Hormonal Birth Control Doesn't "Regulate" Your Cycle

There’s something I hear time and time again, and it's something along the lines of:

“I have to take hormonal birth control to have a regular period."

OR

“My doctor wants me to get back on the pill to regulate my cycle."

And I’m here to let you in on a secret that definitely shouldn’t even be a secret:

Hormonal birth control does not regulate your menstrual cycle. 

Think of it this way, instead of “regulating” your hormones it replaces them with synthetic hormones. 

That “period" you think you’re getting, on the dot, every 28 days is actually a withdrawal bleed, not your real menstrual period.

The withdrawal bleed was actually a marketing tool created back in the day to help society accept the pill as more “natural”. Because if you’re bleeding once a month, it has to be natural right? And there are hormonal options that make women just not have a period at all. 

The pill works by messing with our endocrine system, which controls everything hormonal in our bodies. I first started recognizing the important role of our endocrine system when I read the book “WomanCode” by Alisa Vitti. 

Regular cycles, with ovulation and periods (which you don’t have on the pill) have been shown to play an important role in heart, bone and breast health. Which isn’t surprising since the pill alters 150 different bodily functions. 

You can’t tell me that something that impacts that many things in our bodies isn’t messing something up.

The pill packs a punch of around four times the corresponding synthetic estrogen and progesterone that naturally occurs in our body. This is a level that is actually quite lower than the first hormonal birth controls marketed to women, but what on earth are we doing putting that much in our bodies? Even the “lower dose” hormonal birth control options are still much more than our bodies create normally. 

Here’s another one for you, hormonal contraceptives are ranked by the WHO as a class one carcinogen, putting it right up there with tobacco and asbestos, which most of us try pretty hard to avoid as it is. 

Yes, I know a lot of people out there in the world smoke, but they are well aware of the danger of what they are doing. I guarantee there are countless women out there right now taking hormonal birth control unaware of the potential negatives because it is seen as just another thing women do, like shaving our legs. 

There is so much good that comes from having a natural cycle, and understanding that cycle. 

Being on the pill masks health issues or hormonal imbalances, which in turn makes it harder for the practitioner to figure out what’s really going on. It’s like putting a bandaid over a festering wound and then saying “whelp, that’s fixed now I can just ignore it."

A few other great books that talk about the dark side of hormonal birth control that I love are “The Pill: Are You Sure It’s For You?” and “Sweetening the Pill”. 

And a book I love that talks about a benefit of knowing your cycle (completely unrelated to birth control or the physical side effects of hormonal birth control) is “The Optimized Woman” which goes over the four phases of our cycle and our strengths and weaknesses in each of those phases, and how to make the most out of each phase. 

My point here today is that hormonal birth control isn’t the “cure all” it’s touted to be. And I think knowing all the information makes for a more well informed group of people making decisions that really do impact their bodies and minds. 

Benefits of Being Hydrated

Ok, so as you may know I set a little challenge for myself to drink more water this past month. And even though I technically “failed” that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop drinking water or stop trying to drink enough. 

We all know being hydrated is important. It’s just one of those things that we know we should be doing a better job at. 

So, today I thought I would share some of the wonderful benefits that come along with being adequately hydrated enough. 

Not sure how much water you should be drinking? Take your weight (in pounds), multiply it by .67 and that’s the minimum number of ounces you should be drinking. You’ll also want to take into account activity level. For every 30 minutes of exercise you do you’ll want to add 18 ounces to that total. 

So, for example I’m around 120 pounds, which means I should be drinking at least 80 ounces of water per day. And then in a perfect world I would be drinking closer to 100 -120 ounces a day. 

Long story short I’m still working towards that goal. But like I said before let’s go over some of the benefits of drinking enough water. Take a few gulps of water as you read each of these. 

+ Increased energy — water is another type of fuel your body needs alongside getting enough nutrients and such. Your brain is something like 73% water. 

+ Increased metabolism — not only that but sometimes when you feel hungry you’re really just thirsty. 

+ Helps build and repair muscle, as well as protect joints — water acts as a natural lubricant for your muscles and joints

+ Great for skin — I think this is a benefit a lot of people want to drink more water for, myself included. I feel like my skin is just tight, dry and uneven when I’m not drinking enough. 

+ Boosts immune system — drinking enough water is directly related to having a stronger immune system. Help yourself avoid cold and flu season this year. 

+ Flush out toxins — drink the water, urinate out the waste. Plus it helps prevent against kidney stones and UTIs. 

+Regular bowel movements and digestion — keeps everything moving. 

+ Improves Heart Health — there's a link between coronary heart disease and water consumption. 

+ Prevents bad breath

+ Maintains pH balance

And the list goes on and on. There has never been something I’ve seen that I’m like no I don’t want any of that when it comes to the benefits of being properly hydrated. 

Well, this isn’t because of being hydrated but I have heard of people dying from drinking too much water too fast. But you would have to drink 2.5-5.6 gallons (10-20 liters) of water in just a few hours. Which I know I couldn’t do even if I tried. 

So, you have nothing to loose from drinking more water. 

What are some of your tricks to making sure you’re remembering to drink enough each day? 

Intermittent Fasting + Our Menstrual Cycle

So, I got an email not long ago asking my thoughts on intermittent fasting and the potential effect on the menstrual cycle in women. 

First off, I have no experience or real knowledge of intermittent fasting so I had to do some digging. I found this article helpful in explaining why it might be good for women to do. 

And from what I’ve found there are some women who swear by it, stating that it actually made their hormonal issues better. And then there are women who say it completely messed up their menstrual cycles, threw their hormones out of whack and were completely against it. 

So, first off (from what I’ve learned) there’s a difference between intermittent fasting and just regular fasting where you don’t eat. Intermittent fasting is where you cycle between periods of time where you fast, and where you don’t. I’ve heard of having an “eating phase” of 8, 10, 12 hours and plenty of other variations. And besides that set number of hours, you fast the rest of the day. 

Now, there are plenty of variations of intermittent fasting, but that’s the general idea of it. 

From what I’ve read this type of fasting can have a very beneficial effect on men, while having a not so positive effect on women (but not all women). And this is because those hormones that are in charge of regulating the key functions in our bodies like ovulation are pretty darn touchy when it comes to how much fuel you’re putting into your body. 

Our HPG (hypothalamic-pituaitary-gonadal) axis sends out a lot of directions into our body. Things like telling the pituitary to release LH and FSH, which as you might know triggers the producing of estrogen and progesterone in women. 

Your body can tell when you’re not in a healthy enough state to carry a pregnancy and will delay or stop something like ovulation all together because of the signals it is receiving. This is why if you’re really stressed you might notice that you ovulate a few days later than normal. And this is also why women with eating disorders or a too low body fat percentage can stop ovulating and having a normal menstrual cycle. 

