Jema Lee is an expert in living your best life through your menstrual cycle. She works as a women’s health educator. She’s worked exclusively with women for the last 7 years and has worked in the health field for 14. She does ayurvedic coaching and psychology, chakra and spiritual work and nutrition. Nutrition is where she started and she saw how many people were not helped well and wanted to provide better support. She has PCOS and has gone through the work of rebalancing her body through getting to know her cycle.
Your menstrual cycle relates to everything. It relates to how you eat throughout the month to how you move, to your emotions, your moods, your energy, your gut health, your general passion for life, your creativity, so even though it’s menstrual cycle, it has nothing to do specifically with just your bleeding time, IT’S YOUR ENTIRE LIFE AS A WOMAN.
We go through the same internal shifts through our cycle and it’s ok to go through these waves. More and more women are having challenges with their endocrine system. It’s really important to recognize that we can burn ourselves out so easily by trying to fit into the masculine mold.
What are the four phases of the menstrual cycle?
WINTER. Winter is our menstrual cycle.
SPRING. Spring is our follicular phase.
SUMMER. Summer is ovulation.
FALL: Fall is our luteal phase.
“I call it homecoming. It’s very coming home in your body and recognizing “hang on, don’t be so hard on yourself. There’s a lot going on and your body is very much changing all the time.”
How have I felt today emotionally?
Mentally?
What have I physically been wanting to do today?
What am I craving? What are the foods I’ve been called to eat?
How can we help remove the shame around catering to our cycles?
How you feel today is only going to happen 12 more times in the next 365 days because we’re cyclical.
We need to educate our youth better in the first place!
Let’s deep dive into the cycles:
Menstruation is the first phase of your cycle and begins on the day of your first full bleed. Inner winter begins on the first full day of bleeding. Anything that agitates you, this is what I call a cycle sign. This is just your body showing what you need to care for.
PMS = Period Messages of Self-Care.
Inner spring is the follicular phase and is usually a surge of energy, typically around day 7. Usually cooler/crisp foods sound good, creativity is surging, working-out hard is most possible and we’re feeling more outgoing.
Ovulation is the shortest phase of our cycle and is known as Inner Summer or the Beyonce season. This is when we feel flirty and sexy and a time when we want to be seen. This is a great time to try new things and be social.
Being able to plan your calendar around your cycle is so powerful! So much productivity and peace can come from this. Its about becoming attached to the process instead of just the outcome.
Where can we start? What’s a few things we can start doing today to get us more in tune with our body and our menstrual cycle?
Start using a written menstrual tracker. Apps are great, but written can help you see more clearly what is lining up.
Ask yourself each day “how do I feel today?” without judgement and just observe.
How do you like to manage your period?
I like to stretch or walk, sleep more and eat warm, healing food. I love using a castor oil pack on my belly. I take it easy at work and at home.
Where can we find you?
