In the FLO summary

Let’s cut to the chase: there’s so much misinformation about menstruation out there that makes women feel out of tune with their own bodies. It’s time to set the record straight.

A common myth that many women buy into is that premenstrual syndrome, or PMS – which includes symptoms like mood swings, bloating, and acne breakouts – is just a normal inconvenience, like everyday aches and pains. It’s not. In fact, the National Institute of Health’s BioCycle Study shows that severe PMS symptoms that are left untreated actually lead to a greater risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and dementia in post-menopausal women.

Ever wondered how we fall asleep and wake up again in the morning? Well, that’s down to our circadian rhythm – our internal body clock that keeps all our biological processes in check.

Our circadian rhythm is set by the cycle of light and dark over 24 hours, and it plays a key role in things like brain waves, hormone production, and cell growth. When this rhythm is disrupted, a lot of processes get thrown off – sleeping, waking, digestive systems, you name it. That leads to problems such as insomnia, weight gain, and depression.

If you want to harness the power of your monthly cycle, you first need to understand it. Let’s start with the basics.

During your menstrual cycle, your body goes through four hormonal phases – follicular, ovulatory, luteal, and menstrual. Each has its own challenges and rewards.

Considering that our biological systems fluctuate in response to our hormones, it doesn’t make much sense to adopt a routine that’s the same, day in, day out. Instead of choosing a one-size-fits-all approach, why not try seizing POWR?

POWR stands for Prepare, Open up, Work, and Rest. As an approach, it’s all about matching your activities with the phases of your cycle – starting with the follicular phase, which is the “prepare” stage. This can help you accomplish more with less effort. It just takes a bit of planning.

For many people that start a diet, the process often goes something like this: they cut out their favorite foods, slash their caloric consumption, and turn to intensive exercise to help them sweat off the pounds. 

Not only does this make them miserable, but it also causes many women to have menstruation problems – such as loss of their period or increased PMS.

In the same way that your hormonal changes affect everything, from your energy levels and immune system to your cognitive function, they also impact your interest in sex, your ability to get aroused, and the intensity of your orgasm.

Some days, you might find that you’re just not feeling it; you may need more foreplay to get you aroused, or you may just take longer to climax. There’s no need to worry about this, though – your biochemistry is just doing its thing. The more you know about how your menstrual cycle affects your sex drive, the more primed for sexual pleasure – and orgasm – you’ll be.

At one point or another, most of us have been guilty of overworking. Whether it’s climbing the corporate ladder, running a business, or being a full-time parent, we stretch ourselves to the limit – neglecting our health in the process.

That’s what happened to Allie, an entrepreneur that the author worked with to try and get her hormones back on track. Allie burned the candle at both ends. Every morning, she’d wake up, do an intense workout, make a smoothie for the road, and then wash it down with a big mug of coffee as soon as she got to the office. She worked long hours and attended dinners and networking events in the evening, squeezing in time with her boyfriend when she could.