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More Than a Period: Understanding Your Monthly Rhythms
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5/16/25
Hello angel,
I’m Alicia—founder of House of Nourish and Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner. I’m here to tell you that your cycle isn’t just a nuisance. It’s your body’s monthly report card and learning how to read it is one of the most empowering things you can do—whether you’re preparing for future babies or just want to feel more connected to your body now.
Honestly, I wish more women were taught this. My goal is to make it simple, approachable, and even exciting—so you feel in tune with your body, not at odds with it.
Your Period Is the First Clue, Not the Whole Story
We tend to think our period is the main event—but it’s just the beginning. The real magic is happening all month long. And the signs? They’re right there in front of us.
If you’ve ever noticed…
- Heavy periods with clots? → This could be your body’s way of saying, “I’m holding onto too much.” In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we’d call this liver chi stagnation—an accumulation of internal “heat” or inflammation. This heat can build from processed foods, alcohol, poor detoxification, or even repressed emotions like frustration or anger. The liver plays a big role in regulating hormones and keeping your blood flowing smoothly, so when it’s overloaded, you might notice clotting, cramping, or irritability.
- Barely bleeding? → While it might seem convenient, very light periods can be a red flag that your body is running low on reserves. In functional terms, this might point to low estrogen or poor ovulation. From a more energetic perspective, it reflects kidney chi deficiency—your foundational life force. This often happens in times of high stress, poor sleep, under-eating, or long-term fatigue. If you’re running on empty, your body will conserve energy by giving you less of a cycle.
- Spotting before your period?→ That pre-period spotting might be more than just “normal for you.” It can be a sign your body isn’t able to hold onto blood properly—often due to a weak spleen system (responsible for digestion and nutrient absorption) or anemia. In functional medicine, this could correlate with low progesterone or nutrient depletion. You may also feel more tired, cold, or emotionally sensitive in this phase.
These are your body’s love notes. They aren’t problems to fix—they’re signals to listen to.
Your Cycle Has Seasons—
Here’s the real talk version of what your hormones are up to.
- Day 1 of your cycle = first day of bleeding. This is when your uterus is shedding the lining it so thoughtfully built up just in case a fertilized egg was coming. No baby this time? No problem—your body clears the space and starts fresh.
- Meanwhile, your brain is hard at work. Through your hypothalamus and pituitary gland, it sends out two key hormones—FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone)—to tell your ovaries to start maturing a few eggs inside tiny fluid-filled sacs called follicles.
- These follicles begin producing estrogen, which starts rebuilding the uterine lining that was just shed. Estrogen is like the gardener of your cycle—it nurtures, thickens, and prepares your womb to receive life again.
This is where it gets fascinating….
Enter: Your Fertile Window
A week or so after your period ends, you may notice something new—cervical mucus. It starts out creamy or lotion-like, then gradually becomes clear, stretchy, and almost egg-white in texture. This isn’t just random discharge—it’s one of the most incredible parts of your fertility design.
Here’s why it matters:
- Your vagina is naturally acidic—a defense mechanism to keep bacteria out.
- But sperm? They don’t love acid. In fact, it kills them.
- So your body—brilliantly—makes cervical mucus more alkaline around ovulation to keep sperm safe and viable.
- This mucus even forms channels to guide sperm toward your cervix, helps alter their shape so they can penetrate the egg, and offers nutrients to keep them alive for up to five days.
Yes, your body literally rolls out the red carpet.
And you’ll feel it—maybe more social, more turned on, more of a go-getter. This is the power of peak estrogen. Your cervix rises, softens, and opens slightly. It’s a full-body shift toward possibility.
The Big “O” (No, not that one): Ovulation
When estrogen peaks, your pituitary sends a final push of LH (luteinizing hormone), which tells your dominant follicle, “It’s time!!” One mature egg bursts free—this is ovulation, and it’s kind of a big deal.
From here, your body does something incredible: it transforms the now-empty follicle into a hormone-producing powerhouse called the corpus luteum, which begins releasing progesterone—your grounding, calming, cycle-stabilizing hormone.
