Bonus Call 1
The Menstrual Cycle & The Moon Cycle
The Menstrual Cycle & The Moon Cycle
A brief overview on the hormones of the menstrual cycle:
Days 1 – 6
(period in full flow) Low levels of Estrogen (ES) and Progesterone (P).
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) starts to prepare the follicles in the ovaries.
Day 6
By day 6, the dominant follicle is selected and celebrates by producing ES
Days 7 – 14
ES is the dominant hormone. It plumps the lining of the womb
Makes skin and hair feel good. Stimulates the cervix to produce mucus (CM – cervical mucus)
24 hours before ovulation
ES peaks. Testosterone (T) also peaks. Then Lutenising Hormone (LH) and FSH encourage the follicle to produce more ES. This creates a surge of growth. A bulge appears on the ovary surface which ruptures and an Oocyte (egg) is produced. The follicle then becomes the corpus luteum.
Ovulation
The oocyte hangs out here in the uterine tube (fallopian tube) for around 24 hrs before moving to the uterus.
Days 14 to 28
LH stimulates the corpus luteum to produce Progesterone
Progesterone stimulates endometrial growth to 18mm in preparation for pregnancy.
Days 20 to 21
Highest surge of P
Days 21 to 28
Towards the end of the cycle the corpus luteum degenerates and the hormones drop making way for the next set of follicles to ripen/get ready
This decrease in hormones means the endometrium lining can’t be maintained which leads to period. Also triggers prostaglandins that cause the uterine contractions to flush out the lining and blood.
Hormones
- Estrogen: dominates the first half of the cycle – makes skin and hair feel good. Makes you feel curvaceous, good, maybe even amazing. Also makes you feel more tolerant
- Progesterone: dominates the second half of the cycle – great sedator. Can make you feel a bit edgy. Calms the nervous system (NS), makes you feel nesty. Also makes you feel bloated as the endometrium is thicker – 18mm. Slows us down in preparation for pregnancy
- Testosterone: increases around ovulation, makes you feel ambitious, sexy, competitive and boosts libido (generally an upsurge in ES creates an upsurge in T)