I’m 38 and Just Now Learning This About My Body

This last Sunday, I planned out my whole week. 

I wrote down exactly what time I'm getting up, what my morning routine would be, what projects I'm working on before and after clients, and what I'm doing in the evening.

The reason I did this is two-fold. 

One, as a single person operating a one-woman business from home, structure can be… elusive.

On one hand, I love that I make my own schedule, can grocery shop at 1pm on a Tuesday, and when I work Saturdays, have Mondays that function like Sundays.

On the other hand, when outside forces ask for deadlines and I'm trying to get projects done, a little extra organization helps.

The other reason doing this is because I'm reading a book called Cycle Sync Your Business.

That's right. I'm talking about the female hormone cycle 💃🏻

As a 38 year old woman, I am just now diving deep into learning about how my hormones — not just my period — impact me through the entire month. 

And, don't worry, if you're someone who has a 24-hour hormonal cycle this is still valuable information. 

With half the population shifting significantly every week (regardless if you have an actual period or not) you'd think we'd be teaching this stuff in schools.

But no… we only hear about the horrors that come with PMS 🙄

Sure, I made the connection long ago that some of my biggest relationship throwdowns came right before my period… but there was always a reason.

And then a few years ago I started noticing a trend in some of my female clients.

Some weeks they'd show up feeling great, ready to chat and implement whatever tool we happen to be working on.

Then the next session, they'd be tearful, depressed, hating life, and not interested in anything I had to say.

So, gently, I began inquiring.

Some knew exactly what was going on and that their hormones impacted them deeply. Others had no clue where they were in their cycle.

But the more we talked about it, the easier it became to notice the effects of birth control, fluctuations in energy, and emotional insight or creative bursts that came during certain times of the month.

The more we talked, the more I noticed what was happening in my own life. 

If you know me personally, or have read my book, you know I've suffered from migraines since 5th grade. The longest I've ever gone without a migraine is nine months, and that's only happened once.

I track my migraines and make notes, guessing about why they happened.

Sure, I saw some trends.

I knew if had caffeine, didn't eat enough or was super stressed, I'd be more likely to get one.

But months would go by and then I'd get four. And then six months would go by and I'd get three.

I really didn't see a true method to the madness.

Until a couple months ago, I was talking to my Chinese Medicine practitioner, Jenna (who's amazing, btw!) and I showed her the list.

She took one look and said, "Yup, it's hormonal."

Now, granted, I've talked to doctors, chiropractors, and other migraine sufferers for years about this topic so yes, I've heard that before, but not often. 

And if someone did say “it's hormonal”, I would simply reply, "Well, they don't always happen during my period," and that would be the end of it.

After I talked to Jenna, I went home and compared my migraine list to my health tracker app that tracks my cycle.

Once I saw the numbers it was crystal clear. I got migraines either 10 days before my period or on the first day of my period. Every. Single. Time.

And it tracks because, as I now know, you need to eat more during your luteal phase, which is about 10 days before menstruation. 

How am I 38 years old and JUST NOW FINDING THIS OUT?!?

And, if you're reading this and have never heard of the luteal phase. Don't worry, you're not alone. 

My 73 year-old mother didn't know what it was and I only started hearing about it a couple years ago… because of Instagram!

This is what happens when you are literally raised in a man's world.

And are raised under the assumption that, with a few exceptions, women are basically smaller, less hairy versions of men. 

But we're not. We’re so much more than that 💪

Did you know that women were formally and systematically excluded from most clinical trial research until 1993? 

It wasn't until 2016 (!!!) that the National Institutes of Health required "sex as a biological variable" to be factored into study designs.

This means decades of drug dosing, side-effect profiles, and efficacy data were established almost entirely on male bodies, then applied to everyone.

That's why women have taken to the internet to ask questions and educate each other on what's going on with our own bodies. 

As a (w)holistic therapist and coach who's focused on whole-person healing my entire career, I find it incredibly important to address the fundamental basis of being human.

Hormones impact how you feel — mentally and physically – and trauma impacts hormones too. 

When women ignore the subtle whispers of the body and push ourselves to match the consistent, 24-hour hormone cycle of a man, it can lead to serious burn out, injury and disease. 

But when we listen to the wisdom of these different phases and tune into what's needed for our own specific body in any given moment, for any area of life, that's when we thrive.

So whether you're building a business, trying to have a child, or figuring out which workout is best for you, it's imperative that you take your whole self into account.

Miraculously, your body is a perfectly functioning system. And it's an input-output system too.

Your hormones aren't set in stone, and neither are your habits. 

Sometimes it just takes a little knowledge, organization, and some structure to make the appropriate shifts that can get you living a life that's more full and robust than ever.