If your body receives those signals that it’s being starved it will start producing more leptin and ghrelin, the hunger hormones. 

There was one study I found that tested intermittent fasting on rats, and after just two weeks of this the female rats stopped having menstrual cycles, their ovaries shrunk and they started having more insomnia when compared to the male rats in the study. 

This can really mess with our fertility, not to mention worsen eating disorders. 

I know the important role that hormones play in the balance of my health and my body. And because of this and what I’ve read I don’t think intermittent fasting would be something I would have interest in. 

If it’s something you’re interested in, as with anything else, I recommend doing your research before diving in. I know there are different lengths of fasting, and possibly a shorter one would be better. I also saw that doing it long term could cause more issues than doing it only for a short period of time say once a year. 

I don't have the answer if there's a right way to do it but I did want to share this list I found that talks about how you should stop intermittent fasting if any of these things happen after starting:

     + your menstrual cycle stops or becomes irregular (we are meant to have menstrual cycles, they are a healthy, normal bodily function just like our cardiovascular system. Loosing your period is not a good thing.)

     + you have problems falling asleep or staying asleep

     + your hair starts falling out

     + you start getting acne or dry skin

     + you don’t recover from exercise as quickly

     + it takes more time for your injuries to heal

     + you get every bug that’s going around

     + you handle stress worse

     + you start having mood swings

     + your heart starts beating oddly

     + your libido drops     

     + your digestion slows down (less bowel movements)     

     + feel cold all the time

Like I said I don’t know enough to say one way or the other what you should do. I don’t recommend it, but who am I to stop you from trying something out. Just make sure to pay very close attention to what’s happening with your body and mind. 

I would recommend avoiding it if you have any tendencies towards an eating disorder, are looking to get pregnant soon, or already struggle with lack of ovulation or irregular cycles. 

Have you tried intermittent fasting? How did you do it, what were your results? 

How My Diet Changes From Winter to Summer

While there are plenty of foods that I eat year round, my diet definitely changes with the seasons. Not necessarily through each of the four seasons, but from the warm months to the cold months. 

I shared this winter what I was eating, and so I thought it would be interesting to share how it’s changing once again now that the weather has gotten warmer (much warmer at the moment). 

I go from eating much heavier meals in the winter to much lighter meals in the summer. I crave those comfort foods of pastas, breads, and rice dishes when it’s cold out, but when it’s summer I want fresh and light things.

While I’m still cooking plenty of meals, I mean, I do love a good cooked meal, I’m adding back in fresh dishes like salads and such. (For some reason I don’t gravitate towards salad in the winter). And I get back into smoothies when it gets hot out. I love a good smoothie in the morning or post workout, but since I’m a cold being I just can’t do them when it’s freezing out or I’ll never warm back up (even if i’m inside, wrapped in a blanket with gloves and hat on).

I eat smaller, more frequent meals in the summer, grabbing plenty of snacks in between. During the winter I often have two larger meals and possibly a snack at some point throughout the day.

And another thing that’s changed in the past month is I’ve started dabbling in meal prepping. I went all in the first time I tried it, spent hours cooking, portioning, seasoning and putting into the fridge. I had multiple options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between. 

I’ve also done it where I created 4-5 portions each of two different meals for lunch and dinner, and then made a bigger batch of oatmeal for breakfast to last the week. 

Meal prepping surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. You get such a sense of accomplishment when your fridge is full of meals ready to go, and it makes life so much easier when you can just grab, heat and eat. 

This past grocery trip I bought much more fruit than normal, mostly for snacking. I love a good bit of fresh fruit to snack on. I got blueberries, strawberries, watermelon and mango. I also bought kale and romaine for salad dishes and possibly raw tacos. 

The difference between fresh meals and cooked meals is I don’t like meal prepping the fresh meals because I think they can get a bit soggy or wilted by the time I go to eat them. 

I’ve also got the remaining bits of heavier foods to finish up from the winter like a bag of rice (I’m so close to finishing that 25 lbs!), or there’s still some ingredients that are still appealing to me like potatoes that I’ve still got in stock for things like vegan cheese (drool). 

I wish I could eat more frequent, lighter, fresher meals throughout the seasons because that is definitely when I flourish. But I don’t reach for salads when it’s cold, not to mention it’s hard to get your hands on things like fruit and avocados in the winter. 

I’m never too hard on myself when it comes to eating with the seasons and what I find myself reaching for. I just try to make sure I am getting in fresh fruits and veggies here and there. And at the end of the day if I can stay mostly away from processed foods I know I’ll feel just find, regardless of the meals I’m making.

How does your diet change from the cold to warm months? What are some dishes you’re excited to start making again? 

What I'm Doing For Better Sleep

I like to sleep.

I think sleep is important and in no way am I one of those people who think “sleep is for the weak” or “you can sleep when you’re dead”.

One of the books I worked through recently was “The Sleep Revolution” by Arianna Huffington. And while I didn’t finish it completely, I have learned so much about just how important sleep is. 

Basically, stop skimping on sleep people!

In no way do I think have insomnia or any real sleep problems, but like a lot of people I go through phases of sleeping really soundly, to getting up four times a night, and then other times when it takes me a few hours to fall asleep. 

For me, there’s nothing better than waking up in the morning and going “I didn’t wake up once!"

Like many other situations in my life, I decided to pick up a few books and start reading more about sleep in hopes of making my time in bed better. 

So, today I wanted to share some of the things I’m trying to implement in my life to achieve more sleep. 

One of the biggest things for me was realizing I needed to give myself more time to slow down before bed. Instead of going from whatever it was I was doing, jumping into bed and just expecting myself to fall asleep right away. 

One of the hardest (but most important/helpful) things for me has been implementing a no technology an hour before bed rule. I can’t tell you the number of times I would either scroll through social media or watch YouTube videos up until the point I wanted to fall asleep. It doesn’t work. 

This means no laptop, no phone (and if you have a TV, none of that either). I’ve also been trying to avoid my phone first thing in the morning too. We’re all guilty of picking up our phone first thing to avoid actually getting out of bed. I’m working to knock that habit too. 

Instead of technology that last hour I’ve really been enjoying reading before bed. I just picked up two new books from the library, and I’ve found that reading makes for a much smoother transition for me. 

I would say these things have had the biggest impact so far, and it’s been very noticeable. I’m sleeping so much better almost right away. 

There are plenty of ways to wind down before bed sans technology. I really enjoy hot baths, taking the time for my skincare, brushing, flossing and all that fun stuff. 

Every now and then Michael and I will close the blinds in our bedroom on a particularly bright night (we live in the city). This helps a lot in falling asleep but I wish they would automatically open with the sunrise because that’s the best way to wake up I’ve found. 

Now, two things I do during the day that I think have also helped with my sleep: limiting my caffeine and exercising. 

