We wanted to write about immunity and the menstrual cycle because, guess what?! They are super related!!!! With the seasons shifting from hot to cold, it's often easier to get sick. Below explains how the immune system and the menstrual cycle are related, as well as some amazing tips to support your body in this transitional time. Enjoy!
Menstruation (Days 1-5)
In the few days preceding and throughout menstruation, people are more likely to experience negative or worsening of symptoms from chronic health conditions, such as asthma or arthritis, as their inflammatory responses return and as levels of a hormone-acting lipid called prostaglandin increase. Although estrogen levels are low during this time, menstruation itself is associated with increased inflammation, though there is not a clear understanding of how or why.
Follicular Phase (Days 6-14)
During the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (i.e. the first part of the cycle, from the first day of the period until ovulation), people tend to have higher levels of antibodies in their body and have an increased inflammatory response. These changes makes people less susceptible to infection during this phase of their cycle. During this time, your bodies want to fight off all foreign invaders so that you can stay healthy enough to become pregnant.
Luteal Phase (Days 15- End of Cycle)
Conversely, during most of the luteal phase of the cycle (i.e. the second part of the cycle), the immune system is suppressed and much less likely to stage an inflammatory response.
3 Tips to support your immune system as the weather changes:
1. Take FIRE CIDER or ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) every morning! Both have a ton of probiotics and will support the gut flora to continue to flourish. Fire Cider also boosts energy, wards off colds and flus, eases sinus congestion, lowers blood sugar, curbs cravings, and aids digestion. We recommend putting a half teaspoon in with a mug of hot water. Sip and welcome the morning!
2. Take your Ova Moon Multivitamin daily! Vitamin C and zinc play important roles in nutrition, immune defense and maintenance of health. We've got em both in our supplement to keep you healthy as well as a ton of ginger to support the body in properly digesting our supplement.
3. Drink Bone broth! According to Nicole Jardim, 90% of women who come to her with hormonal imbalances have some kind of gastrointestinal challenge – food sensitivities and allergies, leaky gut, chronic constipation, IBS – you get the idea. Bone broth “heals and seals” the gut, according to Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride, the author of Gut And Psychology Syndrome (GAPS). The gelatin found in bone broth is actually what is responsible for this healing and sealing. It essentially fills in the holes of a leaky gut and should be a part of any gut healing regimen. It's also warming, blood building and easy to digest!
xoxo
the Ova Moon team
Content for this post inspired by the words of Maegan Boutot, Former Science Writer for Clue.
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