Cycles: A Guide for Women on the Science of Menstrual Cycles and How to Support Each Phase

PubWest 2023 Book Design Award (Gold)

This detailed guide, written by registered nurse and author of "How to Grow a Baby," Amy Hammer, offers over 100 recipes and practices to help you reclaim your cycle and support your health. The book acknowledges that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing your cycle, and instead provides a strong foundation in physiology and hormonal health, explores historical and sociocultural aspects of women's health, and reimagines the phases of the menstrual cycle as aligning with the four seasons.

The comprehensive, body-literate guide includes 40 nutrient-dense, menstrual-phase specific recipes that support hormonal, emotional, cognitive, gut, and overall health. It delves into the science behind menstrual cycles and how hormonal fluctuation impacts the brain, breasts, skin, and weight. The book also teaches fertility awareness methods, allowing readers to naturally and effectively avoid or pursue pregnancy.

Furthermore, the guide offers supportive full-body movement, self-care, and nutrition tips that optimize physiological and hormonal health throughout the phases and your lifespan. The nutritive recipes include kabocha squash curry soup, seed balls, and wild salmon congee. The supportive movement practices to incorporate into your whole day include abdomen relief stretch, buddy walking, and foam rolling. The self-care rituals and recipes, such as dandelion-infused breast massage oil and alternate nostril breathing, are designed to guide you through each phase of the menstrual cycle and of life—from the young adult and menstruating years to perimenopause and menopause.

By becoming in tune with your internal rhythm, reclaiming the meaning of self-care, and cultivating optimal health for every season of life, this comprehensive guide empowers readers to take control of their reproductive health and well-being.

product information: