Why Slowing Down Matters: The Science of Self-Care, Hormones & Vital Health

In our hyper-busy world, slowing down isn't indulgence, it’s self-preservation. Intentional self-care not only rejuvenates, it fundamentally supports your physiology. Let’s explore what the science reveals about how resting, tuning in, and self-kindness truly affect your body, nervous system, and hormones.

1. Calming the Stress Response & Hormonal Balance

Mindfulness and meditation have a profound influence on the HPA axis, the central stress response system.

• An 8-week mindfulness program showed a 23% drop in baseline cortisol, your primary stress hormone, with lasting effects.

• Another study found that long-term meditators and even short-term MBSR participants had lower morning cortisol and better sleep patterns.

• Mindfulness also supports immune health by reducing inflammation, markers like cortisol and inflammatory cytokines improved after brief retreats. 

2. Rewiring the Nervous System for Rest & Resilience

Slow, intentional practices don’t just feel good, they reshape your brain:

• Meditation triggers the relaxation response, shifting the body from "fight-or-flight" into rest-and-digest. It lowers heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolic demand. 

• Neuroimaging shows shrinking of the amygdala (fear center) and thickening in areas like the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, boosting emotional regulation, focus, and memory. 

• Practices that cultivate empathy and compassion may further reduce cortisol and increase oxytocin, the “bonding hormone,” enhancing trust, warmth, and stress resilience. 

3. Supporting Immune Function & Reducing Inflammation

Chronic stress disrupts hormones, weakens immunity, and raises disease risk. Even short mindfulness interventions (like retreats) can lower inflammatory markers, strengthen gut immunity, and ease heart rate, all without medication.
In fact, stress even increases risks like autoimmune disease, heart conditions, and impaired healing. Mindful rest interrupts that cycle.

4. Improving Mood, Compassion & Interoception

Intentional self-care isn’t just physical, it enhances emotional clarity and self-compassion.

• Self-compassion training improves how women respond to stress, easing anxiety and physiological arousal.

• Mindfulness strengthens your interoception, the awareness of internal bodily sensations via brain changes in the insula and other regions. This heightens intuitive tuning-in to your needs. 

• Even minor practices, like mindful breathing or a brief sensory check-in, reduce overwhelm and increase emotional presence, according to wellness reporting. 

5. Social Connection & the Power of Altruism

Interestingly, self-care isn’t the only path to well-being, other-focused actions are also healing.

• Psychological research shows that kindness, volunteering, or helping others can reduce stress, support cardiovascular and immune health, and extend longevity, often more than self-care alone. 

• Whether you choose solitude or connection, the bottom line is deeper alignment, with self or others, supports health in powerful ways.

Basically Why Self-Care Is So Vital

System Affected: Benefits of Intentional Slowing Down

Nervous System: Activates relaxation, balances emotions, strengthens executive control

Hormonal System: Reduces cortisol, supports circadian rhythm and restorative hormones

Immune / Inflammatory: Lowers inflammatory markers, strengthens immunity, supports healing

Brain & Interoception: Enhances emotional attunement, memory, and self-awareness

Social & Emotional Resilience: Boosts empathy, oxytocin, and sense of connection or purpose

Remember Self-care isn’t self-indulgence, it's a daily act of alignment. It calms your physiology, restores hormone balance, and wires your system to respond rather than react. Over time, even small, consistent moments of stillness and presence fuel resilience and vitality.

Minutes to Self-Love: A Cozy Beverage Ritual

Last week, we talked about how regular self-care can transform into self-love rituals when we bring awareness, intention, and kindness into the moment.

One of my favorite ways to do this is through the five senses, and today, I want to invite you into one of my go-to practices: the cozy beverage ritual.

This can be anything your body is calling for; a warm coffee, a fragrant herbal tea, a creamy hot chocolate. The drink itself is less important than the way you slow down and connect as you prepare and enjoy it.

Step into the Ritual

1. Listen to your body
   Before you choose your drink, take a moment to check in. Place a hand on your heart or belly. Ask: What does my body want right now?
   Notice if she whispers “yes” to something warm, grounding, or uplifting. Trust her.

2. Move with intention
   As you walk to the kitchen or prepare your space, slow your pace. Let your actions feel deliberate and soft. Imagine you’re making this drink as a gift to yourself.

3. Awaken your senses

   • Sound: Hear the clink of your favorite mug, the gentle pour of water, the bubbling boil.

   • Smell: Breathe in the scent of roasted beans, steeping herbs, or melting chocolate.

   • Sight: Notice the swirls of cream, the steam rising, the colors blending.

   • Touch: Feel the warmth of the mug in your hands, the texture of the spoon, the smoothness of the liquid.

   • Taste: When you sip, let the flavors unfold slowly on your tongue.

4. Let it nourish you
   With each sip, imagine you’re taking in love, comfort, and ease. Allow it to feed not just your body, but your heart.

5. Close with gratitude
   Before you finish, thank yourself for showing up for this moment. Thank your body for speaking to you, and your senses for letting you fully experience it.

This is less than 10 minutes, but when done with presence, it can be a deeply nourishing reset, one that supports connection to yourself, builds self-compassion, and reminds you that you are worthy of love in every small moment.

Honoring Inner Autumn: A Seasonal Guide to the Luteal Phase

The Autumn Equinox marks a time of balance, equal day and night, before the slow descent into winter. It is the season of turning inward, letting go, and preparing for what is to come. Just as the trees shed their leaves, our bodies invite us to release, rest, and reflect.

Inside the menstrual cycle, this same energy is mirrored in Inner Autumn, also known as the luteal phase, the days after ovulation leading toward menstruation.

This is often a misunderstood season of our inner world. Many of us resist it, wishing for the lightness of spring or the passion of summer. But autumn is sacred. It teaches us how to listen, ground, and deepen into ourselves.

What Is Inner Autumn?

The Science:
After ovulation, progesterone rises. This hormone prepares the uterine lining for a potential pregnancy. If conception doesn’t occur, both progesterone and estrogen begin to decline, signaling the approach of menstruation. Energy may shift, sometimes subtly, sometimes strongly. You may notice more sensitivity, mood changes, or the desire for solitude.

The Energetic View:
Like autumn leaves turning golden and then falling, Inner Autumn asks us to slow down and honor endings. It is a season of discernment—what is ready to be released? What is truly important to keep? You might feel more intuitive, inward, or focused on home and hearth.

When we meet this season with acceptance instead of resistance, we reclaim it as a powerful time of connection with our inner wisdom.

Practices for Inner Autumn

Breathwork: Exhale to Ground

Try a simple lengthened exhale practice:

• Inhale gently through the nose for 4 counts.

• Exhale softly through the mouth for 6–8 counts.

• Repeat for 5–10 breaths.

This calms the nervous system, grounds excess energy, and creates a sense of steady release.

Yoga Style to Try: Restorative & Yin

Think cozy blankets, long holds, and gentle folds. This is not the season for intensity, but for deep presence and nourishment. Forward folds, supported child’s pose, or reclining butterfly can be deeply supportive.

Herbal Tea for Inner Autumn

Recipe:

• 1 tsp skullcap

• 1 tsp lemon balm

• 1 tsp spearmint

• 3 cups hot water

• Honey to taste

 Allow to steep for 10–15 minutes, covered, to preserve volatile oils.

Why it helps:

• Skullcap: calms the nervous system, eases irritability.

• Lemon balm: soothes digestion and uplifts mood.

• Spearmint: cooling, balancing, and supportive for hormonal shifts.

• Honey: warming, and rounding sweetness to soften the edges of this phase.

Sip this tea as a ritual, a reminder to slow down and tend to your inner autumn.

The Gift of Inner Autumn

This phase can sometimes feel uncomfortable, marked by PMS symptoms, fatigue, or heightened emotions. But these experiences are not flaws; they are signals. Your body is asking for gentleness, patience, and care.

By honoring your inner autumn, you:

• Strengthen your connection with your cycle

• Cultivate self-compassion

• Learn to release what no longer serves you

• Prepare your body and mind for the renewal of Inner Winter (menstruation)

Reflect & Deepen

On this Autumn Equinox, nature reminds us that endings are as sacred as beginnings. Your body holds this same truth.

Reflect with these prompts:

• What am I being invited to release this cycle?

• Where can I create more space for rest?

• How does my body speak to me during this season?

Inner Autumn is not a time of loss, but of deepening, into your body, your intuition, and your rhythms. By honoring this phase, you learn that your cycle is not something to fight, but a natural wisdom to live by.

Everyday Rituals for Self-Compassion, Self-Love, and Inner Connection

Self-care doesn’t always have to be grand or time-consuming. In fact, some of the most powerful practices for self-compassion, self-love, and body connection are woven into the simple things we already do, when we choose to do them with intention. By turning everyday actions into small rituals, we can nurture ourselves deeply, build interoception (awareness of our inner state), and move through life more grounded and open-hearted.

