In the FLO

#thebestisyettocome2021

“Go with the flow.”

About 6 or 7 months ago, I started developing a greater interest in weightlifing and powerlifting. As I increasingly trained these 2 disciplines, I noticed more than ever that my body didn’t quite feel the same week to week; some weeks I felt incredibly strong and others I felt astonishingly weak using the same amount of weight on the barbell (or less). There’s no doubt that we all have good and bad days when we train and that there are a variety of factors that could impact our performance in the gym, such as sleep, nutrition and stress just to name a few, but as the weeks progressed I began noticing a pattern and I felt the need to inquire a little further into what was happening within my body.

At the same time when I started developing an interest in learning more about the female body and its relationship with training, a close friend of mine was experimenting with dietary changes to help with other female-related issues she was experiencing herself. We both found ourselves obsessing over articles and podcasts to gain more information about our menstrual cycle and how it can affect us in various ways.

The more I learned about my menstrual cycle though, the more questions I had. This growing curiosity led me to purchasing and reading the book “In the FLO” by Alisa Vitti.

In reading this most recent book, I realized that how I’ve been feeling while lifting a barbell is just a small element in the grand scheme of things.

The female body and its menstrual cycle are quite complex, however very fascinating.

Amongst all the things I’ve learned lately, here are three points that have stood out to me and that I feel are worth sharing. (It’s important to understand that each of these points could be discussed in far more detail than what I am providing below.)

1. The 28-day infradian rhythm

As opposed to the 24-hour circadian rhythm (favouring men) which regulates our daily bodily processes, such as digestion, body temperature, metabolism, sleep, elimination, and production of certain hormones, a woman’s 28-day infradian rhythm, which begins at puberty and ends at menopause, influences the brain chemistry and physiology. In other words, it brings important fluctuations to the female body and brain at different times of the month.

There are 4 phases throughout the monthly menstrual cycle: follicular, ovulatory, luteal and menstrual, and if well-cared for, each phase provides a woman with distinct strengths.

On the flip side, neglecting the infradian clock can lead to hormonal imbalances and it can negatively impact every system in the female body (brain, immune system, metabolism, microbiome, reproductive and stress response), causing symptoms such as PMS, PCOS, acne, hair loss, mood swings, cramps, bloating, headaches, exhaustion, brain fog, insomnia, weight gain, missing/irregular periods, low libido, and infertility for example in the short term, but also major health issues and diseases such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory conditions, potentially even Alzheimer’s, dementia and cancer in the long-term.

2. Synching with the cycle

For optimal health and performance, women should track their menstrual cycle and sync with their monthly clock by becoming aware of the monthly changes they experience and by adapting accordingly. They should modify their diet (foods + supplements), exercise regimen and energy output depending on which phase of their cycle they are in. (In the book, one can find very helpful tips and suggestions for each phase.)

Unfortunately, women who are on birth control (which believe it or not only masks symptoms, doesn’t treat the root causes of them and can cause long-lasting side effects) don’t have a normal period; they lose their cyclical nature and their hormonal system shuts down which makes it a little trickier for them to sync to their cycle.

3. Cycle synching benefits

It seems as though women can experience a great deal of benefits from syncing with their cycle. Aside from re-gaining hormonal balance and well-functioning body systems, women can experience more positive outcomes at work, in their (sexual) relationships, as mothers and with their overall wellbeing, feeling less stressed as well as more confident, energetic, productive and creative. 

“Getting in sync with your infradian rhythm could be the key to female health.”

I know that talking about a woman’s menstrual cycle can be an uncomfortable topic of conversation for most people and quite honestly it was for me too until just recently.

In learning how my menstrual cycle can affect different aspects of my life, I now feel it’s important for more women (and men - especially if they work with women or are in a relationship with one) to understand the female body; what it’s capable of, how it can be affected and how it needs to be treated.

I truly look forward to listening to my body more regularly and experimenting with my diet, training program and time management routines over the next little while to try to sync with my cycle and reap some of the countless benefits. 

“Power to the period!”

*If you’re looking for additional information on this topic, give me a shout and I’ll happily share more details and resources.