As a women's health coach and pelvic floor PT, I have witnessed the life-changing impact that understanding and embracing our menstrual cycles can have on pelvic health and overall well-being.
In this blog post, we will dive into the significance of tracking your basal body temperature (BBT) as a way to understand your menstrual cycle and the symptoms that can happen throughout.
By using a BBT thermometer or investing in innovative tools like the TempDrop arm band or Oura Ring, we can gain invaluable insights into our bodies, helping us make informed decisions about our health, nutrition, exercise, and when to plan certain activities.
The Basics of Tracking Basal Body Temperature (BBT):
BBT refers to your body's resting temperature, typically measured upon waking, before engaging in any activity. During the menstrual cycle, hormonal fluctuations cause slight changes in BBT. Tracking these changes allows us to identify various phases of the cycle, such as the follicular phase, ovulation, and luteal phase, providing valuable information about our reproductive health.
Understanding the Menstrual Cycle
Our menstrual cycle is a dynamic interplay of hormones that influences various aspects of our lives. It's easy to know when we're in our menstrual phase as we bleed, but how familiar are you with the other phases?
By monitoring BBT, we gain a deeper understanding of the fluctuations of hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which can impact mood, energy levels, and pelvic health. This is something I can help you to understand with my women's health coaching.
The Significance of Cycling for Pelvic Health and Overall Well-being
Cycling, or experiencing natural hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle, is essential for pelvic health and overall vitality. Embracing these fluctuations allows us to honor our bodies' natural rhythms, optimizing our energy and hormonal balance.
Most of us are living our lives based on a very masculine system and it starts to take a toll on our bodies over time. This can come out in various symptoms including fatigue, PMS, pelvic pain, etc.
Hormonal Birth Control and its Impact
While hormonal birth control can be beneficial for contraception and managing certain health conditions, it disrupts our natural hormonal patterns and doesn't allow us to ovulate. When we don't ovulate, we don't benefit from the spike in Estradiol which helps with:
- Blood sugar regulation
- Brain, cardiovascular and bone health
- Building muscle
When we don't ovulate, we also can't make the hormone progesterone which helps with:
- Boosting your metabolism to maintain a stable weight
- Sleep, relaxation, and decreased anxiety
- Memory and thyroid function
- Immune system function and inflammation
- Bone growth
Understanding how hormonal birth control affects your cycle is vital, especially if you're using it for an extended period or considering transitioning off it.
My goal is always to educate you on your options and the risks and benefits to each so that you can make an empowered decision for you!
Recognizing Symptoms as Signposts
Many symptoms, such as PMS, fatigue, headaches, and pain, can serve as indicators of our bodies' needs during specific menstrual phases. By tracking BBT and understanding our cycle's phases, we can identify potential imbalances and adjust our lifestyle accordingly.
Nutrition, Exercise, and Social Interactions
Our needs for nutrition, exercise, and social interactions can fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle. For instance, during the end of our luteal phase, when progesterone levels rise, we need warm, nurturing foods, and more gentle exercises like yoga, plus lots of self-care practices.
During our ovulation phase, we can plan to be more active and social as our hormones are at peak levels, leading to increased energy and confidence.
Conclusion
As a cycling female, tracking your basal body temperature is clutch to improve pelvic health and overall well-being. As a women's health coach and pelvic floor PT, I encourage you to embrace your menstrual cycle and use the insights from BBT tracking to optimize your lifestyle choices. I am here to help you with this if you need guidance!
By recognizing the importance of cycling, acknowledging the effects of hormonal birth control, and interpreting symptoms as signposts, you can attain balance in mind, body and spirit throughout every phase of your cycle.
Remember, every woman's body is unique, and individual experiences may vary.
I hope this article inspires you to explore a holistic approach to women's health and start exploring tracking your basal body temperature.
If you need help learning and understanding it's intricacies, reach out and let's get you on track!
Happy temping!
Dr. Emily Mason
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