A long time ago I set myself a 'one cup before noon' rule when it came to coffee (my caffeine of choice). Not only does this help me sleep better but if I’m consuming too much caffeine I can feel much more anxious, which is never good. 

And I really do find that I just feel all around better when I’m getting outside and active more often. Exercise is a great way to blow off extra energy as well as stress. 

Now I know if you have actual issues with insomnia and sleep you’re going to scoff at this list. But I wanted to make this for the average person who’s not getting great sleep but not suffering either. 

The biggest thing I’ve learned is the importance of keeping technology far way from bedtime. 

What have you done that’s helped you sleep better?

My Skin Is Best During My Period

So, you know how everyone talks about how one of the woes of their period arriving is the acne that comes along with it? 

I always thought I was in that camp, acne during my period, but this past year I’ve noticed that I may have been wrong all along.

Does anyone else have better skin during their periods, or is that just me?

I find that the zits show up around ovulation, and that’s when my skin is usually at its ‘worse’ (which really isn’t all that bad usually). I also find that it’s a bit more uneven, dry and all that jazz around ovulation, and that it actually seems to clear up during my period. 

I wanted to share this today because before I actually started paying attention to my cycle, and tracking the different things that happen at different points, I used to be one of those people who blamed everything on their period.  

For so long my period was responsible for all the negatives that came along with having a menstrual cycle. I knew other stuff was happening in my body for my period to happen each month, but I never gave a second thought to what all those changes were doing. 

But ever since I started charting I’ve been much more aware of the little changes and at what point, during my cycle, things actually happen. 

And the one I’ve noticed is that I actually have clearer skin during my period than during ovulation. Right now I’m in my ovulatory phase and while my skin is doing pretty good overall, I do have a bit of a break out on my neck, along the hairline. I’m sure this is partially because I’ve been outside a lot, and I think when I use more hair products (like dry shampoo) that can make it break out.

But there are a few other factors beyond where I am in my cycle that play a role in the radiance of my skin. 

+ regular exercise — my skin looks best in the summer when I’m running consistently (not to mention sunshine heals everything).

+ sugar — if I’m eating too many sugary things, my face, especially my forehead breaks out (this is why I can’t drink Cuban coffee anymore).

+ processed food — my skin 100% shows this (not to mention it makes my PMS worse).

+ drinking enough water — this is a huge one as well, my skin just overall looks worse when I’m not drinking enough, which is most of the time. 

That last one is why I want to do a 30-day water drinking challenge to help kickstart my hydration habits. I’ve settled on the decision that at the bare minimum I want to get in 64 oz (1.8L), which is the recommended 8 glasses a day. But I would love to shoot for 80 oz, which is recommended for my weight. 

I also know that being adequately hydrated helps immensely with all other menstrual related happenings, so I’m hoping to see improvements there as well. 

My Period is a Morning Person

I’m not here to brag, even though it kind of feels like that. 

I just want to share something positive about my period. So here we go. 

My period is very polite in her arrival, and what I mean by this is I never seem to start my period in the middle of the day or the middle of the night. 

It always starts first thing in the morning when I go to the bathroom.

It’s like it waits for me to wake up, walk to the bathroom and to sit down to do my business, and then she’s like “Oh hello, good we can begin." 

And each time I’m like oh hello, thank you so much for being so patient and freaking polite. 

But just because it starts so easy doesn’t mean I don’t have my difficulties with my period. 

I still get cramps which require me to plug in my heating pad and take hot baths to soothe. 

I still leak and bleed through things, a lot. 

I still get tired, and emotional. 

But my period is a breeze compared to what it used to be. And I have a few things to thank. 

+ Going vegan — I truly believe diet has so much to do with how well your body functions. And I think going vegan played a huge role in lightening up my periods, calming the PMS and all that jazz. 

+ Getting off hormonal birth control and learning about my body — Yup, finally understanding how and why my body does different things made life so much easier. I felt empowered by this knowledge. 

+ Switching to menstrual cups and period underwear — Getting all the irritants that come with disposable products away from my vagina made everyone involved just so much happier. 

So you may be thinking “Screw her and her perfect period” but I’m here to share that even though it’s such a chill period I still have period problems. But also know that it hasn’t always been this easy and that if you have a period you’re not happy with it doesn’t have to be like that. 

I’m not saying what worked for me will work for you, or that there’s a right or wrong way to deal with cycle issues. I just want to encourage you to keep searching for your solution because I truly believe it is out there. 

What is something you’ve done that’s improved your period or cycle? 

Intuitive Eating + Listening to Your Body

I just made a video this week about my five year anniversary of going vegan, which includes how it’s changed over the years for me. 

But I think one of the most amazing things I’ve learned, now that I know everything I can eat and what makes me feel the best, is how to listen to my body and what it needs/wants. 

There’s a place for treats and junk food just like there is a place for nourishing meals filled with fresh veggies and fruit. 

What I eat changes with the seasons and what’s available. 

I eat a bit heavier, with more cooked meals, during the colder months, and lighter, more fresh meals when it’s warm out. 

And I think that’s one of my favorite things about being vegan/plant-based. I can eat whatever I want and not have to worry about calories or any of that. I can just eat what my body wants and not worry about it. 

Yes, I’m blessed with a fast metabolism, but that didn’t stop me from getting clogged up and bogged down when I ate a Standard American Diet. Not to mention being almost 20 pounds heavier than I am now when I lived in Thailand. I wasn't veg then, and I drank pretty regularly, but not excessively.  

But now I’m conscious of what I eat, I know what makes me feel good and what weighs me down. 

I know you hear it all the time but it’s about balance. If I go a few days eating heavier, more processed stuff I find myself really craving/needing something fresh and light and that’s what I eat. 

I think it’s so important to listen to your body and to recognize what makes you feel good. 

I’m not a fan of food journals unless it’s to track what you’re eating and how that’s making you feel in order to discover some sore of digestive irritant. 

This is how I originally realized it was meat that was causing all my digestive woes. 

Seriously, I used to only go number two once a week. Once a week! That is insane for me to think about now, but that used to be my norm. I always had a stomach ache, was always tired and felt bogged down, especially after meals. 

Why it took me so long to realize that wasn’t normal, or good, baffles me. 

But now I know. I’ve put in the time to listen to my body, and I can balance the things that make me flourish and still get my fix of a little bit of junk food. 

What foods make you flourish, which make you feel not so great, and how do you find the balance between them?

I'm Going to Say It...I Enjoy Running

I ran track in junior high and high school. I was never an all-star, nor did I enjoy it all that much. 

I ran sporadically throughout college and after. 

I would run with my dog Bob (R.I.P. Bob), and then when I moved in with Michael I liked to do a bike/run combo most days. But it was never more than a few miles. 

Last summer Michael challenged me to run a marathon, something that had literally never ever crossed my mind. I laughed at him and initially said no way. But I think it was an hour later that I said, Ok, I’ll do it. 

