Did you know that a woman’s energy levels can (& should) vary greatly over a 28-day cycle? I’ve been focusing more heavily on the physical aspect of my health since this past summer & been fascinated by how our energy levels as women are affected by these physical changes. One of these physical changes I’ve made is to introduce intermittent fasting & I recently read a book by Dr Mindy Pelz titled Fast Like a Girl. In this book, Dr Pelz teaches about how a woman’s body changes over the 28-day cycle and how to tap into this for better health. Today on the blog & podcast, I’m going to share my top 3 tips for embracing better hormone health & increasing your energy levels as as woman.
3 Tips for Increasing Your Energy Levels as a Woman
#1 Shift Your Mindset to View The 28-Day Cycle as a Gift, Not a Detriment
Shift your mindset to view the ebb and flow of the 28-day cycle not as a detriment or problem to be avoided or somehow solved but rather a gift waiting for us to tap into the beauty of these changes and this cycle.
Men have a 24 hour cycle and women have a 28-day cycle, but we can embrace these differences and flourish together, not just in spite of them but because of them.
#2 Find Better Balance Between Complimentary Hormones
There is a hierarchy of hormones at play within our bodies and they all work together to give us life. For example, oxytocin is the love hormone. It is released when you are connecting with others, feeling happy, joyful, or are in a state of gratitude. This hormone tells our bodies we are safe and loved. On the other hand, cortisol is the stress hormone. It is triggered by stress and will set off the fight or flight response within our bodies that tells our body to shut down and store food when under this state of stress. Because our bodies don’t know the difference between life threatening stress or just the daily grind of work and life stress that we are not managing well, this can wreak havoc on our health. While cortisol is not bad in and of itself, we must aim to find better balance. These 2 hormones play into each other & if your oxytocin is higher, it will help lower your cortisol. Oxytocin drives reduction of stress by reducing cortisol and therefore manages insulin (the main cause of mid abdomen fat in woman over 40!) The four fundamentals to keep in mind: 1. eat whole nutritious foods (not synthetic/processed chemicals) 2. move your body to release the yummy hormonal cocktail 3. get a good night sleep 4. quiet your mind. All of these contribute to the positive cycle between oxytocin, cortisol, insulin which fluctuates during cycle due to the other sex hormones, therefore the power of understanding the orchestration thereof emboldens our ability to thrive throughout our cycle. Remember, we shouldn’t have painful cycles & we can help this by nailing down these four fundamentals.
#3 Harness the Power of Energy Level Changes Within the 28-Day Cycle
As women, we can better tap into the natural flow of hormones we experience in this 28 day cycle by better understanding them. The cycle begins with low hormone levels (progesterone, estrogen, testosterone) & they build up over days to prepare the body for the potential of creating life. During this time we can experience a state of clarity, enhanced communication, and our brain is calmer. Next, our body increases testosterone & we feel powerful, motivated to drive change and take action. Then, when our body increases progesterone levels, we experience a reduction of energy that coincides with a clarity of comfort and find the ability to transition through a change easier.
For example, fasting is best used during different times of this 28 day cycle & different foods will be better serve your body during different phases of this cycle as well.
I hope your learned something new & are encouraged to see the beauty of the woman’s 28-day cycle & change the conversion with your daughters and sisters and women in your lives, so we can experience better moods, better relationships, feel stronger and more connected to our own bodies and to each other as a community of both men and women. If you’re interested in the more books I would recommend, you can find the FULL LIST HERE!
Tune in to the podcast episode below to dive deeper into the effects of hormone health & ways to find better balance & more joy in your everyday life…
Listen to the podcast episode below:
Thank you for listening in and reading along… I would love to hear your thoughts… Join the conversation & send me an email at elizabeth@integratedbeingllc.com. I look forward to connecting with you & going on this journey of life together.
xo, Lizzie