Alex: Hey everyone, welcome to the show! I want to throw a question out there: Ever feel like your energy, focus, or even your mood is just…all over the place, month after month? What if I told you it's not random? What if it's actually tied to a deeper biological rhythm that most of us haven't even been taught to understand, let alone work with? Michelle: Alright, you have my attention. Are we talking about some kind of secret superpower we didn't know we had? A hidden “on” switch? Alex: Sort of! It's called the Cycle Syncing Method™, and it's all about understanding and leveraging the four different phases of the menstrual cycle. This episode is going to explore how working with these phases—instead of constantly fighting against them—can really help women improve their health, become more productive, and just feel more fulfilled overall. Michelle: Okay, ambitious. So, we're not just talking about basic health tips here; it's something more profound? Alex: Definitely. It’s about changing how we view women's biology. Instead of seeing it as a nuisance or something secondary, it’s about recognizing these natural rhythms as a real source of strength. Today, we're going to dive into the science behind these hormonal cycles, look at practical ways to sync your diet, your workouts, even your work schedule with your cycle. And then, we'll zoom out a bit to consider the broader cultural implications of this approach. Michelle: Wait, so we're talking about starting at the hormone level and then scaling all the way up to how this impacts…society itself? How it functions? Alex: Precisely! Whether you're fascinated by the science of it all, or you're just ready to challenge the whole "one-size-fits-all" approach to daily life, there’s something in this conversation for you. So, let’s get started!

Alex: Okay, Michelle, let's dive in. The Cycle Syncing Method™ really centers around something called the infradian rhythm. Now, unlike the circadian rhythm—that 24-hour clock that basically runs our world—the infradian rhythm is about 28 days long and is unique to women of reproductive age. It doesn't just affect the menstrual cycle; it impacts everything from metabolism to how we think and feel. Michelle: Right, so this infradian rhythm is like... a biological operating system most of society just ignores? And we're all expected to run on this 24-hour circadian clock instead? Alex: Precisely! Think of it this way: society's built for the male 24-hour cycle because testosterone, primarily, rises and falls daily in a predictable pattern. But women? We've got hormonal shifts happening across four phases: follicular, ovulatory, luteal, and menstrual. It's a completely different ballgame. Michelle: But can't women just... adapt? Isn't the whole “work hard, play hard” lifestyle gender-neutral? Alex: Well, that's the heart of the problem, isn't it? Women can try to fit in, but at what cost? Imagine trying to exert the same amount of energy every single day, no matter where you are in your cycle. It creates a real disconnect. In high-energy phases like follicular or ovulatory, it's manageable. But during the luteal phase, when energy naturally dips, or the menstrual phase, when the body's focused on repair, trying to “push through” just leads to burnout and stress. Michelle: So, this whole “one-size-fits-all” approach not only ignores women's biology—it's actively harmful? Alex: Exactly! The book emphasizes that understanding your infradian rhythm and shifting to cyclical productivity is transformational. It means working with your body instead of fighting it. Michelle: Okay, walk me through these phases. One month, four phases – how does it all break down? Alex: So, it starts with the follicular phase. Think of this as the spring of your cycle, right after your period. Estrogen starts rising, prepping your body for ovulation. Women often feel energized, creative, and optimistic during this phase. Perfect for brainstorming or starting new projects. Michelle: Sounds like a good time to plan world domination – or at least tackle that project you've been putting off. What comes next? Alex: Next up is the ovulatory phase, around day 14, when estrogen peaks and testosterone gives you a boost. This phase is short but intense. Women become more social, confident, and better at communicating. Great for public speaking, networking, or negotiating. Studies show communication skills peak during ovulation. Michelle: So, “Ovulation Woman: Master Negotiator.” But seriously, Alex, do you really feel these changes, or is this just a theory? Alex: Oh, you can absolutely feel it. Many women who cycle sync report feeling their most magnetic and persuasive during this time. It's why the book suggests scheduling important presentations, collaborations, or even first dates during this phase. Michelle: Okay, I'll admit, that's fascinating and a little intimidating. But I bet the peak doesn't last forever, right? What happens post-super-social-ovulation? Alex: Then comes the luteal phase, like the autumn of your cycle. Progesterone takes over, focusing the body on preparing for pregnancy. Energy dips, and many women experience mood changes, fatigue, or cravings. It's a time to slow down, focus on details, and practice self-care. Michelle: Let me guess – this is where society's “grind” mentality clashes with biology? Alex: Exactly! Instead of acknowledging the need for rest and maybe opting for less intense workouts or more reflective tasks, women are pushed to stay at 100%, which can be draining. The Cycle Syncing Method™ encourages reframing this phase as a time for precision work and self-care, not just forcing productivity. Michelle: Okay, so then, wrapping things up, we have winter, right? The menstrual phase? Alex: Correct! This is when estrogen and progesterone plummet. The body's focused on regeneration, and physical and mental energy is usually at its lowest. But there's a silver