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Welcome to "No F**ks Given," where we redefine menopause as a superpower. Hosted by Holly Lamb, a women's health coach, who is navigating early menopause. This podcast offers empowering guidance on women's health and navigating perimenopause with confidence. From nutrition tips to fitness advice and mindfulness practices, we cover it all. But here's the twist: it's all about embracing your most authentic, unapologetic self. We're here to help you reclaim your power, say goodbye to societal norms, and live life on your own terms—no f**ks given. Welcome to the revolution!
Holly Lamb (00:00.46)
Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the No Fucks Given podcast with me, host Holly Lamb. So this week's episode is all about your menstrual cycle and what you need to know.
I just thought I kind of break it down and make it more manageable so that you can understand what the frigging hell is going on in your body and your menstrual cycle. Even if you're having an irregular menstrual cycle, it's still something that I would recommend listening to to understand more about it. So let's just dive straight in. So your menstrual cycle consists of four distinct phases and I want you to understand
each one and how each phase can be used to your advantage. So if you have a typical 28 day cycle, you will have peaks and flows of estrogen and progesterone depending on the, at what point of your cycle that you're in. This is if you are menstruating before you're in perimenopause. Obviously when we get into perimenopause, our hormones go haywire.
And it's not the ebbs and flows that we're used to. This is why we can have symptoms one week and not the next, because it will depend on which hormone is sort of in charge at that point. But if you are having a sort of regular 28 day -ish cycle, then you will have the ebbs and flows. And I want to kind of break those down and help you understand what happens in each one. So phase one.
is your early follicular phase or this is otherwise known as your period and it can last between two to seven days usually. Obviously every woman's cycle is different but the average is two to seven days and usually at this time there is low estrogen as well as progesterone and generally unless diagnosed with heavy menstrual bleeding the volume of blood loss during a period is not enough to affect your day to day life.
Holly Lamb (02:24.568)
There can at this time though, be increased inflammation, but it's also a really good time to move your body if you can, because exercise and movement is known to be like the best cure for your period. So if, unless it's like debilitating cramps and you really do struggle, if you have something underlining that prevents you from, you know, literally been able to get out of bed, that's a completely different story.
However, if you have a typical menstrual cycle, then the best cure for your period pain is to move, even if it's walking. It doesn't have to be exercise. You can just walk, get the body moving, and it just really, really helps. So this time as well, I also call in a winter. Now this is coined from the Red School from Alexandra and Shani.
who named the four phases of the cycle. So the follicular phase is your inner winter. So your inner winter is from day 27 to day five, roughly. Again, everybody's cycle is different. It's about tuning in and listening to you and understanding what's right for you and your body. But it's a magical season bursting with treasures like heightened awareness, dreamy states of mind, and pure Zen vibes. Now you may be thinking,
Really Holly, my period is not that. Well, if you tap into menstrual cycle awareness, it absolutely can become that. So the secret key to unlocking these amazing wonders is to embrace the art of surrender. Now, surrender just means letting go and going with the flow. So in our crazy go, go, go, go, go world that we live in, surrendering can feel like a wild roller coaster ride.
You know, the never -ending to -do lists, they just really make it difficult for us to just chill out and releasing control might stir up some buried emotions. So we might get a FOMO or the boredom may creep in, but taking a breather and creating some space can lead you straight to your power and purpose. So really practicing the art of surrender can bring in so much.
Holly Lamb (04:48.234)
insight and it really has with me. I recently just took a week off just from posting. I was a little bit active on my stories, but not so much because I just needed to rest and surrender and that's what I did. And the world didn't fall apart. Everything was okay. So your menstrual cycle is just a map, like a mystical map to uncover your true, your true self.
and tapping into the magic of menstruation. So you can think of it as like your trusty guide to self -care, stress relief, and to personal growth, because it really is the tool that can help you grow into all of you. So it does this by helping manage your energy levels. It can really help to calm your nerves, understand your overall health, and it really can set the stage to embracing your inner
So by delving into your inner seasons, you develop the superpower to navigate feelings and make really, really smart choices. And it's just like your own personalized therapy session. It can bring healing, it can bring empowerment, and it encourages you to own both your strengths, but also your vulnerabilities as well. And it's about celebrating the uniqueness of you.
