Men have just one sex hormone while women have three! Testosterone is released in the male body every 15 mins while each of the sex hormones in a woman are released in different quantities during various days of the monthly menstrual cycle. This affects the way a woman thinks, behaves, mood swings, anxiety levels and stress levels too.
Estrogen hormone gives a women the distinct characteristics like soft skin, clear complexion, breasts, hips and reproduction system. It is also important for brain and bones.
Progesterone is also called the calming hormone because it helps a woman to sleep well. For eg this hormone is released during pregnancy which helps a woman to sleep better.
Understand the first half of the monthly cycle
Day 1 begins with the first day of menstruation or actual bleeding. Estrogen build up in the body also begins at the same time. This build up lasts upto Day 10 during which she builds up interest in things too. So any long term activity has to begin during this period.
This is also the right time to do a 18 hour intermittent fasting or two meals a day because fasting promotes hormonal balance. Plan for a 36 hour or 72 hour water fast which can end on day 10.
Estrogen also helps balance cortisol which helps better stress management during this period. Cholesterol levels also rise in a woman during this period because it is the building block of estrogen. So body starts manufacturing more cholesterol. All this period is preparation for the next phase which is main one.
Day 10 to Day 15 is called the Procreation stage when a woman starts ovulating. One of the ovaries produces a single egg which is released in the uterus. The anatomy of a woman is designed to advance the human species. The egg is finally ready on day 14/15.
Build up of estrogen peaks during this period and the male hormone testosterone is also released for the first and the only time during these five days. So for a woman, motivation, drive and libido are all maxed out during this period.
During this phase a woman is on the look out for the best mate to procreate. Women are highly motivated during this phase. Thoughts go into overdrive and so does analytical skills and intelligence. They get better at multi-tasking and become more outgoing and extrovert.
Women also get their creative best during this period. This is the right time to shift a few things in the living room to give it a new look. Maybe time to change the curtains.
This is also the time when she will be at her romantic best, if you are her guy. This is also the best time to find out of you are the guy. Successful proposals happen during this period. She is going to prefer that one guy over all others.
If already in a relationship, this is best time to reconnect. Or to resolve any issues. This is also the right time to ask permission to buy that gadget or new boy toy.
This is definitely not the right time to start a new diet or even fasting regime. All women who are facing adverse effects while fasting do so because they body cannot take on the additional strain especially if they are already loaded with hormones. Also during this five day period the body is releasing lots of toxins. So a prolonged fast might be detrimental to overall health.
You can stick to a basic 12 hour fasting and eating cycle from 8 am to 8 pm. Eat three meals so that you can provide your body with all the nutrition that it needs. But at the same time you need to be able to keep the ability to shift between fasting and eating smoothly.
The divine second half
From day 16 to day 22, estrogen levels start dropping and progesterone levels start rising. The body is preparing for pregnancy stage. This happens every month regardless of whether the egg is fertilised or not. Such is the nature of a woman that she has to biologically ready every month. This is the most fascinating thing about women, so girls, be proud about it.
By day 22 both estrogen as well as progesterone levels start subsiding. Day 23 to Day 30 is the time when progesterone level is lowest. This may lead to PMS, anxiety, migraines and mood swings. Insulin levels also rise which leads to sugar cravings right before the period. If progesterone helps sleep better, lack of it will give problems sleeping.
This is also the period when the body will start getting rid of the old hormones so that it is ready from day 1 of the new month to produce fresh set of hormones.
A slight amount of increased physical activity during this period will help. Also you can experiment with just one 24 hour fast during this period, otherwise intermittent fasting is the best option.