lining! Emotionally, women often feel heightened clarity and intuition during this phase. It's a great time for reflection, assessment, and planning. Michelle: Wait a minute. People feel intuitive clarity while dealing with cramps and low energy? That sounds backwards. Alex: It might seem that way, but some women find that journaling or making big decisions during this phase leads to their sharpest insights because they're less influenced by external pressures. One entrepreneur described her menstrual phase as her “secret weapon,” using that clarity to refine her business strategy, for example. Michelle: I have to say, that's pretty different from how we usually view periods. Usually, it's more like “take some painkillers and hope nobody notices.” Alex: And that's what this book aims to change. When women understand these phases, they stop seeing their cycle as a burden and start leveraging it as a source of strength and a framework for their lives. Michelle: All right, so here's the real question: What about real life? Jobs, kids, responsibilities—they don't just stop because someone's in their luteal or menstrual phase. Alex: That's a fair point, and that's where the practical side of cycle syncing comes in. It's not about avoiding responsibilities, but about reshaping how you approach them. For example, Anna—one of the examples in the book—learned to schedule high-energy tasks like team brainstorms during her follicular and ovulatory phases, saving the luteal and menstrual phases for administrative work or planning. Even if life can't fully adapt, small changes make a big difference. Michelle: So, you're saying this isn't about achieving perfection—it's about aligning where you can and letting that synergy build outwards? Alex: Absolutely! It's a guide, not a set of rigid rules. And it's not just about personal health—it's about changing how society views productivity. Women's cycles aren't weaknesses; they're advantages when respected and harnessed.

Alex: Okay, so we've laid the groundwork. Now, let's talk about how to actually use this stuff. The Cycle Syncing Method™ isn't just some abstract idea; it's a toolkit for navigating everyday life. Think about tweaking your diet, workouts, even how you handle work and relationships, all in sync with your cycle. It's about leveraging those hormonal shifts, you know? So, it's a holistic approach. Michelle, ready to get into the nitty-gritty? Michelle: Absolutely. Gotta see if this holds up beyond the theory. Let's start with the obvious: Food. How exactly should eating change throughout the month? Alex: Right. With cyclical eating, you're basically adjusting what you eat to match what your body needs in each phase. This can also helps reduce any symptoms like fatigue or mood swings. So, in the follicular phase, which is kinda like your body's springtime, you want fresh, light foods—things packed with antioxidants and fiber. Think leafy greens, berries—to help with energy and, you know, detox. Michelle: Got it. So, less about counting calories and more about picking ingredients that play nice with your hormones. Give me a concrete example. Alex: Okay, so there was Samantha, right? She had awful cravings and mood swings in the week before her period. She started adding complex carbs like sweet potatoes and magnesium-rich foods - like spinach, and yes, even dark chocolate. Within, like, three months, those cravings and mood swings were way less intense. And she actually felt more focused and productive at work, even during what used to be her slump days! Michelle: Dark chocolate for magnesium, huh? Wish I'd known that years ago. But seriously, how sustainable is this? Do you need to do a complete pantry overhaul every week? Alex: Not at all! It's not about constantly changing everything, more about making subtle tweaks. So, during the ovulation phase, you might include something cooling like a spinach and beet smoothie. Then, in the luteal phase, you can add something comforting, like a spiced sweet potato stew. It's not complicated its simply just paying attention to your body. Michelle: Okay, I'm buying it. Food adapts to the phases. Workouts, then? That seems trickier, as you alluded to earlier—most people aren't switching up their fitness routine every few days. Alex: Yeah, fitness is one area where syncing feels a bit counterintuitive, because there is so much societal pressure to just push yourself. But the Cycle Syncing Method™ actually flips that around by matching workout intensity to your energy levels. For instance, Jessica—a fitness enthusiast—was burning herself out by doing HIIT workouts during her luteal phase. When she switched to yoga, and walking, she noticed gains in strength and endurance. So, she was getting better results by doing less, but at the right times. Michelle: Wow, getting fitter by scaling back. I'm guessing this ties into the follicular phase energy boost? Alex: Exactly. During the follicular phase, estrogen is on the rise, so it's a great time for high-stamina workouts like running or strength training. The ovulation phase? That's peak intensity—think HIIT or kickboxing. But then, in the luteal phase, you ease into moderate exercises like Pilates. And during your menstrual phase, your body needs recovery, so gentle stretching or yoga are ideal. Michelle: So, less about going all-out every session and more about pacing yourself like it's a marathon. Sounds healthier, but does it feel like you're sacrificing progress during the lower-energy phases? Alex: Not at all. Recovery during the luteal and menstrual phases actually helps your muscles and nervous system to recover. Studies show this leads to better performance. It's not just physical strength, but mental, which embraces the natural ebbs and flows of your body. Michelle: Alright, workouts sorted. Let's up the ante: work. Productivity relies on consistency, right? Not hormones? Alex: Sure, for some systems that's