integrating your menstruation into your daily life
what to learn about the menstruation and how to use this knowledge for your daily life
because of our current education system, the patriarchy and tabus, there is a lot we don't know about the menstrual cycle. not only do we not know a lot, we also don't talk about it enough. so of course i also didn't know a lot and had to learn almost everything i now know from other instagram people, cycle coaches and books.
there is still so much i don't know and have to learn but i will share now a little bit of my knowledge with you. i am also going to list some books and instagram accounts for you where you can get information and education.
i also want to say that i am no expert in this so everything that i am sharing is only based on my experience!
illustration of a menstruating person ©Katharina Lorenz
how it all started. as a person with a uterus, at least when i started getting my cycle in 2008, the menstruation was just a thing that randomly happened. i didn't know what was happening, it just did. luckily my mum and my surroundings where always super cool with these kind of topics so it was never awkward or weird for me. but then also, that was it. i did not know more than that i am going to bleed now once a month, and that i am going to have cramps and bad moods once a month.
nowhere did i learn what actually was happening in my body. what was happening to my hormones, my brain, my everything. it took me 12 years to learn all that!
so what is there to learn? when having a uterus the body goes through a monthly cycle. during this cycle the hormones in the body are constantly changing. this all happens because hormones have different functions in our bodies and in order to get pregnant, releasing eggs , fertilizing or cleaning the uterus we have different hormones that regulate this process. but these hormones not only 'work' in our uterus, they also change our energy levels and our emotions.
so by knowing what happens in which cycle phase (there are four phases) and by knowing your body, you can then integrate your cycle into your monthly plans. you will know when you have a lot of energy to do a lot of work for example. you will know when it would be the best time to see friends, or the best time for you to be alone. you will know when it would be best to start new projects or the best time to be creative.
planning your month according to your body, on what it needs and what it can give you can help you use your fullest potential. you can start working with your body instead of against it.
illustration of a menstruating person ©Katharina Lorenz
i hope this gave you a little insight on why it is important to learn about our bodies and what it can do for us. i hope you liked this blog entry. feel free to leave a comment and a like.
here are some amazing instagram accounts on menstrual education:
german:
@frau.ganz.pur
@evateja
@bodysynchron
@lustfaktor
@circles_de
@socialperiod
@heyzyklus
@ohwoman.de
@perioden.systemenglish:
@vulvani_
@menstrualhealthhub
@operationperiod
@myperiodisawesome
@nonawoman
@wearehappyperiodbooks:
fruit of knowledge - liv strömquist
viva la vagina - nina brochmann, ellen stokkendahl
ebbe & blut - luisa stömer, eva wünsch
periode ist politisch - franka frei
there are many more so just go out and search :)
