Understanding the Menstrual Cycle
- Overview of the Menstrual Cycle: The menstrual cycle's phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulation, and luteal.
- Key Hormones: Introduce the main hormones: estrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH).
Hormonal Changes & Their Impact
- Menstrual Phase:
- Hormones: Low levels of estrogen and progesterone.
- Common Symptoms: Fatigue, cramping, lower back pain. Discuss how these can be exacerbated by imbalances like estrogen dominance or low progesterone.
- Follicular Phase:
- Hormones: Rising estrogen levels, peak of FSH.
- Symptoms: Increased energy, better mood, but for some, heightened anxiety or migraines as estrogen peaks.
- Ovulation:
- Hormones: Surge in LH, high estrogen, onset of progesterone.
- Symptoms: Libido increase, heightened senses. Mention mid-cycle spotting or pain if there's hormonal imbalance.
- Luteal Phase:
- Hormones: Dominance of progesterone, decline in estrogen.
- Symptoms: Bloating, mood swings, cravings, sometimes exacerbated PMS or PMDD due to hormone fluctuation.
Lifestyle Tips to Manage Symptoms
- Diet: Emphasize blood sugar control and anti-inflammatory foods.
- Exercise: Tailor to phases of the cycle; gentle yoga during menstruation, more vigorous activity in follicular and ovulatory phases.
- Stress Management: Techniques like meditation, journaling, and adequate sleep, focusing on reducing cortisol spikes.
- Practical advice on using functional medicine testing to understand hormone levels (mention the DUTCH test, GI Map, etc.).
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