Herbs for Women's Health
Herbal Help for the Female Cycle from PMS to Menopause)

23/02/2021

USE YOUR CYCLICAL NATURE FOR YOUR SUCCESS

You know that frustrating feeling whenever you want to get things done or keep on going but your mind and body are rebelling themselves?

You can almost hear your mind and body saying: 'HELL NO GIRL! I'm not doing that right now. I'm not going there.' 🙅‍♀️

Well, if you keep on pushing and forcing yourself you'll burn-out eventually and will feel resentment.

Good thing is that you can actually avoid this by just being in your cycle-flow. 🌀

Getting to know the best moments to do certain tasks at each phase of your menstrual cycle.

So that you can start navigating life in flow with your feminine tides instead of struggling upstream all the time. 🏄‍♀️

☜ Swipe left to learn how to work in alignment with your cycle-flow

"Without knowledge of our Optimum Times, we can often perceive our abilities and ourselves as inconsistent and unreliable, a view that may be shared by partners, bosses, and co-workers.

We compensate by working extra hard, producing work which is not to our highest potential, taking stimulants to force our thinking and our bodies into ‘the way it should be’, and feeling unfulfilled because our life is a constant struggle to fit into a structure which does not fit us.

It’s a case of a round peg being hammered into a square hole.”

(Miranda Gray. “The Optimized Woman: Using Your Menstrual Cycle to Achieve Success and Fulfillment”)

𝙄𝙈𝙋𝙊𝙍𝙏𝘼𝙉𝙏: These are just guidelines and not rules. Every woman is different, I highly suggest cycle-tracking your optimum times every day for at least 3 cycles in a row.

18/02/2021

If our culture does not support women and ignores women's rhythms and cycles...

If our society focuses on achievement and high performance at the cost of women's mental & hormonal health...

No surprise women are so disconnected from their bodies & cyclical nature suffering all sorts of problems!

It's when women keep on Ignoring the signals of their bodies that imbalances appear in the form of painful periods, mood swings, or adrenal fatigue, for example.

Your body & menstrual cycles are your inner compass and they are constantly guiding you in the right direction.

Understanding and learning about & from your body is fundamental in order to understand its signals, language, and messages.

This will help you get more in tune with yourself so that you can awaken your feminine power.

So let’s begin the first chapter of this encyclepedia of feminine wisdom by learning more about the female body & anatomy.

Swipe left to see the images!

𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙐𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙐𝙎

⌔ The uterus is a pear-shaped muscular organ located a few inches below your navel.

⌔ The myometrium—is one of the strongest muscles in the body.

⌔ This organ can stretch many times its size in pregnancy and rhythmically contracts during childbirth.

⌔ The lining of the uterus, the endometrium, is shed as menstrual blood.

⌔ The strength of the muscular contraction also affects the volume of the menstrual blood and has an impact on the severity of period pain.

⌔ Just after menstruation, during the first part of the cycle, the endometrium is at its thinnest and oestrogen causes the lining to change and develop.

⌔ If ovulation occurs, progesterone is produced in increasing amounts and the endometrium not only thickens, it changes
in structure to become ‘glandular’.

⌔ Regular shedding of the endometrium is an indication of hormonal change, but NOT necessarily of ovulation as menstruation can occur without prior ovulation.

(Trickey, Ruth. Women, Hormones and the Menstrual Cycle)

13/02/2021

HOW TO USE THIS ENCYCLEPEDIA OF FEMININE WISDOM 📕🔍

As this account grows in content I wanted to make it easy for you to find what you need, so this insta-library has a color code.

Every time you see an image with one of the next colors in the background that will let you know what theme it belongs too

COLOR CODE:

💜 - SPIRITUALITY

💗 - SCIENCE

💛 - PRODUCTIVITY

💚 - HEALING

💙 - INSPIRATION

Swipe left to know more about each theme!

You will find the color code in the highlights for future reference. 🔮

Do you find this helpful? let me know in the comments! (:
💫

12/02/2021

✧ CALLING ALL BOOKWORMS IN THE CLUB! ✧

I'm currently reading Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Dr. Christiane Northrup. AMAZING BOOK!

& there are so many things that I would like to share with you from it, so I'll definitely add it to the book club we'll have inside the FB group eventually.

For now, here are 3 key takeaways I got from it so far:

✧ Menstrual pain & hormonal imbalances are also rooted in the collective conditioning around women's bodies. A culture that does not supports women, sets up the path for health problems as the context of a woman's life contributes to her health & wellness.

✧ Women who suffer from diseases in their reproductive organs are receiving a message from their body saying that a deeper wound needs to be healed, one that tends to be unconscious...

-the belief that you will never be good enough or worthy-

🙋‍♀️ (been there, done that lol)

✧ It's not enough to change your lifestyle habits & diet to create permanent healing from the struggles that you've been suffering for so long.

What this means for you is:

If you've been struggling with menstrual pain or any other hormonal & emotional imbalance and you haven't found a way to heal it yet, you need to change your unconscious negative beliefs.

Beliefs around your body, what being a woman means, your worth, the unwanted & rejected aspects of yourself & everything that creates a shadow in your consciousness.

You have to be committed to take a look at every single aspect of your life & access your own power and inner guidance to change them.

What Dr. Christiane Northrup shares in this book is exactly what I stand for.

I really believe that a permanent healing experience is only achieved when all aspects of ourselves are being considered into the equation.

By reading this book I feel reassured in my commitment to providing a holistic healing experience for women in my 1:1 programs.

Tell me in the comments: what's one book I should add to the book club?