Written by Grace Arrowsmith
Understanding the cycle itself
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re interested in learning more about your (or someone close to you) cycle and how to support your body throughout. Before we delve into dietary and lifestyle tips, let’s check we’ve got the basics down.
Firstly it’s important to stress there are many variations of what a ‘normal’ cycle looks like, which can change throughout our lives, what’s important is knowing what ‘normal’ looks like to you.
The average menstrual cycle is around 28 days long, however anything from 21-40 days is considered normal. Day 1 of your cycle is marked by menstruation (or the period) and typically ends around day 5-6. There are 2 main phases of your cycle, firstly your follicular phase, followed by your ovulatory phase and lastly luteal. Throughout there are 4 main hormones at play; oestrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH).
These hormones change throughout your cycle, oestrogen and progesterone levels are low in the follicular phase, during your period. In the late stages of this phase oestrogen rises, it peaks just before ovulation, in combination with an increase in LH, ovulation begins. Oestrogen dips as the egg is released. Lastly, the luteal phase, where progesterone levels increase, exceed oestrogen, however oestrogen is also high during this time. If at this stage you do not become pregnant, both oestrogen and progesterone levels lower in the later luteal phases, starting the cycle again…
Interested in finding out more?
Read more on what to eat and how to move your body throughout the different stages of your cycle, on our app. You can download it for free below.
