Hmmmmm, my bleed just came through.
Time to surrender, enjoy and peace out.
Wait, did you read that right?!
YES. And that’s exactly how I felt 2 days ago.
But, that wasn’t always the case…
- I had my phase where I continued the anti conception pill, just not to have my ‘pill-period’ during busier times – as there was no time for “such inconvenience”.
- I had my phase of damning myself for bleeding and being frustrated with this part of being a wom(b)an – during summer holidays, a day at the sauna or a day out in nature.
- And, after stopping with the pill, I had my phase of being happy about the fact that I had too long & irregular cycles – as I was bleeding less than average and didn’t need to deal with that.
Then, in 2021, I started learning about the incredible functions and powers of our menstrual cycle ….
And about how menstruation supports, cleanses, renews, recharges and guides us throughout our reproductive years.
(I wrote about this in my last blog – go check it out if you want to (re-)approach your bleeding time as a strength & support system, rather than a burden you’re subject to.)
Since then, I dismantled many limiting, patriarchal beliefs, and came to deeply appreciate this phase of our menstrual cycle.
Of course, it took some time of learning how to surrender to menstruation and welcome it with open arms – as this phase of resting, taking it slow, and turning inwards completely opposes what society stimulates us to do.
And, I’m still practicing to peace out, rest, and ‘non-do’ during this time.
After all, I am a social, curious butterfly who always wishes to do, learn and explore things.
Yet, I advanced a lot in taking it slower and creating space for rest during menstruation.
And the results have been bloody amazing.
SOOTHING MENSTRUATION
Since menstruation is the beginning and end of a cycle, the comfort & quality of your menstruation depends on what happened throughout the previous cycle(s) ànd sets the tone for the upcoming cycle.
This means that you actually have the agency to influence the smoothness of your cycle by making certain lifestyle choices.
Underneath, I’m sharing some of my go-to practices to prepare for a calm, nourishing and pleasurable menstruation.
1. Plan cycle days in your calendar
At the beginning of your cycle, during your bleeding days, mark your upcoming ovulation & menstruation time in your agenda. So, when you make plans throughout that month, you’ll be reminded of where you are in your cycle and what your needs might be around those dates.
For example, I note day 18 and day 30 in red in my Google calendar; day 18 to remind myself that I have entered the ‘via negativa’, the second half of my cycle, where energy declines and goes more inwards; day 30 to remind myself that I’ll be bleeding around that day and need to make space for resting.
2. Plan YOU-days in your calendar
Mark some moments for yourself in your agenda – especially during the second half of your cycle, prioritise these moments over socialising. This could be as short as a 30 minute time slot. This will help you creating space for yourself & your needs, bring mental space and buff stress.
3. Support your gut
Even though I see creating space to unwind and rest, reducing stress, and connecting with our inner selves as the primary foci for soothing our cyclical experience, food & drinks directly impact our hormonal system. And our hormonal system affects our menstruation. Hence, supporting your gut, supports your menstruation. This requires a separate blog post (or even book), but here are a couple of accessible guidelines:
- Processed sugars & alcohol are real hormones-disturbers. If you can reduce them pre-menstrually/in your luteal phase, that’s the most effective time to bring ease to your menstruation.
- I enjoy the simplicity of seed cycling:
- 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds & pumpkin seeds/day in the first half of my cycle;
- 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds & sunflower seeds/day in the second half of my cycle.
Easy to add to almost every dish, and giving it a nice crunch.
- I found an amazing hack for balancing your blood sugars (from Jessie Inchauspé): having fibers/greens before you eat something sweet. My staple is cucumber or leafy green. I would snack these before having sweet indulgence.
- In general, the pre-menstrual or luteal phase calls for steamed, stewed & grilled food, to keep your body warm and support your digestion & energy. Without going into many details, you can think about these food groups:
- Root veggies – to ground, calm, and nurture the body. Think of the autumn colours orange/red/yellow: sweet potato, carrots, beets, cabbage, squash, and pumpkin.
- Green veggies – to support your liver, break down (dominant) oestrogen, load up on minerals, support your fallopian tubes. Think of broccoli, broccoli sprouts, Brussel sprouts, kale, garden cress, bok choy, dark leafy greens, and spinach.
