Your menstrual cycle is a living map — a rhythmic pulse that weaves together your hormones, emotions, energy, and even your creativity. But for many of us, we were never taught how to read that map, let alone support it.
Cycle syncing is the practice of aligning your lifestyle, nutrition, and herbal support with the natural hormonal shifts of your menstrual cycle. It’s a way to come home to your body — to listen, to respond, and to be in right relationship with your cyclical nature. It is also a privilege to be able to rest when needed, and a part of our resistance to this ever increasing stressful world we are navigating. But I don’t want to wash over the fact that being able to live cyclically is truly for those who have the time and privilege to do so. But if we can learn a bit more about our bodies maybe even being able to have a cup of tea during the day can be a start of a whole new way of nourishing our relationship to our bodies.
In this guide, we’ll explore:
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What cycle syncing really means
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The four phases of your cycle (starting with luteal)
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What’s happening in your body anatomically and hormonally during each phase
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What your libido is like in each phase
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Herbal allies and Bloodroot tea blends that nourish each phase
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A simple introduction to Fertility Awareness Method (FAM)
🌘 Luteal Phase (Days 18–28): Soothe, Ground, Reflect
What’s Happening in the Body:
After ovulation, the ruptured follicle in your ovary transforms into the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone. Progesterone is a deeply calming, stabilizing hormone — it prepares the uterine lining for implantation and slows everything down: your digestion, your thoughts, your energy.
If no pregnancy occurs, progesterone levels drop, triggering the shedding of the uterine lining (menstruation). This drop is often when PMS symptoms emerge — mood swings, anxiety, bloating, insomnia, cravings, and irritability.
The luteal phase is your inner autumn — a time to draw inward, tend the hearth, and set boundaries.
Libido Insight: Libido may dip or feel more emotional and connection-based during this phase. Some people feel tender, craving intimacy without overt arousal. Others experience premenstrual irritability or disinterest — all are normal.
Herbal Allies:
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Lemon balm, passionflower, skullcap, oat tops, vitex, California poppy, rose, dandelion, motherwort, blue vervain, bitter and aromatic herbs to help metabolize hormones through the liver but also stimulate digestion.
🫖 Drink: Surrender, the soother for digestive issues, or dreamer for sleep issues.
🌕 Ovulation Phase (Days 14–17): Radiate, Connect, Create
What’s Happening in the Body:
Ovulation is the main event of your cycle — the release of an egg from the dominant follicle in the ovary. Estrogen is at its peak, which boosts cervical mucus, thickens the uterine lining, and makes you feel radiant and magnetic.
You may feel more social, energized, and expressive. This is the body’s most fertile window, and also a time of high libido, creativity, and connection.
Ovulation is your inner summer — ripe, open, juicy, and full of possibility.
Libido Insight: This is often your peak libido window. Thanks to high estrogen, luteinizing hormone (LH), and increased blood flow to the pelvis, you may feel more turned on, magnetic, and flirtatious — whether partnered or not. Many people report more pleasure and lubrication during this phase.
Herbal Allies:
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Rose, hibiscus, damiana, tulsi, peppermint, ginger, cocoa, Shatavari,
🫖 Drink: Lovers Tea
🌑 Menstrual Phase (Days 1–5): Release, Rest, Rebuild
What’s Happening in the Body:
The menstrual phase begins when progesterone drops, and the uterine lining sheds — this is your bleed. Both estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest, and your body is in a state of inflammation and blood loss. You may feel tired, inward, or emotional.
This is a time when your body is asking you to do less. Blood loss means a temporary drop in iron and magnesium, so you need warmth, minerals, and rest.
Menstruation is your inner winter — a time of renewal, rest, and reflection.
Libido Insight: Libido is often at its lowest here, though for some, arousal increases due to pelvic congestion or relief after the PMS phase. You may crave touch, warmth, or comfort rather than overt sexual energy. It’s also a time when emotional intimacy can feel especially nourishing.
Herbal Allies:
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Nettle, red raspberry leaf, oatstraw, oat tops, alfalfa, lemon balm, ginger, cramp bark, black haw, Jamacian dogwood, kava.
🫖 Drink: The Steward, good grief, the soother, cramp comfort (coming soon)
🌒 Follicular Phase (Days 6–13): Renew, Rebuild, Imagine
What’s Happening in the Body:
After your bleed, your body begins again. The pituitary gland signals the ovaries to start maturing a new follicle, and estrogen begins to rise. Estrogen helps rebuild the uterine lining and increases energy, motivation, and focus.
You might feel lighter, more social, optimistic, and open to trying new things. This is the best time to plan, brainstorm, or begin new projects.
The follicular phase is your inner spring — full of hope, renewal, and momentum.
Libido Insight: Libido begins to rise again here as estrogen increases and mood lifts. It’s often a playful, flirty, exploratory kind of sexual energy — creative, curious, and less urgent than ovulation’s peak.
Herbal Allies:
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Nettle, red clover, lemon balm, tulsi, dandelion leaf, ashwagandha, Angelica, motherwort, red raspberry
🫖 Drink: The Steward, liver love, good grief
Fertility Awareness 101: Learn the Language of Your Cycle
Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) is a way to chart your natural fertility signs — not just for contraception or conception, but for self-knowledge.
By learning to track your:
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Cervical mucus (becomes wet, stretchy, or egg-white around ovulation)
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Basal body temperature (BBT) (rises after ovulation due to progesterone)
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Cervical position (softens and opens during ovulation)
…you can better understand your cycle, pinpoint ovulation, spot imbalances, and align your herbal support more accurately.
Getting started: Use a paper chart. Begin by observing and recording daily mucus patterns.
🌿 Cycle Syncing + Herbs = Resilience and Ritual
Herbal cycle syncing isn’t about perfection — it’s about coming into relationship with your body’s natural rhythms. It’s a way to offer yourself care, support, and listening at every phase of your cycle.
Our handcrafted tea blends are made to walk with you through each phase:
🩸 The Steward → Menstruation + Follicular
🌕 Lovers Tea → Ovulation
🌘 Surrender → Luteal