I just dodged this common cycle mistake–here’s how you can, too

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04 Jul I just dodged this common cycle mistake–here’s how you can, too

Posted at 09:13h in hormonology tip, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4 by
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oopsMy husband is so wonderful at taking care of me. He really is. He cooks me delicious dinners. Offers me yummy snacks. And will run out to the Tastee Treat ice cream stand for malted milk shakes at the drop of a hat.

So, when he offered me a cup of soothing chamomile tea out of the blue a couple of days ago, it was just Douglas being his usual caring self.

And I almost took him up on his sweet offer. Till I remembered: It was my Week 3.

In a flash, I knew if I drank chamomile tea–which is mildly sedating–it would team up with my Week 3 rising progesterone–which is a really sedating hormone–and double-whammy me right into a nap. And I was on deadline for a health article for the national magazine I write for–and progesterone was already making me very sleeeeeepy.

So, I turned him down–and, pushing through progesterone’s drowsiness-inducing effect, stayed awake long enough to submit my article.

I bring this up to you today because you, too, may want to think about how foods, beverages and activities exaggerate how your hormones are impacting your energy level or mood.

For instance, in the first half of your cycle–Week 1 and Week 2–you may feel antsy, jittery or anxious from rising estrogen. In that case, you may want to cool it on the caffeine, which will worsen these edgy feelings.

And, like me, if you notice your rising progesterone in Week 3 is making you sleepy or that a plunge in estrogen in your premenstrual Week 4 is sapping your pep, you may want to dodge all offers of chamomile tea, which would put you right over the edge into sleepsville.

These are just two examples of things that can exacerbate your hormonal effects. There are lots more–like alcohol, big meals and exhausting people.

Experiment with what affects you and then make a point to avoid them (or do more of them, depending on the effect you want) at certain points in your cycle.

If you try this Hormonology tip, let me know. I’ve been LOVING the amazing feedback I’ve been getting from so many of you about how these tips have helped you!

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