So I trained for and ran a marathon last fall, doing a 5K and sprint triathlon in the process. But then I took a break over the winter because running in the cold is not my thing, and I had burnt myself out with marathon training. Now that warmer weather is here I’m running regularly again. 

A little over a month ago my mom and I started training together because I convinced her to run a half marathon with me. 

We just did a 10K this past weekend that was awesome. I think it's super helpful to not only have something your training for but to also do races along the way. It spices the training up and allows you to get jazzed up by the race atmosphere. 

But in the process of all of this, I’ve surprised myself with how much I actually enjoy running. 

I’ve found that once you get past that period of everything hurting, your lungs gasping for air, and to where you can run a few miles consistently, you get into a certain rhythm and it just flows. And that feels amazing. 

Running is a great way to work through things. If I’m feeling anxious or upset I’ll go run. It’s a great time to brainstorm or daydream. And it’s something that you can actually see tangible improvement at. You can run further or faster. 

And it’s an inexpensive thing to do. I recommend getting a good pair of shoes, and races are fun, but day to day you don’t have to go to a class or a gym to do it. You can just go outside. 

And speaking of outside, I love that aspect of running. It gets you outside, and it’s a great speed of travel. I love running trails through the woods or along the river. [Sidenote: I can't run on a treadmill. One mile feels like ten, and I just really dislike it.]

I love being able to cover different distances. It’s such an accomplishment to run your first mile, your first three, then five, ten and when you get to the point where you realize you can run for two or four hours straight that’s super cool. 

It’s something you can do almost anywhere you go. And it’s fun to do when you travel. 

I’ve discovered I really like trail running. It’s completely different than running on a flat surface like a road, sidewalk or bike path. And it feels like an adventure, which reminds me of being a child and playing in the woods around our house. 

It was hard getting into running last summer, finding my rhythm and all that but I was surprised with how quickly it came back to me this year. I was able to run that first mile and then three miles a lot quicker this time around. 

I know there are plenty of people who think those who run are crazy (I was once one of them), but it’s honestly something that anyone can get into. You literally go at your own pace and even if that means walking at different points, it really doesn't matter. 

If you’ve been wanting to get into it don’t be shy. Give it a go! 

Intuitive Exercise Throughout Your Cycle

The only time that I’ve ever stuck to a “work out plan” was when I trained for my marathon last year, and these past four weeks of training for a half-marathon at the start of June. 

Other than that I have always just kind of gone through spurts and phases of exercising. 

Things like yoga, weight lifting, biking, but the most of what I’ve done over the years has been running. 

Have you ever noticed that you’re drawn to different types, or amounts of, exercise at different points in your cycle? 

Leading up to and during my period I find myself wanting a much slower form of exercise, whether that be yoga, hiking or simply going for a walk. I’ve still go running during this, but I don’t push myself too hard. Thankfully, our pace this year hasn’t been very intense at all so it works out great. 

I don’t base my exercise on where I am in my cycle so much as just listening to my body as I go along. Because I’ve got a training plan to follow I usually stick to that for the most part. 

But last week around ovulation I found myself wanting to get outside more than once, or go further than originally planned. Three days in a row I ran 6 miles. 

Wednesday I went on a run with my mom, and then Michael asked if I wanted to go with him so I did. The next day I ran around two miles with my mom, and then decided to run the 4 miles back to my apartment. And Friday we had six miles to run. 

I’m more likely to head out on an unplanned run, hike, etc. because I get this urge to blow off some steam or excess energy (or lack of energy). 

One thing that I’ve discovered I enjoy a lot is running on trails. Not bike paths, but dirt trails through the woods, or when we were in Phoenix is was through the desert. 

Once I get into the habit of being active again (when it’s starts getting warm out) I just really try to focus on what my body feels like, combined of course with what I have for a training plan. 

I don’t necessarily switch up the type of exercise I do depending on where I’m at in my cycle, I just change the amount and intensity of running I’m doing that week. 

I do find that when I’m feeling in a slump, tired or things like that, getting out for a run really helps to balance me back out again. 

What is your go to exercise, and do you switch it up at all throughout your cycle? 

Boosting Your Cervical Fluid Naturally

Once I got my luteal phase in order the next thing I set out to fix was my cervical fluid. 

Huh? 

For me, my menstrual cycle serves as a report card of sorts for my overall well-being. If something is off in my cycle, it usually means there’s something off somewhere else too. 

And I love to test out and see if natural solutions really do work. So, last month I set out to boost my cervical fluid with a few things I had read about. 

The first thing you need to do to improve your cervical fluid is to make sure you’re drinking enough water. This is obviously important for so many other reasons, countless benefits that I could go on and on about. But your cervical fluid is over 90% H2O. So, if you’re not keeping up with the water demand you’re going to see that play out in less cervical fluid.

So, each morning, and especially around your fertile phase try and drink at least one glass of water before starting in on your morning coffee. Because you naturally wake up a bit parched from not drinking any fluids while you’re asleep, and coffee can have a dehydrating effect. 

I also try to limit myself to a cup or two of coffee per day. Have your morning ritual of a warm cup of joe, but then switch to either water, herbal tea or something that’s a bit more hydrating, and less caffeinated for the rest of the day. 

I really liked the combination of water with lemon, and then adding a dash of your choice of honey or maple syrup to sweeten it up a bit.

The next thing I tried was taking 1500 mg of Evening Primrose Oil throughout the day (one capsule with breakfast or lunch, and then the other two with dinner).

[Please note that you should only take E.P.O. from the start of your period until ovulation. From there switch to Flax Seed Oil or something similar to get your omegas. The recommended dosage is 1500-3000 mg per day.]

Going back to hydration, something that I saw pop up, again and again, was drinking grapefruit juice during your fertile phase to boost cervical fluid. This one I was a bit skeptical about but thought what the heck, I like grapefruit. So, I bought myself a bulk bag of grapefruit and started juicing two a day on CD 10. First off, I was shocked with how delicious and fresh grapefruit juice is. I was expecting it to be bitter but loved that it tasted like the fruit minus the skin. 

I continued to eat or drink my grapefruit each day past the end of my fertile phase and I have definitely rekindled my love for them. 

There are many other suggestions out there, but I didn’t want to do so much I wasn’t sure what was doing what. But I can say that from the combination of more water, 1500 mg of Evening Primrose Oil and grapefruit juice there was a very noticeable change in the quality and amount of my cervical fluid this last cycle. 

I’m going to continue doing the same for this cycle, and I’ve also started training for the half so I’m curious to see how that affects things as well. (Exercise boosts circulation which in turn is supposed to boost cervical fluid.) 

I also think it’s worth mentioning that I had no noticeable PMS leading up to my period last cycle as well as no pre-menstrual spotting besides the tiniest amount just the day before I started my period. I had some cramps that called for a heating pad on the first day, but nothing by the second. I’ll take those side effects of Evening Primrose Oil any day!

