THE four SEASONS. OF THE FEMALE CYCLE Susan Hart

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1 THE four SEASONS OF THE FEMALE CYCLE Susan Hart

2 WEEK ONE: SPRING What to expect The start of week one is summed up in one word relief. The PMS you experienced during the past four days has completely gone. It has been replaced with a slow increase of your oestrogen and the shredding of your lining. Yes, you might feel crampy and be feeling horrible overall, but it is a welcome relief because even though your hormones are still low, oestrogen is beginning to rise. The irritability has gone and you are left with hopeful optimism that things can only get better.

3 Spring 01

4 WEEK TWO: SUMMER What to expect The start of week two is summed up in one word bliss. It s the beginning of a week where energy, mood, brain power, confidence, sexiness and excitement is manifested, peaking at day 14. Nature has designed a woman s body to ensure we are at our most desirable during days 8-14 so why not take full advantage of her gifts and follow her path? Our skin is better, our face appears more symmetrical, our hair is shinier, our eyes are clear and that s even before we apply anything unnatural to our bodies.

5 Summer 02

6 WEEK THREE: AUTUMN What to expect The start of week three is summed up in one word sedating. It s the beginning of a very different week for you. This week s levels of oestrogen and testosterone nose-dive, which can trigger mini PMS. It will be less intense as the PMS week but most women don t realise that oestrogen drops not once, but twice, every cycle. Both of these drops can cause irritability, a bout of the blues and fatigue. On top of that, now progesterone is rising. This sedating hormone has you feeling sleepy, quiet, less interested in socializing and more likely to prefer familiar people and surroundings over anything new.

7 Autumn 03

8 WEEK FOUR: WINTER What to expect The start of week four can be summed up in one word - shadow. The truth is, the two hormones that were prevalent in week one and two (progesterone and oestrogen) begin to fall away during the next six days leading to day 28 when you feel the full effects of your depleting hormones. You will experience familiar feelings of irritability, impatience, weeping and depression, coupled with physical symptoms such as aches, insomnia and migraines to name a few. This week is essential for your body to release the unwanted lining (unless you are pregnant) and in order to do this, a slow decrease of hormones means your uterus will contract and allow your lining to come away, ready to renew for the next week.

9 Winter 04

10 How you can change your life by being aware of your hormone changes. Once I realised that there was a monthly pattern to my hormones I began to chart my emotions daily. This tracking of my emotions was overlayed against this basic hormonal chart and I soon realised that my behaviour was directly correlated to my hormone changes. A drop of oestrogen at Day 15 meant that there was potential for me to become angry, irritable and also for me to harm my relationships. With knowledge of this day coming, I became more mindful of my behaviours and consumed healthy foods to support my body during these few days of hormonal drop. Life is better when you are aware of what your body is doing. LH FSH OESTROGEN PROGESTERONE

11 What is all this hormone talk about? Luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) are called gonadotropins because they stimulate the gonads - the testes in males and the ovaries in females. They are not necessary for life, but are essential for reproduction. These two hormones are secreted from cells in the anterior pituitary called gonadotrophs. Most gonadotrophs secrete only LH or FSH, but some appear to secrete both hormones. Oestrogens help regulate the menstrual cycle, controlling the growth of the uterine lining during the first part of the cycle, most notably from day 5 to 14. If the woman s egg is not fertilised, oestrogen levels decrease sharply and menstruation begins. Oestrogen is commonly known as the happy hormone due to the effects it has on the body, creating a sense of emotional stability, strength of mind and in a lot of cases, bringing physical changes to the body that increase a woman s sex appeal. Check out the chart to see where oestrogen rises in your cycle and take note of your emotions during these days. If you feel any emotional or physical changes during days it might be because you are coming down from the oestrogen rush and your mind begins to tell you stories of what that might mean. What you re feeling might not be as bad as you think but a result of the missing hormone oestrogen. So, just take a day to adjust to the new hormone levels - breathe, eat well, drink water and sleep more. One of the most important functions is to cause the endometrium to secrete special proteins during the second half of the menstrual cycle, preparing it to receive and nourish an implanted fertilized egg. If implantation does not occur, oestrogen and progesterone levels drop, the endometrium breaks down and menstruation occurs. Progesterone is known to create some issues for women such as stomach upset, changes in appetite, weight gain, fluid retention and swelling, fatigue, acne, drowsiness or insomnia, allergic skin rashes, hives, fever, headache, depression, breast discomfort or enlargement, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. I know, it sounds gloomy... right? Review where progesterone rises in your cycle and take note of your emotions during these days. If you feel any emotional or physical changes during days it might be because you are experiencing the effect of this hormone. Please remember you need to adjust to the new hormone levels, and continue to breathe, eat well, drink water and sleep more. Always speak with your preferred health expert if you feel this needs to be investigated further. For more information visit our website and drop us a line at themoonandyou.com.au

12 Create a Manual Tracker or download our app Use the blank chart at the end of the e-book to begin tracking your emotions. Here is an example of a month of tracking. You will notice a spike in my emotions at day 14 (aroused at day 14, a drop in mood at day 15 and another drop of emotions during days 25 to 28). If you overlay this with a female hormonal chart you can track if your emotions are responding in accordance with hormonal changes. If that is the case you can begin to prepare yourself for your hormonal changes before they happen. You will be better equipped to predict your mood and become more mindful when you are interacting with others AROUSED EXCITED HAPPY OKAY SAD ANGRY MANIC

13 You have the power to change your life. It is your choice how you respond to others. No matter what season it is for you, choose kindness. Life is short so choose well.

14 Template AROUSED EXCITED HAPPY OKAY SAD ANGRY MANIC

15 Women represent about half the world s population - their mood and behaviour can significantly affect the other half. themaleapp.com.au twitter.com/themaleapp facebook.com/themaleapp instagram.com/themaleapp Available now to purchase online at themaleapp.com.au