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Woman Code by Alissa Vitti is a great primer for understanding your hormonal cycle. How well do you know your body and hormones? I certainly didn’t learn about them in Sex Ed. Imagine my shock and anger when I learned that PMS symptoms are not normal in my late 20s. I’ve been bleeding regularly for 15 years and never knew that as common as PMS symptoms were, they were 1. Not normal and 2. A symptom of underlying nutritional deficiencies.
Woman are cyclical by nature, with our hormones performing an elaborate dance each cycle. Without the proper ingredients (nutrition, rest, exercise) at the right time, it can feel like a chaotic mess and result in mood swings, painful cramping, and intense cravings.
There are literally best times of the month to do things like ask for a raise, have difficult conversations, reassess your direction in life and business, hit the gym super hard, and much more. Tuning in with these natural changes allows you to optimize your time and energy, focusing on the things you’re best at while having the most impact and mitigating any negative consequences.
Woman Code teaches you how your body functions with your hormonal cycle, what causes your PMS symptoms, and how to take control to give your body what it needs to function most efficiently in each phase to find the ideal rhythm for your life.
The Period Repair Manual: Natural Treatment for Better Hormones and Better Periods by Lara Briden, ND, covers the science behind how our bodies function and the imbalances behind common issues, like PMS and excessive estrogen. There are also recommendations for more acute issues, like endometriosis and PCOS. Most cycle irregularities are the result of nutrient deficiencies. The recommendations are specific to each issue/symptom as well as the particular type of supplement that is most bio-available.
Example: Breast tenderness is a sign of iodine deficiency, which is difficult to test for accurately. Iodine supplements are usually either molecular iodine or iodide. Molecular iodine is more readily absorbed by the breast tissue and remains in the body longer. Be wary of taking too much iodine if you have a thyroid condition. Pairing it with selenium will protect the thyroid.
The title says it all. If you have light, heavy, painful, non-existent periods -anything uncomfortable or unusual about your cycle at all- this will give you the knowledge to start the journey of healing your period and your overall health.
The Fifth Vital Sign by Lisa Hendrickson-Jack covers the basics of the menstrual cycle, why our hormones are essential, the benefits of Fertility Awareness, how to use Fertility Awareness Method for birth control, the specific nutrients your endocrine (hormone) system needs to function optimally with the best food sources to supply these nutrients in their most bio-available form, and why your menstrual cycle is the fifth vital sign–it will tell you what’s out of balance in your body before any other symptoms arise.
Additionally, there is a thorough explanation of how oral hormonal contraceptives affect your body via nutrition depletion, cessation of hormone production, and decreased libido, with all the nerdy and precise scientific reasons why. The over 1,000 studies cited are all listed in the back for your personal research. She even cites a study that tracked the earnings of exotic dancers in relation to their cycle phase! Spoiler alert: they made more money closer to ovulation!
Throughout your hormonal cycle, your body goes through measurable changes that indicate fertility. Learning to recognize and measure these sings gives you the ability to note when you are and aren’t fertile for birth control reasons as well as to take advantage of your naturally enhanced ability to attract men and be more persuasive when approaching ovulation.
TCOYF is the go-to book to learn the phases of your cycle, how to read the signs and chart your cycle. Once you learn how to recognize and record your changes, you can use the Fertility Awareness Method to optimize conception or avoid pregnancy. Imagine having unprotected sex with your partner with the confidence that you won’t get pregnant because you’re not fertile! From experience, it’s fucking amazing.
Even if you don’t use it for birth control, charting your cycle allows you an inside peek at what’s going on inside your body. Whether it’s lack of ovulation, frequent periods, fibroids, PCOS, hyper/hypothyroidism, most issues can be detected through a deviation from a normal cycle long before they show up in test results. ex. The average time it takes for a woman to be diagnosed with endometriosis in the United States is 12 years. Having a record of your cycle is invaluable data for diagnosing particular issues and keeping an eye on your overall health.
ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to You Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong Lean Body for Life by Stacy M. Sims PhD starts with the simple truth that women are not small men. Yet, the results of studies on human performance are from male test subjects because results from women subjects fluctuate too much. They fluctuate because we have a different hormonal cycle that must be treated in a different way.
This book is written for the female professional or semi-professional athlete. What are strippers besides professional athletes? While we’re not running marathons, we work marathon-like shifts, performing strenuous physical labor, usually in 7 inch or higher heels! The tactics given to sustain a triathlete are easily transferred to the club since the needs are the same; keep energy levels up while avoiding a crash and optimizing recovery to shorten rest while preserving strength.
With dozens of fascinating studies cited, this book is a goldmine of facts, figures, and applicable practices for the female physiology; the ultimate in bio-hacking with personal experiences giving light and meaning to the science.