Ovulatory phase: During this second phase of the monthly cycle, you see a sharp, but brief increase in follicle stimulating hormone and even sharper [still brief] increase in luteinizing hormone. Luteinizing hormone stimulates one of the many egg follicles that were maturing to swell further and burst, releasing an egg into one of the fallopian tubes. That egg, then, travels to the uterus. Your estrogen and progesterone levels continue to gradually rise which encourages the lining of the uterus to thicken in preparation for a fertilized egg later on. Testosterone levels also surge and then drops right around ovulation.
How you might feel: You may feel pain with the release of the egg as well as as surge of energy or a sense of depletion, along with cravings or a headache. This is largely due to the higher estrogen and
progesterone levels. Some women also experience a sudden onset of anxiety symptoms during this time.
Self-care: Most often you will feel the most energetic of your entire monthly cycle during this time, so this is a great time to do that HIIT or group workout or finish that Fall cleaning project you started a month ago. You'll also find that it's a little easier for you to have meaningful, important conversations right now, so this is a good time to have conversations for which your communication and listening skills are likely to be at their best. You have more estrogen floating around so one priority when it comes to food should be to make sure you're loading up on veggies [fiber] and fruit [antioxidants] to make sure your elimination system is working well to help clear out that estrogen quickly. They will also help keep estrogen-driven symptoms, such as acne and bloating, at bay. Think green leafy veggies, cruciferous veggies, berries, and almonds.
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