Have you tried boosting your cervical fluid, or healing another part of your cycle naturally? What sort of results have you had? 

Running With My Mom

I convinced my mom to train for, and run, a half-marathon with me this spring. 

She got really into yoga after I introduced her to it, and I would love if running could become something she enjoys doing after this is all said and done. 

After I ran my marathon last fall I only ran a handful of times over the past three months (because I can’t be bothered to run outside in the cold.) But now that spring is here, and the weather has been teetering around almost warm, it’s been great to get back outside again. 

Normally, I don’t like running with other people. I like being in control of my own pace, walking when I want and choosing where I want to run. Thankfully, my mom lets me be in control of all that for our runs together.

We’ll be on our fourth week of training together at the time of this post, but we’ve been going pretty strong from the start. 

The training plan I chose to base ours off of was pretty mild, starting with 2 or 3 miles of a walk/jog combo that first week. But my mom is kind of an overachiever, always saying no let’s do more than 2 miles. There was one day we set out to do three and ended up running five miles. 

The place my mom works is on my way to the coffee shop I’ve been enjoying working from so I’ve been stopping in and saying hi quite a bit, but it’s nice to have this extra time to get outside, run together and chat about who knows what. 

And the best, most unexpected part of all this has been their new little puppy. She’s a little Dachshund named Martini (I call her Weenie), and she is the best little running buddy. We leave her in the car with my mom’s other little dog on the really nippy days, but if it’s in the 40’s she usually goes with us. 

There was a rare nice day in February after I got back from Sri Lanka, and I went for a walk around Grays with my mom and the two little dogs. Weenie was about three months old at that point and didn’t quite get the whole “walk on a leash” thing. Plus she would get pretty distracted by all the smells (and people) around her, just begging to get sniffed. 

Now she’s able to stay on course without getting tangled in your legs or stopping to sniff something new every 3.2 seconds. 

Not to mention she’s very popular when she’s running with us. People find it hilarious and oh so cute that this tiny little weiner dog is our running buddy. 

For now, we’ve got the one race booked for June, but I’m on the hunt for more this summer!

Your Period Is Not Evil

I’m just continually trying to do my part in breaking the taboo surrounding our periods and menstrual cycle. And today I want to talk about how our periods aren’t evil. 

Because I see all too often so much negativity surrounding our periods. 

When we’re younger, and first get our periods, there’s this sense of “this is unfair, boys don’t have to do this!”

When we get older they’re seen as an annoying inconvenience mixed with gratitude that they came. 

Then when women start trying to conceive their periods transform into something that is downright evil. 

Our poor periods can’t ever win with us. 

Our periods aren’t this thing separate from us, happening to us. They’re just a part of our reproductive system, just like breathing is a part of our respiratory system and our heart beating is part of our cardiovascular system. 

But at the same time if there’s something painfully wrong with your period, don’t feel like you just have to deal with it. It takes women so long to get diagnosed with hormonal issues like PCOS or Endometriosis. And most of the time doctors will try and put you on hormonal birth control to “balance your hormones”. Don’t even get me started with this BS “band-aid”, one size fits all solution. 

This idea that our periods and our fertility are all things that need to be controlled by some outside source is ridiculous. 

I’m guilty of these beliefs just like anyone else. 

I fell into the trap as a teenager thinking my period was this out of body thing that I needed to contain. I went on hormonal birth control to “make my periods easier”, but the pill didn’t improve them that much, and not enough to make up for all the negative side effects that being on the pill came with. 

By trying to control something, my period and later my fertility, I ended up doing more harm than good to my body, and mind. 

Don’t get me wrong I am forever grateful for the easy access I had to hormonal birth control at that age. But I’m also really bitter about everything I didn’t know at that age too. 

These days I hear about teenagers who use period tracking apps to actually know where they are in their cycle, something so simple now was always a guessing game for me growing up. I never knew you could track, let alone chart your cycle. 

I just wish I could share the knowledge I now have surrounding cycles and charting with every girl headed into getting her first period, every teenager and young adult annoyed with her period, trying to control her fertility, and every woman trying to get pregnant. 

That’s part of the reason the first course I created was Chart Your Cycle for everyone who is new to FAM and charting. It’s a place to learn the sympto-thermal method in an understandable and relatable way. Zero judgment, embarrassment, and very little confusion. And the confusion is where I come in to answer questions. 

Knowledge is power and learning about my cycle, my fertility and my body were one of the most incredible things I have done for myself. I wasn’t always this period or body positive. I used to groan when my period showed up, expected the guy I was dating to know what to “do” instead of telling him what I liked, and I mentally picked my body apart wishing I looked different than I did. 

You wouldn’t think there were so many positive effects from one small change, but it was a huge change in my little world, splitting it wide open, changing my direction in life and so much more. 

I truly believe I wouldn’t be who I am today without getting off the pill and learning about my body. It all stems from small shifts in our attitude and perception, and can start with something as simple as realizing that our periods are a part of us, not some evil witch out to ruin our lives. 

Natural Period Pain Management

Normal period pain is caused by the release of prostaglandins in your uterus. Prostaglandins are hormone-like and have different effects like construction and dilation of blood vessels. More estrogen and less progesterone can mean more prostaglandins and pain. This should improve with a change in diet and supplements, if it doesn’t it’s severe period pain. By this I mean unbearable pain that lasts for many days, can happen between periods and doesn’t improve with ibuprofen like normal period pain. If it’s so painful you vomit or have to miss school or work, it’s severe pain, and not normal. It’s probably being caused by some underlying issue like endometriosis or adenomyosis. 

Unbearable period pain is not something you should just “deal with”. It’s something that’s pointing to a bigger issue going on. 

Your body is not out to get you. It’s not out to make you miserable. You are your body, and your body is you. You’re not meant to suffer from period cramps, your body just needs a little support. 

Women who experience more cramping have higher levels of those prostaglandins we just talked about than women who have low amounts of cramping. 

But I need relief now!

You might reach for Ibuprofen, or any number of other pain relievers. Midol was my period drug of choice through high school and college, but I do all that I can to avoid these types of medication these days if I can. But if you’re going to take something don’t overdo it. Start with the lowest dosage and give it time to kick in before taking more. 

I’ve never tried it, but I’ve heard more people than I can count talk about the power of Magnesium. It’s said to relax your uterus and reduce the amount of prostaglandins. So you can try taking a daily supplement throughout your cycle to help relieve the pain.

Personally, I find more relief in heat. My two go-to’s are a heating pad or jumping into a toasty tub. And sometimes when my lower back cramps are a bit more than heat can fix I’ll either dig in myself or ask my hubby to give me a quick lower pack rub. 

