This is the week following ovulation. Ovulation is the moment the egg is released from the follicle and the remaining follicle now becomes known as the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum is responsible for producing the wonder hormone progesterone.
Week 3 feels
This week we may feel a bit all over the show. Often a massive dip in mood and energy just after ovulation and then as the hormones start building up in our body again we start feeling better. Post ovulation feels giving us that “let’s go into hibernation for a while” feeling.
Estrogen and progesterone function together like “yin and yang” hormones. Where estrogen is responsible for growth and stimulation, progesterone is responsible for calming.
Progesterone is as important for female health as estrogen!
Progesterone has many superpowers; protective against cancers, aids in sleep and soothing moods, nourishes hair and clears skin, is anti-inflammatory, and helps build bone and muscle. Every month that we ovulate we make a progesterone deposit into our bones that needs to last us all through aging; the more progesterone we can add to our body through our ovulating years will help see us through our post-menopause years.
Do you ovulate with every menstrual cycle?
It is important to note that just because you have a regular bleed it does not mean you have ovulated. It is possible to have an anovulatory menstrual cycle. The way to tell if we have ovulated or not is to track and record our basal body temperature. The progesterone produced from ovulation causes a slight rise of approximately 0,3 degrees celsius in our basal body temperature. This can be tested with a digital thermometer first thing in the morning. Some ladies even experience a twinge of pain when they ovulate and this is known as “mittelschmerz.” This can be a sharp or dull pain and last from a few seconds to a few hours, but it should not need any medication to treat.
So how can we work with our menstrual cycle during this week?
- Continue drinking fluid. Water water water.
- Nutritionally we should increase our healthy fat intake (avocado, coconut, olive oil, salmon, nuts and olives). Ovulation is an energy sapping event in the body and we want to start pre-empting the craving week. Moderate protein, a small portion of carbs and don’t forget your leafy green veg.
- Exercise wise it’s a good week to return to moderate intensity exercise, doing some HIIT as well as steady state cardio as you like.
- Mentally and emotionally its a time to start slowing down again. You are definitely going to feel like staying in is a better option; this is the body’s way to start slowing you down as it goes into protection mode in the hope that there is a fertilised egg being implanted.
- Follow your bodies lead to slow down a bit and maybe spend some time investing in yourself- reading book, learning a new skill or something else along those lines.
I hope that was helpful to you. And if it was, I hope that you share the love and share this with a friend. Because ladies, we have got to help each other out.
Week 4 loading…