So what’s going on in your body right now?

During this phase, your ovaries are growing follicles that will eventually mature into an egg - which will be released during ovulation. 

The hormones involved in maturing your eggs are pretty incredible. From your brain, your pituitary gland releases Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) which tells the follicle to grow. As the follicle matures it will start to produce oestrogen as it gets bigger - peaking just before ovulation. Oestrogen is kind of like the Beyoncé of the hormone world - which is why many people find that they feel their best during their follicular phase! 

Oestrogen brings with it a whole lot of confidence and energy as well as an uptick in serotonin! You might find yourself feeling super sociable and eager to try new things - and generally quite happy to go with the flow. 

At a primal level, our follicular phase is when we would be out there looking to attract a mate, ready for our fertile window to hit! Whether you’re single or in a relationship, you might notice that you feel a bit more flirtatious than usual...

Movement 

With increased energy levels, your Spring phase is a great time to get active and try new things! Now is a good opportunity to sign up for that HIIT class you’ve been thinking of joining or combine exercise with socialising by going hiking with friends.  

But be careful… Studies have shown that muscle and tendon injuries occur almost twice as often in the late follicular phase (around day 7 to day 15) compared to the early follicular or luteal phase, probably because oestrogen can make our tendons more lax.    

Nutrition 

Things can feel pretty great in your follicular phase, but how you nurture your body now can have a massive impact on your symptoms in the latter half of your cycle and during your period. 

Excessive oestrogen is one of the triggers for symptoms like period pain and PMS. When oestrogen levels are peaking during our follicular phase, it’s important that we fuel up on phytoestrogens  - foods that can help reduce the effectiveness of the hormone. Foods rich in phytoestrogen s include flax seeds, tofu, sesame seeds and dried fruits. 

Magnesium can also help to metabolise oestrogen   - and our levels of magnesium tend to be their lowest during our follicular phase. Stock up on magensium-rich foods like dark leafy greens and beans - and grab a great supplement to help boost your levels! 

Generally speaking, people find that their mental wellbeing is pretty good during their follicular phase and the urge to socialise can sometimes mean we start burning the candle at both ends. Remember that burn-out may catch up with you later in your cycle - so don’t forget to make time for rest amongst the fun.  

You might find that you are bursting with ideas during this time - so make the most of this and get creative! Vision boarding is a great way to capture all of that optimistic energy and start looking ahead to the future.