Reclaiming My Cycle: Why Living in Sync with My Hormones Was the Best Thing I Ever Did
Four years ago, I made a decision that completely changed how I live in my body:
I stopped fighting my natural cycle — and started working with it instead.
After years of hormonal imbalances, gut issues, mood swings, and frustration with birth control and symptom-masking approaches, I felt called to reconnect with my own rhythm.
Not just for my physical health — but for my energy, clarity, creativity, and emotional balance.
This blog post is for every woman who’s curious about what it really means to live in alignment with your hormonal cycle — and why it might just be the best gift you can give yourself.
🌙 What Is the Natural Cycle
The natural cycle refers to the menstrual cycle as it unfolds naturally, without synthetic hormonal interference (like the pill, patch, or hormonal IUD).
It’s a powerful, complex rhythm that moves through four distinct phases:
- Menstrual Phase (bleeding): a time of rest, reflection, and release
- Follicular Phase (after your period): energy builds, creativity sparks
- Ovulation (mid-cycle): peak energy, communication, confidence
- Luteal Phase (before your period): inward focus, intuition, grounding
Each phase brings shifts in hormones like estrogen, progesterone, FSH, LH, and even cortisol — and these shifts influence not just your body, but your brain, mood, motivation, digestion, and sensitivity to stress.
🌿 Why I Chose the Natural Route
Before I started supporting my natural cycle, I often felt disconnected — like my body was working against me.
I struggled with:
- Mood swings and low energy
- Anxiety and overwhelm, especially before my period
- Skin breakouts, bloating, and gut discomfort
- A lack of trust in my body
After digging deep into hormone health, I realized that many of my symptoms were my body’s way of speaking up — not failing me. I didn’t need to “shut it up” with hormones. I needed to support it.
💛 What Changed When I Started Living Cyclically
Once I started supporting each phase of my cycle with nutrition, lifestyle, mindset, and rest, everything began to shift. Here’s what I noticed:
✔️ More stable energy throughout the month
✔️ Better gut health, less bloating and fewer IBS flares
✔️ Improved sleep and recovery, especially during luteal and menstrual phases
✔️ Clearer skin and more predictable periods
✔️ More emotional balance — I could expect and honor my mood changes instead of fighting them
✔️ More trust in my body — and in myself
🥑 Supporting Your Hormones Naturally
Here are a few key ways I support my hormonal cycle now:
1. Cycle-Syncing Nutrition
- I adjust my meals to support the hormonal needs of each phase.
- Follicular: lighter meals, leafy greens, fermented foods
- Ovulation: raw veggies, omega-3s, antioxidants
- Luteal: grounding foods, root vegetables, complex carbs for serotonin
- Menstrual: iron-rich foods, warming stews, magnesium
2. Gentle Movement
- High energy? I love walking, cycling, or strength training.
- Low energy? I slow down with stretching, yoga, or rest.
3. Tracking My Cycle
- I track symptoms, mood, ovulation, and bleeding with a journal or app.
- It helps me stay in tune, not in control.
4. Saying No Without Guilt
- I no longer expect myself to be the same every day — because I’m not.
- My cycle taught me that rest, softness, and space are productive, too.
🔄 Your Cycle Is Not a Problem — It’s a Power
So many women grow up believing that our cycles are an inconvenience, something to hide, suppress, or “manage.”
But your cycle is your fifth vital sign. It gives you real-time feedback on your health, your stress levels, your nourishment, and your nervous system.
When we start to live in harmony with our hormones — instead of ignoring or overriding them — something incredible happens:
We become more resilient, more grounded, more powerful.
🌸 Final Thoughts
Living in sync with your natural cycle is not always easy — especially in a world that expects consistency 24/7.
But it’s one of the most healing, empowering choices I’ve ever made.
Four years into this journey, I can say with full honesty:
I trust my body more. I understand myself better. I feel like me.
And if you’re curious about starting your own journey — know that you don’t have to be perfect. Just begin by listening.
Your hormones are not the enemy. They’re your inner compass. 🌙✨
XOXO,
Lis
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