For girls: DO YOU KNOW THE 4 PHASES OF A 28-DAY CYCLE?

Have you ever:

Had days when you felt: being a girl is wonderful?

Also had days when you felt: being a girl is wonderful, WONDERfully hopeless!

Had days full of energy, feeling like the entire universe is cradling your feet.

And days when you felt like you were fighting Thanos’ army alone, and all you had was a thin pair of pajamas instead of a vibranium suit.

Had days when everyone around you seemed lovely and charming.

And days when you wanted to tear apart anyone who came near you...

If you have, then welcome to the world of girls with 4 typical phases distributed over a 28-day cycle.

For those who are wondering, NO! We do not live according to the lunar cycle, just a reminder - we are girls - still 100% human, not werewolves.

So, how is that cycle calculated:

The first day, to keep it simple, is the day your period starts, or as you might call it, "Aunt Flo's visit" or "strawberry picking day"—whichever you prefer. Count the next 4-7 days, which is the Menstrual Phase, let's call it the STRAWBERRY PHASE for easy remembrance.

After the Menstrual Phase ends, the next 7-10 days will be the Follicular Phase, let's call this the LOVING LIFE AND PEOPLE PHASE.

Then comes the Ovulation Phase, which means ovulation, lasting about 4-5 days. At this time, your ovaries prepare to release an egg. If you’re trying to conceive, this is the golden phase. Let's call this the SEXY PHASE, because this is when you’re the most attractive and have the tendency to want to attract others.

Finally, if the egg is not fertilized during the sexy phase, we move to the last phase of the 28-day cycle, the Luteal Phase, lasting about 4-7 days before Aunt Flo returns. Let's call this the WILD PHASE, naturally, because this is when we behave the most wildly!

HORMONE FLUCTUATIONS:

THE REASON BEHIND EMOTIONAL CHANGES

There are many hormones involved in emotions, but to keep things simple, we will only discuss the fluctuations of Estrogen:

During the loving life and people phase, estrogen levels are stable and increase towards the end of the phase. At this time, you may feel more beautiful, and skin issues may decrease. You feel confident, cheerful, and optimistic, with a bright outlook on the future.

During the sexy phase: estrogen reaches its peak, and as with all extremes, mood changes can occur. Depending on your body, you might feel that your chest and abdomen are slightly swollen and more sensitive than usual, and spotting might also occur at this time.

In the wild phase: if the egg is not fertilized, estrogen decreases slightly but is replaced by a new hormone: progesterone. Your estrogen levels become excessive, and your mood can become quite unpredictable. During these mood swings, you may experience cravings, fatigue, headaches, oily skin and hair, and in extreme cases (like mine), you might even hate the whole world. Sometimes it can feel like you’re splitting into two personalities: one moment a Disney princess, and the next, like a lord who’s never wrong (haha).

And in the strawberry picking phase: when estrogen reaches its peak, it has to drop. Your mood during this phase can vary from person to person: some might reach the peak of irritation due to dealing with abdominal pain, back pain, breast tenderness, hip cramps, and the inconvenience of period symptoms. But others might feel relieved that the Luteal Phase – the dreadful wild phase – has finally ended, like me.

AND THE CORE ISSUE IS:

HOW TO ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH THESE PHASES?

The answer is quite simple: if possible, schedule important tasks during the loving life and people phase, such as interviews or contract signings. If you want to conceive, remember the sexy phase and the period right after. And each time you reach the wild phase, at least be aware that your behavior is influenced by hormones and exercise caution.

To mitigate the effects of each phase, you can follow a diet that helps balance hormone fluctuations as follows:

Loving Life and People Phase: Basically, you can eat almost anything at this time, so take advantage of this period to consume healthy foods high in fiber. If you're trying to lose weight, this is the ideal time to do it while your body is full of energy and hope for the future! If you're looking to gain muscle, focus on increasing your protein intake since your body is in a good state for rapid metabolism.

Exercise: You can do resistance training, core workouts, cardio, or any activity you enjoy. You’re in great shape!

Sexy Phase: Be cautious with your diet, focusing on consuming more protein and healthy fats, as your body is preparing to release an egg, which is a demanding process.

Exercise: You can still do endurance training and cardio.

Wild Phase: Increase your intake of fiber, especially magnesium and B vitamins, through foods like nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts), quinoa, dark-colored vegetables, beans, avocados, and dark chocolate. These can quickly improve your mood, so keep them handy during this phase.

Exercise: You can still do endurance training if you like, but prioritize gentle exercises such as stretching, low-impact Pilates, and meditation. These activities can help reduce mood swings and prevent personality fragmentation during this phase.

Strawberry Picking Phase: Pay special attention to nutrition during this phase, and make sure you’re eating well. Remember, no one remains healthy and normal while bleeding; we need to love and take care of our bodies even more than usual.

Exercise: Engage in very gentle workouts and focus on body care, such as breathing exercises, meditation, and skin care. Show your body that you love and appreciate it

CONCLUSION

The reason I wrote this article comes from:

First, a podcast by Dr. Andrew Huberman and Dr. Mary Claire Haver, where Dr. Haver mentioned something that stuck with me: the way a woman’s body operates is incredibly different from how a man’s body works. It’s different enough that we need to study it separately, rather than lumping all "human behavior" together.

For example, intermittent fasting has positive effects on men’s bodies, but not necessarily on women’s, as we respond to hunger differently. Women’s hormones fluctuate like the tides of the Atlantic Ocean, while men’s are more like a small pond.

A woman’s life is divided into distinct phases: before ovulation begins, the mid-phase, the phase when the body starts preparing to release all the eggs, and the phase after all the eggs are gone. I’ve heard many people comment that a girl changes as if she has become a completely different person. Indeed, each phase, with its fluctuating hormones, can make us feel like a different person. And it doesn’t even require an entire lifetime—28 days is enough to make that happen.

Second, I’ve always believed that knowledge changes thinking, thinking changes actions, and actions change a person. We can’t change the fact that we are born female (well, let’s not get into gender transition here), but once we understand how our bodies work, we will: (1) realize that it’s not entirely our fault when we feel frustrated and negative towards the world, and (2) become more aware of how to better control our negative behaviors.

For example, next time you’re frustrated with your partner, consider whether it’s truly their fault or if you’re in the luteal phase and that frustration is being influenced by your hormones.