Progesterone’s job is to set the stage for possible pregnancy. It:
- Warms your body temperature (which is how basal body temperature tracking picks up ovulation)
- Dries up cervical mucus
- Closes and firms the cervix again
- Calms the nervous system (it’s your body’s natural anti-anxiety support)
- Thickens and stabilizes the uterine lining, making it soft, spongy, and welcoming for a potential embryo
If Fertilization Happens…
Let’s say one lucky sperm meets your egg. Fertilization typically happens in the fallopian tube, and the fertilized egg (now a tiny cluster of cells called a blastocyst) begins its journey to the uterus—a trip that takes around 5–7 days.
Meanwhile, progesterone continues to work behind the scenes, nurturing the uterine lining to prepare a “landing pad” for this new life.
Around day 6–10 after ovulation, if all goes smoothly, the blastocyst implants into the uterine lining. Your body will then start producing hCG (the pregnancy hormone), which signals the corpus luteum to keep pumping out progesterone and maintain the pregnancy.
If Fertilization Doesn’t Happen…
If no sperm meets the egg—or if the fertilized egg doesn’t successfully implant—your body gets the memo.
The corpus luteum starts to shrink, and progesterone levels drop.
As progesterone declines, the blood-rich uterine lining that your body worked so hard to build is no longer needed. The spiral arteries in your endometrium constrict, triggering the release of the lining—and just like that, your period begins again.
It’s not a failure—it’s a reset. And it’s beautifully cyclical.
Why This Matters Now, Not Just When You’re Trying to Conceive
Even if you’re not trying to conceive right now, everything you do today is shaping your fertility three months from now.
Each egg takes about 90 days to mature, which means your sleep, stress, nutrition, and self-care today influence the quality of your next ovulation.
If you’re planning to conceive in the near future—or just want to feel vibrant and balanced now—your cycle is the most underutilized, intuitive wellness tool you have.
Your body’s sending you signals every day. Let’s keep decoding them together. Join the House and get fresh insights, resources, and little health rituals, straight to your inbox.
With love,
Alicia Swindler, AGACNP-BC
Founder of House of Nourish
Hello angel,
I’m Alicia—founder of House of Nourish and Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner. I’m here to tell you that your cycle isn’t just a nuisance. It’s your body’s monthly report card and learning how to read it is one of the most empowering things you can do—whether you’re preparing for future babies or just want to feel more connected to your body now.
Honestly, I wish more women were taught this. My goal is to make it simple, approachable, and even exciting—so you feel in tune with your body, not at odds with it.
Your Period Is the First Clue, Not the Whole Story
We tend to think our period is the main event—but it’s just the beginning. The real magic is happening all month long. And the signs? They’re right there in front of us.
If you’ve ever noticed…
- Heavy periods with clots? → This could be your body’s way of saying, “I’m holding onto too much.” In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we’d call this liver chi stagnation—an accumulation of internal “heat” or inflammation. This heat can build from processed foods, alcohol, poor detoxification, or even repressed emotions like frustration or anger. The liver plays a big role in regulating hormones and keeping your blood flowing smoothly, so when it’s overloaded, you might notice clotting, cramping, or irritability.
- Barely bleeding? → While it might seem convenient, very light periods can be a red flag that your body is running low on reserves. In functional terms, this might point to low estrogen or poor ovulation. From a more energetic perspective, it reflects kidney chi deficiency—your foundational life force. This often happens in times of high stress, poor sleep, under-eating, or long-term fatigue. If you’re running on empty, your body will conserve energy by giving you less of a cycle.
- Spotting before your period?→ That pre-period spotting might be more than just “normal for you.” It can be a sign your body isn’t able to hold onto blood properly—often due to a weak spleen system (responsible for digestion and nutrient absorption) or anemia. In functional medicine, this could correlate with low progesterone or nutrient depletion. You may also feel more tired, cold, or emotionally sensitive in this phase.
These are your body’s love notes. They aren’t problems to fix—they’re signals to listen to.
Your Cycle Has Seasons—
Here’s the real talk version of what your hormones are up to.
