We are super proud to introduce you to
Renate Schellekens from Mowgli’s Medicine!

Through her research and work, Renate helps other women get their hormonal health and periodic cycle back in sync ♡

She is a dear friend of our shining star & female founder Ingy, and she’ll be writing a series of monthly articles in collaboration with the Amazingy Mag – starting with this one.

Introduction:
Beyond those monthly bleeds 

At 34, I finally understand the full complexity of my menstrual cycle. It’s more than just “I bleed every month” or “I don’t bleed when on the pill, which is convenient, right?” This realization isn’t unique; many women remain uninformed about the nuances of their bodies until they face hormonal imbalances that disrupt not only their personal health but also their relationships, fertility, work performance, moods, and sex life.

The basics of the menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle is a complex teamwork of hormones, not just a monthly inconvenience. It’s divided into phases: menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. Each phase plays a critical role in reproductive health, and understanding these phases can help decode your body’s signals and improve your overall well-being.

Hormonal dynamics explained 

Estrogen and progesterone, the main hormones involved, fluctuate throughout your cycle, influencing everything from your mood to your metabolisme. During the follicular phase, estrogen rises, leading up to ovulation, while progesterone peaks after ovulation during the luteal phase, preparing the uterus for a potential pregnancy. And trust me, even if you don’t want to have kids, you want those hormonal fluctuations going down gently.

nevernot – Soft-Tampons 2.0

Common misconceptions and personal insights

The pain and discomfort many women accept as ‘normal’, like severe menstrual cramps, PMS, bloathing or moodswings are often signs that something is off. But with even more severe conditions like PCOS and endometriosis on the rise, popping painkillers and the advice to just go back on birth control still seem to be doctor’s favorite medical solutions. I’ve learned that going for a holistic approach rather than reaching for painkillers can lead to significant improvements. Hormonal imbalances, often worsen by “solutions” like birth control, need more nuanced interventions than this.

The impact of lifestyle choices

Daily habits play a significant role in menstrual health. Stress, lack of sleep, and poor diet stand equal to hormonal imbalances. Integrating a diet rich in nutrients and that will keep your blood sugar levels steady, together with stress reduction techniques, like yoga and/ or breathing techniques, will absolutely affect menstrual and overall health.

Breaking the normalization

Many women are only begin to learn about their bodies when symptoms can no longer be ignored. (Oh, how I’ve been there). This lack of preparedness and the normalization of suffering symptoms like acne, PMS, weight gain or the night sweats during menopause, continues the cycle of misinformation and mistreatment. It’s time for a change.

einhorn – Papperlacup Menstrual Cup

Personal reflection:
A teenage perspective 

Reflecting on my teenage years, when puberty hit me, no one prepared me for those teenage challenges. Pimples, mood swings, and the non-stop pressure to feel attractive were overwhelming. Back then, linking these experiences to my cycle was impossible because I simply didn’t have the knowledge. And like many, I started birth control early, also lured by the promise of carefree intimacy, but not understanding one bit of the long-term impacts on my body. It was right there and then where it all started. At that age, when I first encountered my hormones and immediately suppressed my entire cycle by using the pill. I didn’t give my body the time to cope with it or to discover who I am without the pill. Because let me tell you, this affects your very being. It wasn’t just a matter of managing symptoms or preventing pregnancy; it was about fundamentally altering how I felt, thought, and even how I interacted with the world around me. Looking back, I realize that my emotional and physical experiences were heavily influenced by synthetic hormones. And that was only the beginning.

Conclusion:
Empowerment through knowledge 

Understanding your menstrual cycle is an act of empowerment. It’s not about dealing with pain or masking symptoms, but about nurturing and listening to your body. It’s about you being in control and knowing what is up. With this series, we aim to unravel the female cycle, offering insights into how natural adjustments in lifestyle and awareness can promote health and feeling on top of your game. By challenging the norms and standing up for a proactive approach to menstrual health, we can empower more women to take charge of their well-being, ditch the bullshit and go from feeling “only alright” to feel on-fucking-fire.

(Cover Photo by Cliff Booth)