Tending to Your Inner World: Nourishing the Self Through Science & Ancestral Wisdom
In a society that glorifies powering through, choosing to slow down and tend to your inner world during your cycle is an act of unconditional self-love and a reclamation of ancient wisdom.
Our mothers and our grandmothers may not have had the space or the permission to honor their cycles. They may have been taught to hide it, to push through the fatigue, to ignore the emotional shifts. But if we look at those who came before us, you will find that the time when you are bleeding is sacred. Indigenous, African and Eastern traditions saw this phase as a process of purification. A release of not only the uterine lining, but also stagnant emotional and energetic residue. In other tribes, the menstruating women are seen as flowers and the “red river” is seen a symbol of life and fertility. How beautiful is that?
We have the opportunity to return to and honor that wisdom today. We can blend the ancestral wisdom that came before us with what science knows today about how our bodies work so that we can honor our ourselves and our cycles fully. Let’s talk about how to nourish yourself on every level during your bleed.
Understanding the Menstrual Phase
The menstrual phase, usually around days one through five of the cycle or when bleeding begins, is a literal physiological reset on many levels. Including hormonally, mentally and energetically. Our estrogen and progesterone levels are at their lowest to signal to the uterus to shed the lining. This drop in the hormone level also reduces our available energy as the body is diverting its resources toward regeneration.
You are also losing iron through blood, which can lead further to fatigue. Prostaglandins are compounds that trigger uterine contractions. During the menstrual phase, these rise which can lead to cramping and inflammation. Some functional MRI scans have shown increased activity between the right and left hemispheres in the brain during this time. This enhances introspection as well as problem-solving so it’s the perfect time to tune inward and see what your body is asking for.
Honoring Your Body’s Call to Pause
Your body is doing a lot during menstruation. Modern culture pushes us to keep going but ancestral practices and even science emphasize that slowing down during this time is best. The uterine lining is shedding, hormones are shifting, your body is trying to regulate inflammation. So this is a time to give back to the vessel that continues to carry you.
Adequate rest allows the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian (HPO) axis to regulate smoothly and support hormone recovery for the next cycle. Resting also can reduce spikes of cortisol. Overexertion can raise cortisol levels which worsens PMS symptoms in the future. Restorative practices allow for clearer thinking in the follicular phase when our energy will naturally begin to rise.
To our ancestors, rest wasn’t only not optional, it was celebrated. Women were excused from heavy labor, even cooking, provided with warming and nourishing foods, encouraged to journal, meditate and connect with each other. Rest was seen as a service to the community because when a woman returns from her time bleeding, she returns more centered, more intuitive, and overall replenished.
The Mindset Shift from Shame to Power
Different colonial and patriarchal systems attempted to frame menstruation as impure or weak in order to suppress female autonomy. The work culture ignores our cyclical needs and forces women into a 24/7 productivity model instead of honoring our different seasons. Women need to reframe their narrative of menstruation as powerful and not inconvenient. It is our body’s built in renewal system and it is wise.
When we take the time to rest during menstruation, consider it an investment. In future energy, creativity, and even fertility. This is the time when your intuition is sharpest, making it ideal for deep insight and reflection.
The Many Layers of True Nourishment
Your cycle is more than physical. It impacts your brain as well. Menstruation is often a time when the mind craves quiet, reflection and clarity. Lower estrogen levels can impact serotonin, which can affect our mood. During this time try mindful journaling to let your thoughts flow freely without judgment. You can also give yourself boundaries on screen time to give your mind a break from constant input. You can also protect your boundaries by saying no to commitments that may be draining during this time.
Even though our cycle is more than physical, there are also ways to nourish our physical body during this time. Prioritizing mineral-rich foods like lentils, leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, and even seaweed can work to replenish iron, magnesium and potassium. Heating pads give us warmth therapy and help to relax uterine muscles as well as improve blood flow to this area. Hydration with electrolytes like mineral water or coconut water can help to prevent dehydration and dehydration related headaches. Gentle movement, like stretching or a short yoga sequence, can help to ease cramps without over extending the body.
warm herbal tea with raspberry leaf, hibiscus, lemon balm, and ginger
Until the Next Cycle
Loving and honoring yourself fully means to love yourself in every phase. Even the slower quieter ones. Especially those. You are not less valuable when you rest.
In a world that pushes constant output, your menstrual time is your inner winter. A season where you rest, nourish, and quietly prepare the soil for the life that you are creating. This is power, deeply rooted in both your biology and in the wisdom of the women that came before us. This is your invitation to rest, to nourish and to step into alignment with your most powerful and magnetic self.