You know, menstruation is the anchor of your power process. It's both the beginning and the end of your cycle and is the place where you can connect deeply into yourself. This is when we are most tuned into our intuition. This is where you will get the most guidance. You'll get the most downloads, uploads, whatever you want to call it. You're connected to source. You're connected to your higher self. You're connected to you.
And that's how you embrace menstruation. It's not something to be feared. It's not something to feel shame around. It's your inbuilt spiritual barometer is the word that just came to me then. I think I've ever used that word before. Like it's your inner compass. It's guiding you to understanding your true power as a woman.
Holly Lamb (07:12.342)
And this is especially important when we start heading into perimenopause, because if we truly understand our bodies now, or if you're just heading in, or even if you're fully in it, if you can practice some form of menstrual cycle awareness, this can really transform your perimenopause experience. And it has for me, it's been a massive game changer. So if we move on to phase two, that is the
follicular phase. this is when the reconstruction of the uterine lining happens following your bleed. And you have high estrogen, but low progesterone and the body is basically preparing for ovulation is preparing to release an egg to get pregnant. Estrogen at this time can have an anabolic effect basically means that muscle generation and growth is more likely to occur at this time.
Strength training is something you should be doing all the time, but it's a really good time to maybe push yourself a bit more at this time. Motivation, positivity and energy just really starts to rise at this point. And you'll start to feel the shift from your inner winter into your inner spring. So this is phase two in a spring. So the magic happens during the inner spring, roughly from
day six to day 11, making this a time of metamorphosis. So it's like transitioning from soul searching winter before you start basking in the sunshine of inner summer, which is next. But here in inner spring, you're crafting your unique identity and getting really cozy with your true self. So in this vibrant season, your inner world is
bursting with positivity and it's all about saying yes to the energy surge, embracing who you are and celebrating life. Surrounded by opportunities and so much optimism, you'll feel a natural drive, like a laser focus, but also like a little bit of playfulness in there that may even inspire you to do something you may not usually. So who knew boldness?
Holly Lamb (09:37.922)
was your secret superpower all along. But in a spring, it is. It's that time to say yes to things that you may not normally. And it's the drive that propels you to take action before you're fully prepared. And all worthwhile.
endeavors, again, that word just came. They demand boldness. To unlock the gifts of your inner spring, you must embrace the sacred duty of cherishing yourself. It's so, so, so crucial to approach both inner spring and yourself with such gentleness and care, because those energies are starting to rise. You're starting
step more into a more playful time, but you have to nurture this phase. And nurturing can bring a sense of like protection and warmth and value. And in this little bubble, there's a mix of like care and gratitude and just awe. And it lets you fully appreciate and celebrate your quirks and your beauty.
with a little sprinkle of tenderness. And inner spring is such a lovely time to say, yes, push yourself that little bit more. Energies are starting to rise. You're coming out of the winter and it's such a beautiful season. And if you fully understand how to cherish yourself and look after you, you'll really be able to embrace all it has to offer.
So then phase three is ovulation. So this is when your energy levels are going to be like peaking, they're going to be at their highest, you'll feel more attractive. And this is due to the increase in testosterone in your body. Testosterone is at its highest concentration during ovulation. And then following ovulation, there is a rapid decline of estrogen and a slow increase of progesterone. And this is your inner summer.
Holly Lamb (11:57.07)
So the inner summer can span roughly days 12 to 19, and it's your time to shine and celebrate
Holly Lamb (12:19.392)
It's like your own personal red carpet moment of the menstrual cycle. So you're going to feel like an absolute, like a rock star at this time. You'll feel really productive, accomplished, and just ready to conquer the world. But let's not forget, this phase is just one chapter in your cycle. And this burst of energy and power in your inner summit is rooted in the groundwork of embracing the inner self.
during menstruation and the other phases of your cycle. So it's a cycle of self -discovery and growth with each phase playing a vital role in your journey. And you have to honor each phase in order to embrace the next. So if you haven't rested properly in your winter, you'll feel it in your summer. Cause that's happened to me where I've done too much.
been in my masculine too much and I get to ovulation in the summer and my energy levels are just depleted and I need to take rest and time
So it's about honouring each phase and understanding that you have to do that in order to enjoy the next. So in a summer, it really does call you back to your true self, you know, the badass woman, you know, your inner strength. It's time to just shine, own your purpose and strut your stuff into the world. So this season you will bloom and you'll ignite your soul.
with each woman rocking her own beautiful, unique journey. Your inner summer is all about flaunting your power really authentically and staying true to you above all. And it's about proudly owning your complete uniqueness because that's where the magic happens. There is nobody that can do what you do like you because there isn't anybody else the same as you.