- Day 1 of your cycle = first day of bleeding. This is when your uterus is shedding the lining it so thoughtfully built up just in case a fertilized egg was coming. No baby this time? No problem—your body clears the space and starts fresh.
- Meanwhile, your brain is hard at work. Through your hypothalamus and pituitary gland, it sends out two key hormones—FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone)—to tell your ovaries to start maturing a few eggs inside tiny fluid-filled sacs called follicles.
- These follicles begin producing estrogen, which starts rebuilding the uterine lining that was just shed. Estrogen is like the gardener of your cycle—it nurtures, thickens, and prepares your womb to receive life again.
This is where it gets fascinating….
Enter: Your Fertile Window
A week or so after your period ends, you may notice something new—cervical mucus. It starts out creamy or lotion-like, then gradually becomes clear, stretchy, and almost egg-white in texture. This isn’t just random discharge—it’s one of the most incredible parts of your fertility design.
Here’s why it matters:
- Your vagina is naturally acidic—a defense mechanism to keep bacteria out.
- But sperm? They don’t love acid. In fact, it kills them.
- So your body—brilliantly—makes cervical mucus more alkaline around ovulation to keep sperm safe and viable.
- This mucus even forms channels to guide sperm toward your cervix, helps alter their shape so they can penetrate the egg, and offers nutrients to keep them alive for up to five days.
Yes, your body literally rolls out the red carpet.
And you’ll feel it—maybe more social, more turned on, more of a go-getter. This is the power of peak estrogen. Your cervix rises, softens, and opens slightly. It’s a full-body shift toward possibility.
The Big “O” (No, not that one): Ovulation
When estrogen peaks, your pituitary sends a final push of LH (luteinizing hormone), which tells your dominant follicle, “It’s time!!” One mature egg bursts free—this is ovulation, and it’s kind of a big deal.
From here, your body does something incredible: it transforms the now-empty follicle into a hormone-producing powerhouse called the corpus luteum, which begins releasing progesterone—your grounding, calming, cycle-stabilizing hormone.
Progesterone’s job is to set the stage for possible pregnancy. It:
- Warms your body temperature (which is how basal body temperature tracking picks up ovulation)
- Dries up cervical mucus
- Closes and firms the cervix again
- Calms the nervous system (it’s your body’s natural anti-anxiety support)
- Thickens and stabilizes the uterine lining, making it soft, spongy, and welcoming for a potential embryo
If Fertilization Happens…
Let’s say one lucky sperm meets your egg. Fertilization typically happens in the fallopian tube, and the fertilized egg (now a tiny cluster of cells called a blastocyst) begins its journey to the uterus—a trip that takes around 5–7 days.
Meanwhile, progesterone continues to work behind the scenes, nurturing the uterine lining to prepare a “landing pad” for this new life.
Around day 6–10 after ovulation, if all goes smoothly, the blastocyst implants into the uterine lining. Your body will then start producing hCG (the pregnancy hormone), which signals the corpus luteum to keep pumping out progesterone and maintain the pregnancy.
If Fertilization Doesn’t Happen…
If no sperm meets the egg—or if the fertilized egg doesn’t successfully implant—your body gets the memo.
The corpus luteum starts to shrink, and progesterone levels drop.
As progesterone declines, the blood-rich uterine lining that your body worked so hard to build is no longer needed. The spiral arteries in your endometrium constrict, triggering the release of the lining—and just like that, your period begins again.
It’s not a failure—it’s a reset. And it’s beautifully cyclical.
Why This Matters Now, Not Just When You’re Trying to Conceive
Even if you’re not trying to conceive right now, everything you do today is shaping your fertility three months from now.
Each egg takes about 90 days to mature, which means your sleep, stress, nutrition, and self-care today influence the quality of your next ovulation.
If you’re planning to conceive in the near future—or just want to feel vibrant and balanced now—your cycle is the most underutilized, intuitive wellness tool you have.
Your body’s sending you signals every day. Let’s keep decoding them together. Join the House and get fresh insights, resources, and little health rituals, straight to your inbox.
With love,
Alicia Swindler, AGACNP-BC
Founder of House of Nourish
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