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What They Never Taught You at School: Harnessing the Power of Your Menstrual Cycle
Did you know your hormones shift through four distinct phases every month — and that understanding those shifts can genuinely change how you work, rest, move, and feel?
In this Lunch & Learn session, Deborah Garlick is joined by Emily Smith, Head of Sales at MOONCUP, for an eye-opening conversation about the menstrual cycle — the kind of conversation most of us never had at school.
Emily walks us through the science behind each phase of the cycle, what's really happening in your body, and — most importantly — how you can work with your natural rhythms rather than pushing against them. Whether you're scheduling important meetings, choosing what to eat, or simply trying to understand why some weeks feel effortless and others feel like wading through treacle, this episode is packed with practical, evidence-based insight.
This episode is especially timely, releasing just days before Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28 May.
In this episode:
- The four phases of the menstrual cycle — and what's actually happening in your body during each one
- Why you feel low-energy and reflective at certain times of the month (and why that's completely normal)
- How rising oestrogen during the follicular phase links to serotonin, confidence, and cognitive performance
- Practical ways to align your work tasks, social plans, and exercise with your cycle
- Nutrition tips for each phase — including why your body genuinely craves dark chocolate (and it's not just willpower)
- How to start tracking your cycle, with or without an app
- The truth about what's in most mainstream period products — and why it matters for your health and the planet
- Why working with your cycle isn't "being difficult" — it's evidence-based self-knowledge
About Mooncup
Mooncup has been raising the standard for period care for over 20 years. Pioneers of the world's first medical-grade silicone menstrual cup, they've grown into a full range of health-first, sustainable period care — including organic pads, tampons, liners, and period pants — all made without petroleum plastics, synthetic dyes, or hidden ingredients. B Corp certified, vegan certified, and proudly independent, Mooncup is on a mission to make period care that works with your body, not against it. Their products are available in Boots, Sainsbury's, Ocado, and Holland & Barrett, and they also supply free-access period care to workplaces, gyms, and hotels across the UK.
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