Holly Lamb (14:29.004)
And that's what needs to be celebrated at this time. We shouldn't shy away from anything like this. We should embrace our complete uniqueness and not try to fit in.
hide in the
So to unlock the full potential of this phase, you have to let your inner fire out. And there's one mission and it's a party for one. And it's time to give yourself a big hug, a high five, celebrate your amazingness and dance in the light of self -love and pure appreciation of you. Cause like I said, there's no one like you.
There's no one that can do what you do like you, because you are unique and you have to remember that.
Holly Lamb (15:25.752)
So in a summer is a lovely phase, but remember you have to honor the other three in order to enjoy and embrace this time. So next is phase four, which is your luteal phase.
So at this phase, your core body temperature can increase by 0 .3 to 0 .5 degrees C. So in summer months or hotter months, increased hydration is recommended. So when you're heading into your premenstrual phase, it's a good idea to drink more. I think I found that the minute I'm on day 18. And I definitely feel like I want to drink
And respiration rate, breathing rate is thought to increase during this phase. And you will start to have possibly some PMS symptoms. So bloating, irritability, maybe a drop in motivation. And there's increased inflammation that can happen at this time. So if you are in the gym, working out recovery strategies are really, really important. So taking more time to stretch.
or just not pushing yourself as much and that's okay. And increased inflammation may be a cause of increased PMS symptoms. So increased fatigue is known to occur in the final days of the late luteal and you will start to have increased cravings, which is normal because we want more salt and sugar preparing our bodies. If we're not going to bleed, then to hold a baby.
for night months.
Holly Lamb (17:33.326)
So this is Inner Autumn and Inner Autumn can be a tricky season because this is when the inner critic starts to come up. days 20 to 26 is all about squaring off with that inner critic and giving yourself compassion. So this phase isn't just a makeover, it's a full blown transformation where you step up, take the reins of your life and own all of it.
So by embracing every little quirk of you, both light and dark, you power up your journey towards real self -discovery. So mastering the art of saying no sets your boundaries in stone, revealing what really lights up your soul and what is an absolute no. Boundaries are so important. And if you struggle with boundaries, then inner autumn is the place to do it.
So as you embrace your inner bad boss bitch and dance your to dance to your own beat, you'll start mastering your superpowers. And the inner critic is like this guest in your mind, always ready to like pop up and share that spicy feedback that you might not be quite ready for,
It's there to push you out of your comfort zone. And yes, there'll be a lot of shit and it's giving the ego like a reality check, but it's going to help you level up and break free from old repeating patterns and is going to help you set those boundaries. So when you bump into that little voice in your head, your main mission is just to embrace all of you. You you've got to tough out all the crap that comes
and listen to the little bits of wisdom that are in there, because it is trying to help you. It's trying to break down your ego and it's trying to help you grow into the next version of you. And in order to do that, you have to listen to what it says, because there's going to be little bits of golden nuggets of wisdom in there. And if you're able to master this and listen to
Holly Lamb (19:56.12)
you know, month after month and move through it, you'll start to embrace the awesomeness of you. And you're just gonna grow. And this is why we're here. This is our purpose on this earth is to grow and to learn. You know, if you're comfortable, you're not learning, you're not growing. So the inner critic helps you to push you into
a zone where you're not so comfortable and that's okay. We wanna do that. We wanna grow. We wanna learn. We want to embrace everything life has to throw us. And you can do that by listening to the critic. And you can do all of this by practicing menstrual cycle awareness, which is...
tracking your cycle, but not just tracking it, it's keeping a journal, a daily journal of how you're feeling, energies, nuances, sexual energies, feelings, symptoms, and tapping in and understanding how you feel at each point in your cycle. And it's something every woman should absolutely tap into because it's such powerful
So I hope this has been really helpful to kind of understand a little bit more about the cycle, not just from a, you know, more scientific side, but also the spiritual side as well, because that's where the real magic starts to happen. So thank you so much for listening to this week's episode and I will catch you next time.