There are also times when I just have to get out of whatever position I’m in. The same goes when I’m experience stomach pain or a number of other ailments. What I often do is go into some variation of child’s pose. And this is another great time for someone to come and push down on your lower back or rub it. There are a number of recommended yoga poses for period pain relief. I never do a routine, I just pick a few that feel good and sit in those for awhile. And you wouldn’t think it relieves pain but it does. 

I’m not totally up to date on the use of essential oils, not to mention I gave the majority of my stash to my sister while she was pregnant, but I know there are a number of options for oils to help with any cycle woes you might have. Some I’ve seen mentioned are lavender, eucalyptus, rose, ylang-ylang, chamomile as well as clary sage and peppermint. I have a diffuser that I love to use, even though at the moment it’s just lemon I put in there. There are other methods of using essential oils, so it’s up to you to use what works for you. 

I’ve mentioned this one in the past but I really think ditching tampons helped with my periods overall. I now use a combo of a cup and period underwear, but if I’m feeling especially crampy I’ll just avoid putting anything up there and stick with a thicker pair of period underwear. 

I really also believe in the importance of being adequately hydrated as well as properly nourished with your fruits and veggies. If there’s ever a cycle (and there’s been plenty) where I’m not drinking enough water and eating a bunch of processed crap, I 100% feel crappier during my period. 

None of these are a quick fix pill that many of us wish we had when we’re experiencing gnarly cramps. But the point I want to say today is that if you’re experience pain beyond what can be calmed by what I’ve mentioned today that isn’t normal period pain. You’re going to want to go in and figure out what’s really going on. And don’t take “that’s just part of having a period” as an answer. If you feel like something isn’t right, it probably isn’t. 

What are your go to remedies for period pain? Like I said above mine is heat either in a heating pad or a hot bath depending on the time of day. 

Stress + Your Cycle

Stress is a real pain in the ass. It has plenty of negative effects and is all around not good. 

Effects on your body:

+ headaches

+ muscle tension/pain

+ chest pain

+ fatigue

+ change in libido

+ upset stomach

+ sleep issues

Effects on your mood:

+ anxiety

+ restlessness

+ lack of motivation/focus

+ feeling overwhelmed

+ irritable

+ sadness/depression

Effects on your behavior:

+ eating too much/not enough

+ outbursts

+ drug/alcohol use

+ social withdrawal

+ exercising less

But how can it mess with your menstrual cycle? 

I can see from that list a whole host of ways it can interfere. 

If you’re in a rut of chronic stress or have recently experienced a very stressful event (think the loss of a job or loved one), your hormones can be suppressed, which can cause your period to be delayed or stop altogether. 

When you’re stressed your body secretes the hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which can suppress estrogen and progesterone production, which we know are necessary for a healthy cycle. 

Your body reacts to stress and being in a state of “fight or flight” by sending signals to your body saying "now is not a good time to get pregnant." 

I’ve seen it before in my own cycle. In a time of stress, my body will delay ovulation until things have calmed down a bit. 

And if you’re trying to conceive, stress could be playing a role in your difficulty getting pregnant. Because if your body is sending around the “not a good time to get pregnant” signal that’s no bueno.

Your PMS symptoms can also be exacerbated by stress. Think acne, irritability, fatigue and so on. Yay.

Being stressed is not another thing to stress about, there are easy things you can do to help de-stress. 

The three main things I found that help reduce stress are diet, exercise and sleep. 

If things aren’t going great we can find ourselves reaching for comfort foods that might not be nourishing our bodies how they need to be. Plan out your meals before you go shopping. What are some nutritious recipes that get you excited about cooking and eating them? Some people find meal prepping before the start of the week makes eating healthier easier. And if you have a busy life being able to grab your lunch quickly from the fridge on your way out the door is going to help a lot. 

Exercise can be the last thing on our minds when we’re stressed. “I don’t have time for that!” But there are plenty of easy ways to fit a little movement into our days. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, go for walks even if it’s just 10 minutes. Some people find attending a workout class works better than having to come up with a workout routine on their own. 

And along that same line can we talk about yoga for a second? Not only is it exercise but it does so much more for the mind as well. Plus you can pop on a video from YouTube and do a quick 15-minute routine in your living room. I also like doing a few yoga stretches before bed or even in bed. Just this morning I did about five minutes of stretching to prolong the whole getting out of bed thing. 

And when you find yourself restless at night, unable to sleep but exhausted, it might be worth looking into a natural sleep aid to help get you back on track with sleeping. You can try melatonin or something like Bach Rescue Sleep Liquid Melts (not sponsored, Michael loves them). 

A few other things that can help you de-stress and sleep better: meditation and journaling before bed (as well as those yoga stretches). I can’t begin to talk about how beneficial meditation and journaling has been for me. I can tell a huge difference between when I’m consistently doing both and when I’m not. 

Neither of them have to be fancy. Find a meditation app like Headspace or currently I’ve been enjoying meditating to the music on the Calm app. And just grab an old notebook and write down what you’re feeling, what happened that day and anything that comes to mind. Get it out of your head  and onto paper, and I promise you’ll feel so much better after. 

Some people like to work through things on their own (hello that’s me), but consider opening up to a friend because you’d be surprised how many people are stressed or anxious and it can help to have someone to just talk to about it. 

In the end listen to your body. Pay attention to how you’re feeling, when you need to take a break, step back and breathe. And it’s so important to make self-care a focus. Give yourself ten minutes a day of “me” time and maybe a  bit more time on the weekend to focus on yourself. 

Stress is a pain and you can definitely stress more about being stressed, which can spiral out of control. Just being conscious of it, and willing to take the time work through it goes a long way. 

What are some of your ways you deal with stress? Beyond the things I talked about today I also enjoy running, being out in nature, bubble baths, deep cleaning my apartment and having at home spa dates with myself. 

Easing Back Into Running

I thought that maybe I’d bundle up every now and then and continue running through the winter.

Yeah, right. I should have known better.

It was hard enough to muster the motivation to bundle up to just walk to the coffee shop to work. 

But March is here, which means spring is just around the corner, and with it warmer weather. 

I ran once while we were in Sri Lanka, it felt amazing. And I ran when we were in Phoenix, equally exhilarating. 

I’m obviously far from in marathon shape where I last was in November. But I know I at least want to do a half this summer, and possible a full marathon in October. 

So, here I am, out of running shape, but I feel like I’m still further ahead then where I started last July when I started training. And it’s because now I know what I’m capable of when it comes to running. But that doesn’t change the fact that I couldn’t go and knock out a 10 mile run right now. 

Where do I start? 

Here’s my plan. 

I know I’m going to run a half in June, and hopefully that full in October so I have dates to work towards. I’m going to start creating my training plan for those, but in the mean time I’ve started easing myself back into all this. 

There were a number of really gorgeous days recently and I went on a few long walks because duh, why wouldn’t I get out and enjoy the weather. 

