every phase #15 - luteal - the 4th cycle

thought provoker part I

In creating this 2 part piece (the next one will be coming out next week with the next phase), I thought about how much is said by us without being literally spoken. 

I thought about it as a phone.  There is a space where you speak, by your mouth, and the space where you listen, by your ear.  When we speak to the world within our actions, what we hear back is literally what shows up in our life.

The particular ratio of estrogen to progesterone in this phase allowed me to notice things I didn't see before.  Looking through a different lens, so to speak.  

Except for this luteal phase, instead of looking through a different 'lens' I chose to hear through a different speaker.  Listening to my body, and choosing to 'speak' through my actions, and whatever I gave emotional time & attention to.

Creating art is my speaker and my microphone--it says "I am".  Art acknowledges that feelings emotions move, and we have the free will power to transform that energy into our medicine.  It gives us the ability to always move out of the victim's position.  

"...Therapy adjusts us to the world.  Art adjusts the world itself......Art is alchemy.  It turns the ore of life into gold."

- Julia Cameron, Walking in this World

Meet the Luteal Phase... 

When: The 10 to 14 days after ovulation and before your bleed. 

What’s happening in your body:  

• Estrogen levels continue to rise and the uterine lining continues to thicken
• Progesterone levels start to rise
• Toward the end of the luteal phase, estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone peak and then begin to drop, hitting their lowest levels just before your period. 
• PMS during this phase is caused by too much estrogen in the body relative to progesterone, or estrogen dominance
• Metabolism speeds up

During the luteal phase, specifically, your metabolism speeds up, and your resting cortisol levels are higher. You must eat more calories daily to maintain stable blood sugar, which helps balance insulin — a critical hormone that greatly affects the degree of PMS you will experience.  In addition, don’t engage in HIIT workouts during this time. Opt for gentler movement, like Pilates and other non-cardio strength training. How much PMS you have is totally in your control and directly related to how much or how little you support your infradian rhythm during this phase. Continue to emphasize cruciferous vegetables during this phase and add in some complex carbohydrates like those found in sweet potatoes, which are nutrient-dense. 

*Info above from floliving.com

More info on the Luteal phase here

More info on infradian rhythm + hormonal health: Womancode + In the flo