true. However, menstrual cycles cause mental peaks and valleys, aligning tasks to those phases can improve your ability to work. Take the freelancer - Maria, from the book. She would divide her monthly workflow by phase, right? Brainstorming during follicular, client meetings during ovulation, editing in luteal, and strategic reflection in menstruation. Ultimately, she realized that she was more effectively reaching her deadlines. Michelle: Hold on. So, she's planning business decisions around her hormones. Realistically, how does someone in a corporate job even manage this? Your boss isn't going to reschedule a board meeting because you're in your luteal phase. Alex: Okay, true, but even small changes can help. Tackling creative tasks during the follicular phase - when you're naturally optimistic because of higher estrogen levels - can produce better results. Then, in the luteal phase, prioritizing detailed work over brainstorming might make you more effective. Michelle: That's a solid point. Okay, a final question. Relationships. Productivity is great, but how does understanding these cycles improve, let's say, how couples communicate? Alex: Hormonal shifts can affect emotions, so understanding them can transform relationships. For example, Megan argued a lot with her partner during her luteal phase. Once she explained the whole cycle thing, he was more empathetic. They started scheduling calmer nights during that phase and date nights during ovulation, when she felt more social and energetic. Small changes led to a stronger connection. Michelle: So partners play a role in this, too. How does someone even start that conversation? Alex: Open communication is the best solution. Maybe using an app to show them on that same page. By giving your partner a phase-by-phase map - "Here's what's happening to me," but also, "Here's how you can support me" - you deepen trust, reduce arguments, and even improve intimacy. Michelle: Okay, I see the logic—no more guessing about emotional shifts, right? But to push back a bit, isn't there a risk of over-attributing personality or behavior to hormones? Alex: That's a fair point. It's not about blaming hormones for everything, but the goal is to give you insights. This helps women to be self-aware of any patterns, and it's also a tool for empathy. Michelle: Ultimately, it sounds like this approach fosters both self-awareness and empathy—whether it's about how you eat, move, work, or connect. Alex: Exactly, right? The beauty of the Cycle Syncing Method™ is that it doesn't only optimize health and productivity, it reframes cyclical living as a strength. By working with our natural rhythms, women unlock more balance and joy everyday while also inviting others to gain an understanding as well.

Alex: Beyond individual applications, the Cycle Syncing Method™ “really” opens up a much bigger conversation—about how society understands and values women’s biology. It's about systemic change, feminist advocacy, and how breaking free from those male-centric productivity models can transform not just individual lives, but also workplaces, healthcare, and education. Michelle: Wow, Alex, that's a pretty big claim. Are you saying this one method can potentially disrupt centuries of societal norms? Alex: Absolutely, because, you know, at its core, society has “really” marginalized women’s hormonal rhythms for generations. From excluding women from clinical trials to creating work systems that prioritize a daily rhythm over a monthly one – systemic inequality has been built right into the structure of modern life. This book “really” shines a light on those issues and offers solutions grounded in both science and advocacy. Michelle: Clinical trials, huh? Okay, I'm intrigued. Tell me more. What's the deal there? Alex: Well, up until the 1990s, women were systematically excluded from most clinical research, because their hormonal cycles were seen as, quote, "too complicated" to account for. Researchers just focused on male physiology, assuming it was more stable. But this bias left entire generations of women misdiagnosed or mistreated, because their healthcare was based on studies that didn't even reflect their biology. Michelle: So, wait a minute. Medical science basically decided to just ignore half the population because it was "too hard?" That sounds less like science and more like a massive oversight, don't you think? Alex: It is, actually. A classic example is Karen, a woman whose story is highlighted in the book. She spent years suffering from endometriosis, a condition where uterine tissue grows abnormally outside the uterus, causing extreme pain. Doctors repeatedly dismissed her pain as just "bad periods." She wasn’t given a proper diagnosis or treatment plan until she started cycle tracking and could vividly outline her symptoms in relation to her phases. Her story “really” exposes how cultural biases around women's health have normalized suffering instead of seeking actual solutions. Michelle: That's infuriating, right? So Karen had to do the system's job for it... just to get basic care. And I'm guessing that's not an isolated incident? Alex: Sadly, it's far from unique. These experiences are rooted in the historical understanding of women’s biology as inconvenient or unreliable. But what’s truly revolutionary about understanding the infradian rhythm is how it flips that narrative. It reframes hormonal cycles not as liabilities, but as insights—tools for understanding how women’s bodies actually navigate change and what those shifts can actually achieve. Michelle: So, shifting to a cyclical framework isn't just about managing symptoms, but it's about rewriting the whole story, right? But how does that actually scale? What does this look like beyond individual advocacy? Alex: It starts with education. Imagine if girls were taught about the infradian rhythm in school – not as something shameful or abstract, but as a part of their