The weekly tasks are all about taking small steps towards big changes, some tasks especially those in the beginning are one off tasks but as you will see others are about implementing lasting changes to our lives so from week 3 onwards focus on building habits to support your hormones.
- Week 1 has two tasks firstly, without making any changes record 3-5 days worth of food and drink diary, please include mood and energy levels at different times of the day. we do this to get an idea f what foods may be affecting you in what ways as well as create awareness around what we are really eating. You can choose how you record this whether in a notebook, an excel spreadsheet or simply on your phone notes app. Please share your diary in the FB support group. Secondly, I would like you to share your experience of your menarche if you recall and also any thoughts you have on cultural approaches to the menarche whether it be your own culture or a culture you have experienced or read about. You are welcome to share this as a live video in the FB group or as a written post.
- Week 2 everyone is invited to reflect on their diary and on others diaries to identify patterns you may see and links you identify.
- Week 3 this week we are going to remove caffeine and increase water consumption, we do this as caffeine can be disruptive to the clearance of hormones as well as drive cortisol up and so affect insulin levels. We will go into this later in the programme.
- Week 4 is all about the Sugar Cut, some may find this easy whilst others struggle. We will remove all refined sugars and reduce non refined sugars such as honey, agave and so forth. Seek support and offer to your fellow group members as at different times of our cycle this can be more or less challenging.
- Week 5 is all about Moving More , not merely doing an allotted exercise class or session but introducing what I refer to as inefficient movement also known as NEAT Non-exercise activity thermogenesis is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise. Share suggestions and ideas with other group members of how you can include more movement in your day.
- Week 6 is all about healing the digestive track and stress management, choose to incorporate things from the options presented and let fellow members what you will be doing and keep one another accountable. You will find links posted at the time.
- Week 7 using the infographic depicting liver support foods choose a few to incorporate in your weekly meals and let us know which you have chosen and how you will incorporate them. You will find this posted in the FB group at the time.
- Week 8 will focus on improving sleep, what is your sleep quality like at the moment. Have a look here for tips to improve your sleep and let the group know what you will be implementing and whether it is effective for you.
- Week 9 is about sharing what you found hardest and the hurdles you have overcome through this programme. Let us know what was the trickiest part for you and why.
- Week 10 focuses on contraceptives so please share your views and experiences with these, knowing what you know now about your hormones and health would you have made different choices?
- Week 11 we look into menopause, What are societal views on menopause where you live and within different cultures that you know of?
- Week 12 reflect on reintroduction of foods and how you may go about things differently from what you have learnt in this programme. Please leave feed back on your experience and write or video a brief testimonial that you would be happy for me to use.