Maisie Hill

I am a huge believer in the health benefits of having a menstrual cycle as well as how it can benefit your life

But anything that you choose to do for your mental or physical health, or situation in life, is up to you. It’s your body, and your life, and I encourage you to tune in to your own wisdom.

Yes, we are hormonal, and that’s a very good thing

The answer to all those questions is – it’s your hormones. Apart, that is, from the rage you feel; that rage is because women do the bulk of unpaid work and emotional labour in society, and that shit is exhausting,

When you’re learning to care for yourself, particularly during and after your period, it can be helpful to treat yourself as a child and prioritise your basic needs

Spring is not the time for perfection, in fact, sod perfection and aim for incompetence. Be liberated by your naivety, feel the freedom of having options and risk something. Just start something, anything

• In the follicular phase of your cycle (days 1–14 of a 28-day cycle), or from new moon to full moon if you’re not currently menstruating, eat 2–4 tbsps of both ground flax seeds and pumpkin seeds per day to gently and naturally increase oestrogen levels.

• In the luteal phase of your cycle (days 15–28), or from full moon to dark moon, eat 2–4 tbsps of both sesame seeds and sunflower seeds per day. The zinc in sesame seeds and the vitamin E in sunflower seeds both help stimulate the production of progesterone

Buy whole organic seeds and use a coffee or spice grinder to get a powder which you can add to porridge, soups, salads and smoothies

Ovulating is a good idea because when you ovulate you produce progesterone, the hormone that keeps oestrogen in check and helps to prevent breast cancer and endometrial cancer. Progesterone is anti-inflammatory, it regulates your immune response, supports the health of your heart, breasts and bones, and soothes your nervous system by reducing anxiety and aiding sleep