Our Monthly Cycle, Part 3: How Ovulation Works & Why it’s Important to Understand (even if you aren’t trying to get pregnant)
A few years ago I was reading Woman - An Intimate Geography and learned that at 20 weeks in utero we have all of the eggs we will ever have. Meaning, when my mom was 20 weeks inside of her mother my teeny tiny egg existed (!!!). To me, this meant, “Holy shit I lived a part of my grandma's life and my mother’s entire life (up until she had me). Now, I get “lived” is a stretch here, but it still amazes me. This was the moment I grasped the idea of intergenerational trauma and got the whole matryoshka doll concept.
We are all connected.
But, what does that have to do with ovulation? Well, as I was realizing this and learning more about my biology I started to really feel the truth that every month I was “losing eggs” and only had so many. AND, more importantly to this topic, I started to learn that ovulation is essential to our health and our cycle.
As a quick review, we are on part 3 of the blog series ‘Our Monthly Cycle’. So far we’ve covered: an overview, the follicular phase, and now, the ovulatory phase.
There are four phases in the monthly cycle:
Menstrual Phase - 3-7 days. Releasing, letting go, turning inward.
Follicular Phase - 7-10 days after you stop bleeding. Likely when you’re open to new things.
-> Ovulation - 3-4 days. Fertile, receptive, when hormone levels peak.
Luteal Phase - 10-14 days - During the first week of this phase you will have more energy then in the second half you’ll likely want to shift toward taking more care of yourself to prepare for the menstrual phase.
In this blog post we’re covering:
Let’s pick up where we left off, shall we?
After 7-10 days in the follicular phase, we shift into the ovulatory phase. Yes, we must ovulate every month whether we intend on getting pregnant or not - it is a sign of good health. Ovulation is how we hormonally progress through our cycle AND it is possible to “have a period” without ovulating.
As we approach and experience ovulation, estrogen starts to rise, followed by the rise in Luteinizing hormone (LH) which triggers one lucky follicle to release an egg into the fallopian tube (this follicle will continue doing stuff in the ovary as the cycle progresses - more on that later). The egg makes its way down to the uterus where thanks to rising estrogen levels the uterine lining is lush and ready (if insemination occurs). There is also a sharp surge and rapid decline in testosterone at this time. This means the ovulatory phase is a time of feeling social and communicative (receptive and open). The verbal and social centers of our brains are being stimulated by these hormones. Meaning, surging estrogen increases synaptic connections boosting mental sharpness, creativity, and communication skills. The testosterone surge is also why you may feel more sexual at this time because it’s when you are most likely to get pregnant (biologically).
Ovulation is a good time to do intense workouts and more social setting workouts because estrogen and testosterone are high. You have more energy to burn and you are likely feeling more social right now.
Remember, PMS symptoms arise when there is an imbalance in estrogen and progesterone in the luteal phase (the phase after ovulation). When hormones are imbalanced you may experience acne and bloating.
Foods that Support this Phase:
During the ovulatory phase, it is good to add in foods that help our bodies balance out the spike in estrogen. As estrogen peaks, fresh raw vegetables aid in metabolizing the hormone to prevent an excess build-up and to avoid estrogen dominance. Your temperature has risen slightly so you may feel more inclined to eat cool raw foods.
As you approach ovulation (7-10 days after your period ends) make a Super Food Salad to eat on for the next few days. I like to combine: kale, lentils, shredded brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, almonds, fresh ground flax seeds, quinoa, bell peppers, berries, pumpkin seeds, and a little extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic and lemon juice.
What might interfere with ovulation?
To name a few:
Chronically high levels of stress can disrupt ovulation and decrease progesterone levels. This means low/little sex drive and potential problems with fertility down the road. Chronic stress can also cause your period to be late or missed altogether.
Did you know that blue light diminishes the pineal glands ability to make melatonin? This also disrupts ovulation and decreases fertility.
Hormonal birth control
If you are taking hormonal birth control you are not ovulating! Pill bleeds are not periods. And, without ovulation, you cannot make progesterone (which is needed for a healthy cycle and ultimately overall health). If you don’t ovulate that means your hormones didn’t do their usual thing and you had more of a breakthrough bleed (not a physiological period). The absence of physiological periods can lead to loss of bone density (more in the menstrual blog post in two weeks).
The steady levels of synthetic hormones that you get from taking the pill interfere with the natural cycle midway through (when a surge of estrogen signals the release of an egg - AKA no ovulation). You might be thinking “great, I don’t want to get pregnant!”, but this can actually be very problematic over time. Without the natural rise and fall of estrogen and progesterone, you basically get stuck in a non-cycle, non-phase rut. Estrogen levels are being suppressed and you're getting a very low dose of progesterone that doesn't provide enough stimulation to the brain to fully “mimic” the luteal phase (the next phase in the cycle).
With that, I want to make it very clear: I strongly believe everyone should have access to birth control and have 100% autonomy over their bodies and health choices.
AND, the pill isn’t the only option for preventing pregnancy. Synthetic birth control can affect your brain, immune system, metabolism, microbiome, and stress response. Other methods of preventing pregnancy include Fertility Awareness Method, Male Condoms, Female Condoms, Diaphragm, Cervical cap, Pull-Out Method, Copper IUD, and I’m sure I’m missing a few here but you get the point.
How do I know when I’m ovulating?!
-> Take your waking temperature (basal body temperature)
First thing in the morning at rest (before getting up or drinking anything) take your temperature with a thermometer that reads past the decimal point under your tongue. After ovulation, your temperature will increase slightly.
Temperature before ovulation 97.0F-97.7F
Temperature after ovulation + 0.5F
-> Observe cervical fluid / fertile mucus
In the days leading up to ovulation, you might notice a “raw egg white”-like discharge (this is fertile mucus). It will be clear, stretchy, and slippery. *however, be careful interpreting this fluid/mucus -- you will also see this anytime estrogen levels are high compared to progesterone.
-> The position and feel of your cervix
Your cervix is the bottom part of your uterus. Just before ovulation, your cervix will be higher and softer. Normally/When not ovulating your cervix will be lower and more firm (about 1 finger length into your vagina).
Overall, tracking all of these signs and narrowing in on when you ovulate will help you better predict exactly when your period will start (which I think is really cool) and empower you to know your body and start cultivating a stronger relationship with your cycle (instead of being annoyed or frustrated).
Below you will find an Ovulatory Phase Cheatsheet PDF and a tracking sheet to help you observe and track when you might be ovulating.
As always, remember that the phases of your cycle are not concrete and many things (stress, environment, etc) can affect or throw off your cycle. It’s okay. Every month is a new cycle and every day is a new opportunity to tune in and get to know what’s going on with yourself. Symptoms are signs -- don’t ignore them. Take the information you’re being given every day and determine the best plan of action (or non-action) for YOU. You can do this. Just start observing and noticing, the rest will come naturally with time.