identity to respect and integrate into their lives. There’s a story in the book about a teacher named Robin. She integrated menstrual cycle education into her health class, teaching students not only what each phase does biologically, but how it affects energy, focus, and mood. The result? Students felt more self-assured and less anxious about their cycles. Some even reported that aligning their study habits with their phases actually improved their academic performance. Michelle: That's a whole new level of study hack – "ditch the all-nighter, plan around your luteal phase." I mean, it makes sense. Most schools barely go beyond the basics, assuming periods are just something to be endured. If we reframe it with tools like this, maybe it stops being such a taboo topic. Alex: Exactly. Reframing menstruation from a burden to a strength can have a ripple effect into every aspect of life, including work. The book highlights workplaces as a key battleground for this change. Most traditional office cultures are built around a circadian rhythm – consistent energy output every single day. But when women start incorporating cyclical productivity, they feel less drained and actually perform better. Michelle: Okay, let me guess – there's an app for that? Alex: There is. One standout example is the MyFLO app. It’s not just about tracking phases—it facilitates communication in a professional context. Let’s say a woman notices she’s entering her luteal phase, where her energy is better suited for detail-oriented work. She can share that with her team, letting them know it’s the right time to assign her specific, focused tasks rather than big brainstorming sessions. It's about creating opportunities for alignment instead of forcing everyone into the same rhythm. Michelle: Okay, I can see this working in a flexible job, but we're talking about corporate America here. Is it realistic to expect companies to actually embrace phase-based task allocation? Alex: It's not about creating a free-for-all where every employee is operating on their own terms. It's about recognizing biological realities and fostering work environments that honor them. Flexible schedules, remote work options, or just providing more autonomy can accommodate these cyclical shifts without, you know, completely overhauling the entire structure. If workplaces truly value productivity, then respecting natural energy patterns “really” shouldn't seem radical – it's just efficient. Michelle: Alright, you have a point. But let's pivot to a tougher challenge – healthcare. If women's infradian rhythm has been ignored for this long, how do we design systems that actually address it? Alex: Healthcare needs a complete overhaul in this area, “really”. The book advocates for including women in clinical trials throughout all phases of their cycle, that way hormonal fluctuations are accounted for in drug efficacy and diagnosis standards. Right now, most healthcare models just ignore how something like progesterone or estrogen shifts might affect how treatments work. Feminist researchers have been pushing for this for years, but there's still a long way to go. Michelle: Integrating that into research takes time, of course... but it sounds like the payoff could be huge. If cycles were respected from the start, maybe cases like Karen’s would become the exception rather than the rule. Alex: Exactly. Respecting cycles creates not only better healthcare, but also empowered patients. When women are educated about their infradian rhythm, they start advocating for themselves—asking the right questions, demanding personalized, individualized care. It’s about moving from a model where women are told what to do, to one where they’re centered in their own health. Michelle: So, it's not just about systemic shifts—it's about reshaping cultural narratives. From schools to hospitals to offices, the message is clear: women aren't malfunctioning circadian creatures—they're living, thriving cyclical beings. Alex: And embracing that truth “really” transforms everything. When we honor these rhythms as strengths, we unlock not only individual empowerment, but also collective progress. This “really” isn't just a health initiative—it’s a feminist movement.

Alex: Okay Michelle, let's bring it home. Today we've really unpacked how the infradian rhythm is this fundamental biological rhythm for women, right? It influences everything: energy levels, moods, overall health, across those four distinct phases. And the Cycle Syncing Method™? That gives us some real, practical strategies—like tweaking your diet, exercise, even your work schedule—to really take advantage of these hormonal shifts. Michelle: Yeah, and we also looked at the bigger picture, right? How this method actually challenges a lot of outdated systems in healthcare, education, and the workplace that were created by men. It's not just about dealing with your period, but about changing how we see it, right? Reframing women's biology as, like, a source of strength instead of a weakness. Alex: Precisely! It's more than just a personal thing; it can drive real systemic change. By getting in sync with our cycles, women can really take control, get to know themselves better, and, you know, shift how we think about everything. Productivity, fairness... all of it. Michelle: So, the bottom line here? Listening to your body isn’t just a good idea—it’s a revolutionary one. Whether you’re using this in your own life or pushing for bigger changes, it’s about rethinking a lot of things we’ve just accepted as normal. Alex: Absolutely, and to our listeners—think of this as an invitation to jump in, explore, and you know, keep this conversation going. The Cycle Syncing Method™? It’s a way to find more inner “peach” and harmony with our natural rhythms. Michelle: Hormonal inner “peach”—I like that. Thanks for tuning in, everyone. Until next time, work smarter, not just harder, and live in your rhythm!