Tracking your menstrual cycle and adjusting your lifestyle accordingly may seem like a recent trend, but it actually has ancient yogic roots. Various traditions, including Ayurveda, have long taken into account the changes that occur each month in fertile women. Evidence that women adjust their diet and lifestyle choices to respect the different phases of their monthly cycle dates back to some of the earliest texts, including the Charaka Samhita (400-200 BC).
“The female hormonal system and menstrual health are extensively discussed in classical texts,” confirms Nimisha Gandhian Ayurvedic consultant and functional medicine nutritionist based in the Bay Area. “The core principles of Ayurveda provide guidance on living in harmony with your natural rhythms, helping you maintain balance and prevent disease.”
But despite thousands of years of anecdotal evidence touting period synchronization, modern medicine is still lagging behind in advocating the practice. Janet ChoiMD, a dual-certified reproductive endocrinologist and OBGYN, cautions that there is limited and mixed research on this issue.
“While there is robust research on how hormones influence various aspects of health and well-being, there are few rigorous studies that specifically examine the effectiveness of these practices for aligning cycle phases,” she says. Choi adds that some small studies and anecdotal reports suggest potential benefits.
It’s worth noting that a lack of research is not uncommon for women’s health issues. It wasn’t until 1993 that the National Institute of Health Revitalization Act was passed by Congress requiring researchers to ensure that women and minorities were adequately represented in clinical trials. That means many popular approaches to fitness, nutrition and lifestyle are based on research done primarily in men.
This is also why learning to respect one’s energetic cycles and bodily changes can be such a crucial and powerful practice for those with female hormones. It’s a way for women to take charge of their health and their lives.
Tune in to your menstrual cycle
In 2012, expert in the field of functional nutrition and female hormones Alisa Vitti invented the Cycle SyncingⓇ Method and created the associated lifestyle brand FLO Livingmodernizing and popularizing the ancient practice of tailoring your lifestyle to your menstrual phase. Vitti defines cycle synchronization as tailoring “your food type and calorie intake, your exercise type and intensity, and your projects to each of the phases of your cycle.”
In her program, Vitti explains the changes associated with these phases. In addition to supporting overall hormonal health and reducing cycle-specific symptoms, she explains that this practice helps women “reduce stress, increase energy, and cope with [their] unique feminine dynamic energy in the center of [their] to live.”
“A core principle of both Ayurveda and period synchronization is to go with the flow of your body’s natural rhythms rather than against them,” Gandhi explains. “Adjusting your expectations about what your body can do during the month can also lead to greater awareness, compassion and self-acceptance.”
However, there are mixed messages about practicing postural yoga during menstruation. Some yoga teachers consider menstruation to be a form of menstruation apana vayua natural downward and outward release of energy, and therefore do not recommend inverting, so as not to disturb nature. Certain Iyengar teachers discourage students from practicing Legs up the Wall during this time. Some even recommend not exercising at all. Let’s also not forget that ‘yoga’ is a very broad term that includes many different types of contemplative practices (mantra, meditation, pranayama) in addition to movement. And of course there’s Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science, which gives us a clear roadmap on how to approach our monthly cycle.
Instead of thinking of periods as a monthly burden, seeing your hormonal cycle through a yoga lens can be powerful. When you adjust your life to honor your body, you can reap profound benefitsincluding less stress, a better mood and more energy. There is nothing more yoga than living in harmony with nature, including your hormones.
The 4 phases of the menstrual cycle and yoga
It is important to note that the following are very general descriptions of the phases of the menstrual cycle. “Each [is] characterized by marked hormonal shifts that affect your physical, mental and emotional needs,” explains Ellie asked, MS, a board-certified functional nutrition and holistic health coach and founder of The holistic remedy. Every woman’s experience is different. The most important thing is to listen to your body and its needs on any given day.
1. Menstruation
Duration: Day 0 of the cycle. Duration 1-7 days.
What you need to know: The menstrual phase marks the start of your cycle. All hormones are at their lowest levels, causing some women to experience fatigue and reduced energy. “This is an ideal time to slow down, reflect, and engage in restorative self-care practices,” Ellie recommends.
In Ayurveda it is said that the menstrual phase is determined by vata doshawhich consists of the elements air and ether. “Vata represents movement, so during this phase there is a natural downward flow of energy as the body sheds the uterine lining,” says Gandhi.
If you choose to practice asana, experts recommend more grounding poses and yoga styles. “Keep your practice limited to 30 minutes or less and focus on pelvic basin relaxation in your poses,” Vitti recommends.
Also, certain yoga poses can be helpful in relieving menstrual stress and pain, Gandhi adds.
Yoga Recommendations: Restorative and yin yoga
2. Follicular phase
Duration: Starts after our period ends. Lasts 5-7 days.
What you need to know: This time is marked by a rise in estrogen levels as the follicles in the ovaries begin to mature in preparation to house an egg.
In Ayurveda, this is believed to be a time of kapha dosha, says Gandhi: “Kapha brings stability, strength and growth, reflected in the preparation of the body for possible conception.”
“Many women notice an increase in energy, motivation and creativity during this phase,” says Vitti. She recommends using this time to try new activities and plan the rest of the month.
Yoga Recommendations: power vinyasa, hot yoga, Ashtanga
3. Ovulation phase
Duration:Around day 7-10 of the cycle.
What you need to know: Hormonally speaking, this is the time when estrogen is at its highest and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels rise.
In Ayurveda, this phase is governed by pitta doshawhich consists of the elements fire and water. “This stage brings increased energy, confidence and libido, putting the body and mind in a more focused and driven state,” says Gandhi.
It’s the time in the cycle when you are most fertile and, like fertile soil, it’s a good time to start planting seeds and ideas, especially when it comes to collaboration. This is a time to be in community and connect with other people in your life.
Yoga Recommendations: Kundalini, partner yoga, acroyoga
4. Luteal phase
Duration: May take 10-12 days.
What you need to know: This is the longest phase of the cycle and consists of two separate halves, including the shedding of the uterine lining. “Immediately after ovulation there is a dramatic increase in estrogen, progesterone, and another bump in testosterone,” Vitti explains. “But in the second half, when there’s no embryo implantation, there’s a huge drop in all these hormones.”
“From an Ayurvedic perspective, the luteal phase is the most interesting because there are two doshas working together energetically,” says Gandhi, referring vata And Pitta, which reflect the significant hormonal changes taking place. “But both can be present at different intensities during the luteal phase,” says Gandhi.
Vitti encourages slower, strength-oriented practices. She also recommends that practitioners consume proper nutrition both before and after exercise to support sustainable energy.
Yoga Recommendations: Hatha, Bhakti
#yoga #menstrual #cycle