The good news is that establishing a firm foundation of nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management as well as managing your toxic load by using natural products will help to keep your hormones balanced. That said, this hormonal balance doesn’t happen overnight; we need something during those moments to help us wade through the swamp, which is precisely where self-care supported by essential oils can be our rope to pull us out. Every 28 days or so, your body completes an amazing process of preparing a home for a baby. It grows a soft bed in your uterus in preparation for a fertilized egg, but if the magic doesn’t happen, then that lining is shed and—voila! Your period arrives. Day one of your cycle is the day you begin bleeding, and we begin counting from there until your next cycle. The halfway point is generally day 14 or 15, and the last day of your period is usually day 28 (although a normal cycle can be a few days longer or shorter than this). What many of us don’t realize is that there are different phases in this 28-day whirlwind, and by understanding how these phases work, we can effectively support our bodies with essential oils to get through the diciest parts. Know that every woman’s cycle is different, so knowing your body and listening to the signals that it sends you is your ticket to providing the proper support. The phases I’m describing are generalizations, so don’t be alarmed if you don’t fit right into this mold. Peppermint3 and wintergreen are also great options to provide a cooling, tingling massage that penetrates into the cramps and eases discomfort, as well as easing any nausea or bloating. To combat that fatigue and brain fog while sharpening memory4, try my favorite Instant Energy Focus Blend of one drop wild orange essential oil, one drop rosemary essential oil, and one drop peppermint essential oil. Drop them right on a scarf or leather bracelet, and inhale deeply, taking big belly breaths regularly throughout the day, or double the recipe and add them to a diffuser. Supporting your body becomes a lot easier at this phase, but that doesn’t mean that you can throw self-care out the window. Keeping your body properly fueled and exercised is just as important now, since your rising hormonal levels can handle the added activity. Even though you can handle more stress, that doesn’t mean you should overdo it, so keep diffusing or applying lavender or bergamot to your wrists and behind your ears to manage your calm and reduce anxiety in your busy day. Lavender alone can be applied to your feet and diffused at night to support a restful night’s sleep. However, too much lavender can increase estrogen, so less is more here. Sexy time becomes a priority for your body, so you may feel your libido kick into overdrive at this point. Get out there with your confident self and get your body in the mood with some sensual essential oils, like sandalwood, jasmine, cinnamon, or neroli. Add a few drops to a tablespoon of carrier oil, like fractionated coconut oil, or create your own aphrodisiacal blend. Self-care becomes paramount during this phase, as your body needs a lot of TLC in order to recover from the natural hormonal shifts. Opt for yoga or pilates in place of hard-core workouts, and prep some time for self-care. Get your diffuser ready and prepare an Epsom salt bath to give your body a magnesium boost. Add some key essential oils for calm and soothing power: lavender, Roman chamomile5, and clary sage. Add two drops of each to your bathwater and swirl. Relax for 20 minutes, but be sure to hydrate afterward. This trio provides relief from pent-up stress and also alleviates muscle spasms and supports menstruation. You also want to make sleep a priority during this phase, supporting a good night’s rest with a solid nighttime routine, minimizing electronics and activity while diffusing two drops each of clary sage, cedarwood, and bergamot essential oil. Incorporating these rituals into your monthly routine can help you soothe the many hormone transitions we experience each month. And luckily, essential oils are simple, inexpensive, and easy to use, which makes them the ultimate self-care tool.
