The priority for your body is your personal survival, and most of your body’s processes are designed precisely for that, such as your digestion and immune system. The female cycle actually doesn’t belong to this. Your menstrual cycle’s goal is not to ensure your personal survival, but – if you look closely – the survival of all humanity.

Naturally, your body always prioritizes its own survival, and only if there are enough resources left over will it also focus on a balanced hormone level and symptom-free cycles. So, as soon as your body’s resources become scarce due to deficiencies, illness, or stress, your female cycle is the first to suffer, as this process is simply less important for your body.

An inadequately supported and deprioritized female cycle falls into hormonal imbalance, leading to cycle discomfort. Simple things like consuming less sugar, good sleep habits, and stress reduction are certainly a good start, but we at Dr. Dünner want to look at women’s health holistically. What could be the reason your body doesn’t have enough strength to take care of the female cycle?

Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining, which was built up throughout the cycle and is no longer needed because no fertilized egg will implant during this cycle. Biologically speaking, bleeding is the end of a menstrual cycle, even if in all types of cycle tracking (NFP, cycle apps, or cycle wheel), the period marks the first days of a new cycle.

Whether you experience menstrual discomfort or not is influenced, among other things, by the thickness and structure of the uterine lining to be shed, and how relaxed the uterus was before menstruation. All of this is determined, for example, by the levels of estrogen, progesterone, and stress hormones in the weeks BEFORE menstruation.

All cycle phases build on each other and are dependent on the previous cycle phase. So, if your cycle is influenced by your lifestyle every day of the month, but you mainly feel discomfort during your period – then period pain and PMS are the result of everything your cycle experienced in the weeks prior.

A relaxed period, on the other hand, would be the result of a healthy preceding cycle. Therefore, for a healthy period, the needs of a healthy cycle must be considered from cycle day 1. That’s why we at Dr. Dünner find cycle observation with a simple cycle wheel simply wonderful. This way, you can see if illness, stress, irregular eating, or your sleep might be the trigger for period pain and PMS.