Did you know your menstrual cycle is considered a vital sign? When we think of vital signs, we usually think of: ❤️ Heart rate 🫀 Blood pressure 🌡️ Temperature 🫁 Respiratory rate But many women's health experts also consider the menstrual cycle to be a vital sign because it provides valuable insight into your overall health. Your cycle can reflect what's happening throughout your body. Changes in your cycle may be your body's way of communicating that something has shifted—whether that's stress, nutrition, hormonal changes, illness, or simply a new stage of life like perimenopause. Your period isn't just something to "get through." It's information. It's one of the ways your body speaks to you. This is why I believe listening to your and body literacy is so important. The more we understand our bodies and recognize our own patterns, the more empowered we become to support ourselves and know when something doesn't feel quite right. Have you ever heard the menstrual cycle described as a vital sign before?

Menstrual blood isn't just blood. It contains blood, cells from the uterine lining, immune cells, proteins, hormones, and even a unique population of stem cells that researchers are studying for their potential in regenerative medicine and tissue repair. Researchers are also exploring whether menstrual blood could one day help diagnose conditions such as endometriosis and other gynecological conditions in a less invasive way. There is so much power in menstruation! I think that's a beautiful reminder that our menstrual cycle isn't something to hide or simply "get through." If you'd like to learn more, here's an interesting article that explores how researchers are beginning to look at menstrual blood in a whole new way. https://www.popsci.com/health/the-untapped-potential-of-stem-cells-in-menstrual-blood/?

We talk a lot about hormones, tracking, and perimenopause... But today I want to ask you something a little different. How did you spend your weekend? Why? Because how we spend our free time has a lot to do with our energy, our nervous system, and of course, where we are in our cycle. This weekend we spent some time at the boat and soaked up plenty of sunshine. (A little too much... I have a bit of a sunburn on my head! 😂) But I also got to do one of my absolute favourite summertime activities... I was out on my paddleboard around 5:00 a.m. to watch the sunrise over the bay. There is something so magical about being on the water at that time of day. The birds beginning to wake. The gentle ripples on the water. The quiet. The stillness. And then... that first moment when the sun kisses the horizon. It's the perfect way to begin the day and one of my favourite ways to calm my nervous system. We often think supporting ourselves has to be complicated. Sometimes it's simply making time for the things that make us feel grounded, peaceful, and alive.💜 So now I'd love to hear from you... What did you do this weekend? Did you get to do something that calmed your soul?

Today's Menstrual Monday is going to be a little different. You may have noticed I've been a little quieter in the community lately. The truth is, the past couple of weeks my luteal phase hit me hard. I was exhausted. Not because I was overly busy, but because my body was asking me to slow down. Between that and settling into a summer rhythm, I've been giving myself permission to rest—not just physically, but mentally too. I could have pushed through just to make sure I showed up here every day... But that wouldn't be living what I teach. One of the biggest lessons our cycles offer us is that every phase asks something different of us. Sometimes it asks us to create, sometimes to connect, and sometimes it simply asks us to pause. So that's what I've been doing. Thank you for your patience while I've been listening to my body. I'm here, I'm rested, and I'm looking forward to sharing more with you again. 💜 I'd love to know... Do you find it easy to listen to your body when it asks you to slow down, or do you tend to push through?

This week has been a slow one for me. I've been exhausted... not because I've been super busy. In fact, it's been a slow week (as I mentioned above) because my period is coming. And with it comes signals (not symptoms) that it's time to slow down, rest more, and not overdo it. Movement includes yoga and walking, intuition is higher...and Im not overly social😆 And if Im being honest, I could sleep all day (I love napping.) One of the biggest things I've learned through cycle syncing is that how you enter one phase can affect the next. If I ignore these signals and keep pushing through, it can affect how I experience my period. Instead of fighting my body, I'm choosing to listen to it. 💜 How do you feel in the days leading up to your period? Do you naturally slow down, or do you find yourself pushing through?