That’s step one, to just get out there and start warming up the creaky joints again. 

After that I’m going to ease in with some walk/jog sessions. I’ll choose a distance or total time, and start with something like five minutes running, two minutes walking, on and off until I finish that distance/time. 

And I’ll just grow from there into things like 10 minutes on, 1 minute off, until I can run three miles straight. 

Something I am going to do more of this year is strength training for my knees, hips, etc. so I can hopefully avoid the knee problems I had last year. 

And while I plan on a half and hopefully another full, I plan to run other races in-between. 

Another thing I learned from last year is that you can burn yourself out mentally during training. By the end of it last year I was over running. I hardly ran my last month of training (not the smartest thing, but I still did my marathon). 

I haven’t really looked at what I want my training plan to be but I think I’m going to create one to work on for the half in June, then keep that base and have a “separate” plan for the marathon. Who knows yet!

What are your race/fitness goals for this year? What are the steps you’re taking to get there? 

An Intuitive Menstrual Phase This Cycle

I’ve seen a number of people talking about intuitive eating, where you listen to your body and eat what you feel like, not forcing meals if you’re not hungry and just eating what you want. 

I’ll always be learning and evolving in this area of life, but I have made great progress over the past few years to just listening to my body. 

Who would have ever thought it would have been so difficult to just give your body what it needs? 

I’ve talked before about some different strengths and weaknesses we have in each phase of our cycle. And that’s the obvious first step, just recognizing the different phases and acknowledging that you have different needs in each. 

I feel like I’ve done a good job this past menstrual phase (period) of really slowing down, and going about my days differently. 

Normally, I love getting up early and getting going on my day of work pretty soon after. 

But last Monday was the start of a new cycle, and for whatever reason, it hit me fairly hard. 

I was exhausted, but not sleeping well, which just snowballs as you know. I was feeling zero motivation for work and frustrated for that lack of spark. 

I wanted to stay home and be alone but knew I would feel more inspiration if I went out and worked somewhere public. 

So, instead of pushing myself to conform to my normal schedule I decided to create a new one for that week. 

I let myself sleep in. I took my mornings slowly, making sure I was eating a breakfast, even if it was something small. 

The weather was nice so I made sure I was spending time outside, walking to the coffeeshop or library to work, going on walks in the afternoon, getting a bit of physical movement each day. Even if this meant cutting my work day short I knew that getting outside when it was warm, and moving was going to do for me mentally and physically then forcing myself to stay inside and work. 

Each morning after I made my way to where I was going to work for a bit, I wrote out a to-do list, and focused on the things I had to actually get done for the day. Then if I got those tasks completed, and didn’t feel like working for the rest of the day I didn’t. 

There was one day that I was feeling very reflective, thoughtful and curious. And I used that to focus on some research I needed to do instead of pushing myself to do other projects I wasn’t drawn to. This was a way for me to still be productive, but also to listen to what I needed that day. 

I always find that my menstrual phase is a great time to reflect on how things went last month, what goals I want to focus on coming up. And it’s always a great idea to come up with ideas for content, projects or things I want to do. 

I know I’m very lucky in that I have control over my work days, but there are ways you can support your needs regardless of your lifestyle. 

One thing that always helps me is to cut back on how social I am during my period. Instead, I choose to focus on myself, have a little pamper "me" time, and plan meet-ups for the following week when I’ll be wanting to connect with others. 

Sleep is always a big thing for me. And while we can’t all sleep in, we can usually tweak our bedtime a little. Whether this is to squeeze in 30 more minutes or sleep or an hour more. I promise this always has such a positive effect for me. And make sure the quality of sleep you’re getting is adequate. If you’re tossing and turning it doesn’t matter how much time you spend in bed. You’re not going to be well rested. 

For me this meant taking a homeopathic sleep aid a few nights, and giving myself to wind down with a little meditative music to fall asleep to. I’m very guilty of technology right up until bed time. But I always notice it’s negative effect more during my period. Give yourself an hour or so before bed to disconnect. Maybe this can be when you get ready for bed, take a bath, read a book, meditate, whatever fits into your schedule. 

And whenever I focus on taking care of myself during those few days of my period I ways find that I come out of it with so much energy, motivation and spunk for life and work. So, while I feel that frustration during my period of “why can’t I just focus and be productive?!” I always remind myself to give myself those few days and all of that will return soon enough. 

This month that meant that the first of my period was pretty rough and I didn’t get much done, the second day was a bit better, but by the third day I was back at it and super productive. I just have to back off for a few days and the results are so worth it for me.

What are ways in which you listen to your body? How do you nurture yourself? What are some of the things you’ve noticed since you’ve taken more of an intuitive approach? 

Sorry Winter, I'm Ready For Spring

I can’t actually complain about winter. I’ve gotten a pretty big break with our trips so far this year. Those warm trips always make coming back to a cold Iowa a little more bearable. 

But what gets me itching for winter to be over more than anything is when we have a really nice day here. When it’s the end of February and nearly 70 degrees out. That’s when I find myself saying “This is what my soul needs!” 

You don’t realize how much the weather truly impacts you until you go from having to bundle up just so your skin doesn’t hurt, to being able to go for a walk in just a sweatshirt a week later. 

Blue skies, sunshine and warmth, that’s what I crave. 

Monday this week I felt pretty meh from the lack of sleep I had, and the start of my period complete with cramping. I posted on Instagram about this wave of melancholy I was feeling that day. 

The next day I woke up, fully rested, to blue skies and sunshine. Then to top it all off I found out that it was already above 50, headed towards 60 degrees that day. Sweet baby Jesus get me outside!

And it was amazing, the huge difference I felt between those two days. Granted the start of my period probably had quite a bit to do with Monday (it was nice out too). But I had such a pep in my step walking around during that 66-degree day. 

I felt energized, inspired and just really freaking happy. 

I will buy winter boots for next winter, I promise, but I just crave that sensation where you close your eyes and tilt your head towards the warmth of the sun.  And I swear I can feel it recharging my mental and physical batteries as I do it.  

I want to be able to throw open my windows, let in the fresh air and dance around my kitchen while making food. I want to go for walks, runs, bike rides and you know what, I really want to ride my longboard around again.

I want to set up my hammock in the park to read or journal. I want to walk outside in sandals and shorts and feel hot. I want to sweat.

I want to go outside during a warm summer rainstorm. I want to crack my windows open that night to fall asleep to that glorious sound of the rain outside.

I want to go down to visit my sister and go out on walks with her and my little nephew. (I’ve been getting snaps of her and him doing this since it’s been warm this week.) I want to sit out on her back porch with them. (She has a very peaceful house). I want to go down to my parent's house out in the woods and just sit in that silence of being out in nature away from the city.

Gah, there’s so much I want to do when it gets warm, and I really hope I remember this feeling, this desire for spring when spring finally comes. 