- Spices – to support your digestion. Such as fennel, coriander, cumin, fresh ginger, black pepper, bay leaves, and cardamom.
- You’ll be happy to hear that it is also a great time for dark chocolate – a natural source of antioxidants helping against oxidative stress in your body, and rich in magnesium, thereby soothing menstrual cramps. (Your cravings are natural!)
I made these peanut butter, dark chocolate date sweets during my last luteal phase, to reduce cravings in a pleasurable way. Was fun to make and such a treattttt to indulge in!
4. Move slower – the closer you get to menstruation.
Slowly move from high intensity, muscle training to deep restorative, tissue stretching workouts in the second half of your cycle. Fluid movements can also support you greatly in the second half of the cycle, to remove stagnated energy, release blockages and ground into your body.
Also, calming breathing practices & meditation will support your menstruation – at anytime of your cycle. They are great nervous system regulators.
5. Get into nature
Nature is always a solution. Nature is our anchor. When you feel lost, overthink, get stressed, feel discomfort, get into nature. When you need inspiration, a mind-refresher, an outlet, or to get your creative juices going, get into nature. Nature brings us home.
And when we are home, menstruation is the most soothing, intimate time to be with our inner self.
Some pics from this Monday, my 1st day of bleeding, where I walked this beautiful route around Breda (NL) with three dear friends.
HOW TO TAKE THIS AHEAD?
First of all, practice not seeing these as tools that limit yourself.
Try to see the opportunity in them. You can for example approach them as a way to take rest, to bring your attention inwards, and to learn more about yourself and your needs. A lot of self-development, insights and growth lie here.
In addition, these practices are very soothing for your nervous system, calming you down and making you more resilient towards stress.
Second, don’t get intimated by this list. I’ve been practicing for 4,5 years now and it took me a while to integrate these into my life. And I’m still working on them.
Take it as an inspiration and start with the one that resonates most and that would cost you least effort.
In this way, you can hang on to this practice, sustain it, own it, and gradually expand it.
From there, things truly evolve.
You have a choice to support your menstruation experience, and to benefit from all the goodness that flows from there. Will you take it? Will you walk that path?
🌀 Reflection prompts:
- How do you look at your menstruation?
- Do you want to change anything about that? If yes, how do you want to see and experience your menstruation?
- What opportunities can you see in these practices to sooth the arrival of your menstruation?
- Which one resonates most with you?
- How can you integrate 1% of this practice in your upcoming cycle?
I’m curious about your insights! Let me know in the comments, or by reaching out to me via the contact page.
A NOTE ON TODAY’S FULL MOON
It’s full moon in Sagittarius (my sign 💃🏽!)
This moon’s energy invites us to see things with clarity and courage, to question old ways of doing, and to face the unknown.
It supports us to walk away from what feels safe yet small; to trust what we feel; to stop fitting into other people’s expectations; to stop waiting for the perfect moment.
This is a great time to dream bigger, wider and wilder.
Wanna work with this fierce fire energy? Grab your journal and reflect on these prompts:
🌀 Reflection prompts:
- What do I want to manifest in my world?
- What beliefs are holding me back?
- What risks do I fear taking? Why?
- How can I take one bold step into the direction of my vision?
Then, take one bold baby step towards something you wish to manifest.
Don’t limit yourself. Don’t play safe.
Feel into your vision, and let this guide you in taking risks and daring to express yourself fully, wildly, & authentically.
WANT SUPPORT?
In my workshops, circles, and 1:1 sessions, I help you becoming body literate, understanding the shifts happening within your menstrual cycle, and aligning your lifestyle with your inner rhythms – so you can build on the powers of your intelligent body and cyclical being. Ultimately, I guide you in embracing the fulness of who you are, and stepping into your unique power. If you want support, have a look at my services or reach out directly via the contact page.
With love,
Stéphanie 🌞🌙
Awareness. Embodiment. Alignment. Transformation.
PS: If you’re looking for tips on how to support yourself during menstruation itself, you can navigate to the second part of this blog
