By Shannon Smith, Founder of Dacha Wellness and Bush Wellness Skincare
Your menstrual cycle is more than just a monthly inconvenience—it’s a built-in guide to your body’s needs and energy shifts. Tuning into your cycle through food, environment, lifestyle, and mental well-being can help you feel more balanced, empowered, and at ease. One of the most empowering narrative flips for me was to view my bleed as my monthly report card. Your period tells you so much about what is going on in your body. After years of extensive research & personal experience, here’s what I learned is best to support yourself in each phase of your cycle.
Food: Eat With Your Cycle
What you eat can deeply impact your hormones. Forget the fads & the trends – most of the “studies” on diets are only conducted on men anyway, because the results from female studies had so many different variables. This is because we can’t paint our entire month with the same brush. Let’s break it down, in super simple terms:
- During your menstrual phase, nourish yourself with warm, comforting meals like soups, stews, and iron-rich foods (e.g., lentils, spinach, red meat) to replenish lost nutrients.
- In the follicular phase, focus on fresh, energising meals with lean protein and veggies—think grain bowls, broths, and ginger tea.
- Ovulation is the time for light, anti-inflammatory foods like berries, fish, and colourful veggies to support detox and high energy. (Ovulation phase is the star of the show! Eat as if you feel like a vibing superstar)
- In the Luteal phase, cravings might spike, so balance blood sugar with slow-burning carbs like sweet potatoes and magnesium-rich foods like dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds to support mood and reduce PMS symptoms.
Environment: Create a Supportive Space
Your environment can nurture (or drain) your energy. During menstruation, surround yourself with soft lighting, warm blankets, and quiet, like your cosy cave.
As you move into the follicular and ovulation phases, open windows, invite sunlight in, and declutter. This is a time to engage with the world and your space.
In the luteal phase, progesterone kicks in, which means we need calm energy in and around us. Start winding down your surroundings again: think calming scents, fewer social commitments, and grounding colours. Small shifts in your home or workspace can sync beautifully with your internal changes.
Lifestyle: Flow with Your Phases
Trying to push through your cycle the same way every week can lead to burnout. (Trust me, I learned the hard way.) We are not men, and we should not be going full force all the time. During menstruation, allow rest, short walks, gentle yoga, and early nights.
In the follicular phase, your energy rises due to a spike in testosterone – great for strength training, cardio, brainstorming, or trying new hobbies.
Ovulation is a time of peak energy and confidence—perfect for social events, public speaking, or hard workouts (and hitting those PBs!).
When the luteal phase arrives, slow down: prioritise planning, nesting, and more restorative movement like Pilates or Yin classes. Aligning your actions with your energy can lead to greater productivity and peace.
Mental Health: Honour Your Emotional Shifts
Your emotional state often mirrors your hormone fluctuations. Menstruation may bring introspection or vulnerability – use this time to journal or rest without judgment.
The follicular and ovulation phases can feel like a mental high – use them to connect, create, and share ideas.
In the luteal phase, anxiety or irritability might arise. Support yourself with extra sleep, reduce screen time, and weave affirmations into your days. Being aware of these shifts and showing yourself compassion through each phase helps reduce emotional overwhelm and strengthens your mental resilience. Remember, you are only human, and you will feel many different emotions through your cycle. This is what keeps the journey interesting!
Cycle syncing isn’t about perfection – it’s about paying attention. It’s about reading your report card & understanding what you can tweak for the next cycle. When you align your food, environment, lifestyle, and mental health with your body’s natural rhythm, you don’t just balance hormones – you deepen your connection to yourself. This is more important than any diet, pill, or life hack. This is the root of homeostasis within yourself. Start small, stay curious, and let your cycle be a source of strength, not stress. This is your true superpower.
The menstrual cycle is like a well-choreographed performance with four main acts: Menstruation, the Follicular Phase, Ovulation, and the Luteal Phase. Each phase plays a unique role in prepping your body for a potential pregnancy (or just keeping things in balance). Let’s break it down:
1. Menstruation: The Clean-Up Crew Arrives
This is the grand opening! The uterine lining, no longer needed, takes a graceful exit—aka your period. You might feel cramps or fatigue, but this is your body pressing the reset button. This phase usually lasts a few days.
2. Follicular Phase: The Prep Work Begins
Right after your period, your ovaries get busy! They start prepping an egg for its big moment. Meanwhile, your uterine lining begins rebuilding into a cosy, cushiony space.
3. Ovulation: Showtime!
Around day 14 (in a 28-day cycle), it’s go-time. The star of the show—a mature egg—makes its dramatic exit from the ovary and heads into the fallopian tube. This is the prime time for pregnancy.
4. Luteal Phase: The Waiting Game
After ovulation, the follicle that released the egg transforms into the corpus luteum—a hormone-secreting powerhouse. It keeps the uterine lining ready and waiting. If there’s no fertilised egg? The cycle starts again with menstruation.
MEET SHANNON SMITH
Shannon Smith founded Dacha Wellness and Bush Wellness Skincare and is a fierce advocate for holistic, plant-based living. Her wellness journey began the hard way—after struggling with burnout, hormone imbalances, and total exhaustion.
A former wellness coach caught in the cycle of high-protein diets and intense workouts, Shannon hit a wall. “I was completely burnt out. My hormones had flatlined, my thyroid was overactive—I didn’t even recognise myself,” she recalls.
Determined to heal, she shifted her lifestyle toward natural, plant-based wellness and spiritual practices. With the help of supportive tools like magnesium and vitamin B, she reclaimed her health and her sense of self.
Now, Shannon channels that transformation into empowering others through her wellness brands. When she’s not helping people live more vibrantly, you’ll find her hiking with her dog, soaking up nature, or chasing waterfalls (literally!).