What’s your favorite season? What’s the one you find yourself looking forward to most? If you can’t tell mine is spring, but then again I’m a spring baby so maybe I’m biased. 

What I've Been Eating This Winter

I was scrolling through my Instagram the other day and I came across some of the refreshing smoothies, salads, and plates of fruit I had enjoyed in the warmer months. And while I dearly miss things like avocado and watermelon I'm still making it through the colder months just fine. 

And it got me thinking how my diet changes with the different seasons. So, today I wanted to share some of my current staple meals, regardless of how boring they might be, they are what's getting me full through the winter. 

Every now and then I like to share what I'm eating to show that you can be plant-based without having beautifully arranged acai bowls and that it doesn't have to be expensive or difficult

Oatmeal  — an easy, inexpensive breakfast that can be made without much thought. You can keep it simple with just some brown sugar, molasses or maple syrup, or you can doll it up with fruits, nuts, seeds, and countless other toppings. 

Potatoes — easy to pop two in the microwave or oven. You can pour some soup (chili or lentil) over the top of them, or you can top them with beans, hot peppers, pickled beets, sauerkraut and pickled cabbage. Potatoes is one of the things I always try to buy organic because they're on the dirty dozen list. 

Chickpea Sandwiches/toast — so easy, so filling and so customizable. I can just simple mash up some chickpeas with a few spices and sriracha or stack them to the nines with all the fixings like saurkraut, pickled beets and seeds. 

Soups — warmth is key in the winter. And whether it’s making a stew or chili from scratch, or picking up a couple cans of soup to have on hand for a quick meal, soup is an easy option. You can also add different toppings to them, eat them with potatoes or chips. And if you make a big batch from scratch it can last for quite a number of meals. Not to mention you can often make an amazing soup from leftover ingredients and vegetables in your fridge. 

Nachos — odd, I know but easy, filling and you can throw whatever you have on top of a pile of chips and it works as nachos. 

Pierogi — a little time consuming so I don’t make them more than like once a month, but they are so satisfying. I always put potato and onion in mine and then eat them with a little vegan sour cream, sriracha, and pickled beets. Drool.

Salads — a lot of my meals have been “heavy” and I guess that’s just something I crave in the winter. But I also have to balance it out with something lighter like a nice big salad. Sometimes I just want something fresh, and that’s when I go for a big salad. And there are literally so many options when it comes to salads. 

Fruit — the ultimate compliment to breakfast or any other meal to be honest. I always try to add in some fruit whether it's a snack or a side dish for the same reason I reach for salads because I’m craving something light and fresh. 

As you can see none of these are time-consuming or fancy (Pierogi maybe but they're just flour, onion and potato so therefore easy). I do try to spice things up by trying a new recipe every few weeks, but keeping things simple cut down on the time used up planning and cooking.

What are some of your staple dishes for the winter months? 

Different Types of Fertility Awareness Based Methods

I wanted to write this today because I think there is a big misconception when people hear about charting or Fertility Awareness. There’s this assumption that it all means the same thing, when in fact there are quite a few methods within the umbrella of FAM. 

Today I’m going to share 8 different methods, as shown in Taking Charge of Your Fertility, the fertility signs used within that method as well as the effectiveness. All of this will hopefully show you that there are a lot of options (good and bad) within Fertility Awareness based methods. And you can see why lumping all of these together as FAM will give you inaccurate results for “effectiveness”. 

Sympto-Thermal Method (STM) FAM/NFP

Fertility Signs Used: Cervical fluid and waking temperature (option to chart cervical position as well). 

Effectiveness: This is considered the most comprehensive and reliable method because the two signs must corroborate each other before you’re considered safe (it’s the method taught in TCOYF and what I teach in Chart Your Cycle). It’s on par with the effectiveness of the Pill.

A method where two of three signs are observed, in addition to optional secondary signs.

BBT Method (Basal Body Temperature)

Fertility Signs Used: Waking Temperature

Effectiveness: very effective but only after ovulation

The days before ovulation aren’t safe for unprotected sex because the rise in temp only indicates you’re safe after ovulation. But it is an option for those that can’t rely on their cervical fluid patterns. 

Justisse Method

Fertility Signs Used: Cervical fluid (option of waking temp or cervical position)

Effectiveness: just like with Creighton and Billings (below) it’s effective because it uses fluid, but unlike those other two you have the option to chart your waking temp and cervical position which can make it as effective as the sympto-thermal method.

It’s similar to Creighton model since it uses almost the same descriptions of fluid. It also provides holistic health-care support to women having different types of hormonal problems. 

Creighton Model System (CrMS)

Fertility Signs Used: Cervical fluid

Effectiveness: quite effective like Billings because cervical fluid is most important sign to observe when charting to avoid pregnancy, but you don’t get temp shift to confirm ovulation. 

It’s also called fertility care system. It’s similar to billings but uses extremely precise and standardized description of fluid.

Billings Ovulation Method

Fertility Signs Used: Cervical fluid

Effectiveness: quite effective because fluid is most important sign to check when avoiding pregnancy naturally, but you don’t have the added benefit of a temp shift to confirm ovulation so it’s not as effective as STM.

The classic and first method in which only fluid is observed.

Two-Day Method

Fertility Signs Used: Cervical fluid

Effectiveness: You don’t have the benefit of temp shift to confirm ovulation since rules aren’t as strict as other methods that observe fluid it may not be as effective

It’s a simplified version of Billings Ovulation Method. It asks whether you observed a secretion the day before or that day. If it’s yes to either you’re considered fertile. It doesn’t differentiate between types of fluid so it’s easy to apply. 

Cycle Beads

Fertility Signs Used: None

Effectiveness: same as Standard Days Method (below)

Cycle beads are simple braclet of beads that can be used with the Standard Days Method. But it’s easy to get confused with what day you're on because there are no dates on the beads. Because of this, an actual calendar would be more effective to use with Standard Days. 

Standard Days Method

Fertility Signs Used: None

Effectiveness: It can be effective for those with consistent cycle lengths, but like the Rhythm Method (below) it doesn’t involve charting fertility signs day to day so it doesn’t account for an abnormal ovulation. It’s only recommended for women who are spacing their kids or would be OK with surprise pregnancy. 

It’s similar to the rhythm method and couples avoid unprotected sex during presumed fertile phases of days 8-19 if she has consistent cycles between 26-32 days.

Rhythm Method

Fertility Signs Used: None

Effectiveness: It’s unreliable because it doesn’t involve observing any fertility signs day to day, so it doesn’t take into account an abnormal ovulation. 

It’s an out of date method that uses past cycle lengths to predict future fertile phases. Not recommended. 

I hope you can see from this that there is an array of options for charting. And that methods like the Rhythm Method is very different from the Sympto-Thermal Method. 

What’s your preferred method?