Women have about 450 menstrual cycles in their lifetime. Unfortunately, women often view their cycle as a burden.

But what if I told you that your monthly cycle has 4 unique phases, and that each one brings about different physical and emotional strengths in you? You would probably want to learn how to work with your cycle rather than against it right?

Menstrual Phase

The first day of bleeding is considered day one of your menstrual cycle. On this day, the hormone progesterone plunges, which causes the uterine lining to shed, AKA "your period". An average period lasts between 3 and 7 days.

Follicular Phase

This phase follows after menstruation. It is called the follicular phase because your pituitary gland releases a hormone called Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), which stimulates the follicles in your ovaries to mature. FYI - these follicles contain your eggs.

Ovulatory Phase

Ovulation is the culmination of all the hard work your body has been doing over the last couple of weeks. An egg gets released from its follicle in your ovary and will survive for 12 to 24 hours.

Luteal Phase

The first 2 to 3 days of this phase will feel alot like the ovulatory phase. That changes when the estrogen and testosterone decline and your body starts producing progesterone.

As you can see, the female body ebbs and flows in a similar way to the environment around us. Learning more about the different phases in your cycle can help you feel more in sync with your body and also have you understanding the little changes you may exprience throughout your cycle.

Thinking about getting pregnant? Then it's time to get acquaintaed with the big O: Ovulation.

Just as menstrual cycles are different for every woman, so is ovulation. By learning to recognize the signs of ovulation, you'll be able to time sex with your partner accordingly to boost the odds of getting pregnant.

Even if you're not trying to conceive right at this moment, having a better understanding of ovulation signs can give you a clearer picture of your menstrual cycle and help you spot any abnormal ovulation symptoms down the line.

in fact, some women track their ovulation pattern as a contraception method to avoid getting pregnant.

Wondering what exactly happens during ovulation, which signs of ovulation to look out for and how those symptoms might make you feel? we've put tis together just for you to help you understand ovulation better and know which signs to look out for! In addition to this, ovulation test kits can be used to help narow down your ovulation day and know just about when the big O will be.

Unfortunately, many women feel uncomfortable or ashamed to talk about their pain and often not seeking help for the condition.

Vaginismus is a condition caused by physical stressors, emotional stressors, or both. It can become anticipatory, in that case it can happen because the person expects it to happen.

Vaginismus is the bodies reaction to the fear of penetration. Whenever penetration is attempted your muslces tense up and you have no control over it. Occasionally, you can get vaginismus even if you have previously enjoyed painless penetrative sex.

Signs of Vaginismus include:

- Discomfort or pain during vaginal penetration

- Inability to have sex or a pelvic exam done due to muscle spasms

- Painful intercourse

How you can overcome vaginismus

- V steaming using the Vblend

- The Glow gel or any water based or organic lubricant

- Physiotherapy to relax your muscles