I Want To Tell You About The Menstrual Cycle

Hormone Health
Written By Stacey Harwood

If you’re a woman reading this, chances are no one ever properly explained your menstrual cycle to you. School skimmed over it, doctors handed out birth control with minimal context, and society treated it as something to hide. But your cycle isn’t just about having a period — it’s a vital sign of health, just like our heart rate or blood pressure. Understanding it is powerful and can transform the way we eat, move, and live.

I know this firsthand, as I’ve never had a regular cycle. I was a late bloomer and didn’t get my period until 16, then a few months later, I went on the pill, which I stayed on for over a decade. When I came off the pill a few years ago, my period didn’t return, and it’s been confusing, especially without good professional support. Once I took matters into my own hands and understood the importance of our menstrual cycles, everything changed.

That’s why I’m writing this blog post, this information needs to be more widely understood (and it’s ok if you don’t, why would you if you haven’t been taught?). But it’s time we stop treating our menstrual cycles as a mystery or a burden and start using them as the powerful health tool they are!

What is The Ovarian Cycle

Our cycle isn’t just one phase — it’s a beautifully complex rhythm of hormonal shifts that influence everything from energy levels to our cravings.

Ovarian cycle demonstrating phases and hormonal fluctuations over a 28-day period.

Here’s the simple breakdown:

Menstrual Phase (Days 1–5)

Our period. Estrogen and progesterone drop, and our body sheds the uterine lining. Likely feel lower energy, crampy, or more introspective.

Follicular Phase (Days 6–14)

Body prepares an egg for ovulation. Estrogen rises. Likely feel more energised, social, and motivated.

Ovulatory Phase (Days 15–17)

The egg is released. Estrogen peaks and a surge in luteinising hormone (LH) triggers ovulation. Likely feel confident, strong, and attractive.

Luteal Phase (Days 18–28)

Body prepares for pregnancy or the next cycle. Progesterone rises, and if no pregnancy occurs, it eventually drops. Likely feel PMS symptoms (mood swings, bloating, and fatigue).

Why Your Menstrual Cycle is a Reflection of Your Health

Our cycle is more than just a reproductive function — it’s a direct indicator of hormonal health. When it’s regular and symptom-free, it means our body is in balance. But if there’s severe PMS, irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, or missing periods (like I had), it’s a sign that something deeper is going on.

Research shows that menstrual irregularities can be linked to stress, poor diet, hormonal imbalances, and even underlying conditions like PCOS or thyroid disorders (more on these in future posts). Yet, so many of us are told that painful periods and mood swings are “just part of being a woman”. That’s a lie. A healthy cycle should not feel like suffering.

I’m trying to reframe how we think about our cycles, essentially each month, we get a report card outlining the assessment of our overall health - how lucky are we?!

Common Signs of Menstrual Cycle Irregularity

As a naturally cycling woman, these are signs you should not ignore when it comes to your cycle:

  1. Short cycles (less than 21 days) or long cycles (more than 35 days)

  2. Change in your typical cycle length for a few months i.e. not just a one-off

  3. Extreme PMS symptoms (debilitating cramps, severe mood swings, migraines)

  4. Missing periods (unless pregnant or breastfeeding)

  5. Very heavy or very light bleeding

  6. Severe bloating, acne, or breast tenderness

If you’re experiencing any of these, it’s worth tracking your cycle and working with a healthcare professional to get to the root cause of why these symptoms are occurring. Then you can determine treatment options (here’s where I will stick my beak in and say it’s not always the birth control pill).

How to Sync Your Lifestyle with Your Cycle

Once you understand your cycle, you can start living in balance with it!

Here’s how to cycle sync nutrition, workouts and stress management during each phase.

Cycle syncing nutrition

Cycle syncing workouts

Cycle syncing stress management

The Power of Tracking Your Cycle

The best way to start understanding our cycles is to track it. I mean the whole cycle, not just when your period starts and ends. Having insights on mood, energy levels, digestion, and cravings is powerful. Over time, there will be noticeable patterns that will help us optimise how we live our life.

There are plenty of apps these days to track your period, like Flo and Clue. Also, websites where you can calculate ovulation.

I’ve also created a free resource - Menstrual Cycle Tracking - which includes steps for tracking your menstrual cycle. Please let me know how you get on in the comments.

Let’s Come Together And Take Back Control

Our menstrual cycles are not something to dread — they are beautiful and something to work with. Remember, it’s a regular health report that tells you what’s happening inside your body. When you start tracking it, you’ll feel in control of your health in a way you never have before!

So, let’s stop normalising suffering and demonising the period and, instead, start empowering ourselves with knowledge.


With love and balance, my Friends x


P.S. Here are some recommendations if you are interested in further resources on the menstrual cycle:

Stacey Harwood
Previous

Struggling With Stomach Issues?
Next

You Don’t Have To Sit In A Cave For Hours Chanting “Om” To Meditate!