Here’s how to transform your daily habits into loving rituals for yourself:

1. Morning Hair Brushing: Clearing the Path

Instead of rushing through brushing your hair, treat it as an act of tenderness.
Warm your brush in your hands for a moment. As you gently move through tangles, imagine you’re clearing away the “snags” of the day ahead, making space for clarity and ease.
Breathe deeply as you brush, thinking, “I am preparing my mind and heart for a smooth day.”

2. Breathwork: Taking In What You Need

Pause for a few moments to consciously breathe.
Inhale slowly, drawing in what you most need; calm, focus, energy, love.
Exhale fully, releasing what no longer serves; tension, doubt, heaviness.
This can be done anywhere: while waiting for water to boil, sitting at your desk, or before walking out the door. Your breath becomes a daily reset button.

3. Grounding into Your Senses

When you feel disconnected or scattered, anchor into the present through your five senses.
Notice:

• Sight: What colors, shapes, or light surrounds you?

• Sound: What layers of sound can you hear, from near to far?

• Smell: What scents are in the air, even faint ones?

• Touch: How does your clothing feel on your skin? The air on your face?

• Taste: Even if you’re not eating, can you sense subtle flavors in your mouth?

This practice helps you come back into your body and feel safe and present.

4. Eating as Nourishment on All Levels

Instead of eating distractedly, try making one meal a day an act of mindfulness.
Before your first bite, pause to notice the colors and aromas of your food.
As you eat, explore how it feels, tastes, and sounds. Let every sense be nourished, seeing your food as beauty, smelling it as comfort, tasting it as pleasure, feeling it as energy, hearing its textures as life.

When we eat this way, we nourish not just the body, but also the heart and mind.

5. Showering: Washing Away What Doesn’t Serve

Turn your shower into a cleansing ritual, not just for your body, but for your energy.
As the water flows over you, imagine it carrying away stagnant energy, heavy emotions, and any stress you’ve picked up.
You step out feeling lighter, clearer, and ready to receive the day.

6. Movement: Flowing with Your Emotions

Movement is medicine, not just for muscles, but for emotions.
Stretch, sway, dance, walk, or practice yoga. Feel how your body responds, how your breath changes, and how emotions shift.
When you move with awareness, you create space for both joy and release.

7. Drinking Water: Feeding Your Inner Waters

Every sip you take is an opportunity to replenish.
Feel the coolness of the water, notice how it moves through your mouth and throat, and imagine it hydrating every cell.
Water is life, and you are worthy of being well-watered.

Making It Yours

You don’t need to do all of these at once. Choose one or two that call to you and weave them into your day. Over time, they become anchor points, moments where you choose yourself, honor your needs, and remind yourself:
I am worthy of care. I am worthy of love. I am here, now.

5-Minute Yoga Flow for Hormonal Balance - Gentle Poses & Breathwork to Support Your Cycle

Your menstrual cycle is guided by a symphony of hormonal shifts, rising and falling levels of estrogen, progesterone, and other key messengers that influence your energy, mood, digestion, and reproductive health. When these hormones flow in healthy rhythms, you’re more likely to feel grounded, resilient, and comfortable in your body.

This 5-minute yoga flow blends gentle movement with targeted breathwork to support hormonal balance all month long. Practiced regularly, not just during PMS, it encourages circulation to the pelvis, calms the nervous system, supports digestion, and helps your body self-regulate. As a bonus, this same steady practice often reduces PMS discomfort over time.

Why This Flow Supports Hormonal Health

• Improves circulation to pelvic and abdominal organs, nourishing tissues and encouraging healthy cycles.

• Supports lymphatic drainage to help clear hormone byproducts.

• Balances the nervous system, reducing the stress load that can disrupt hormonal rhythms.

• Aids digestion, easing bloating and sluggishness that often accompany hormonal fluctuations.

• Encourages body awareness, helping you notice subtle shifts in your cycle earlier.

The 5-Minute Hormone-Balancing Flow

1. Child’s Pose with Belly Breathing (Balasana + Dirgha Breath)

Nestle your belly between your thighs, forehead resting on the mat or a block. Let each inhale expand the belly into the thighs, and each exhale soften the hips and shoulders.
Why it helps: This grounding posture quiets the mind, releases pelvic floor tension, and uses deep belly breathing to massage reproductive organs and stimulate healthy blood flow.

2. Cat-Cow with Ujjayi Breath (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana)

On hands and knees, move the spine fluidly with your breath; inhale to arch, exhale to round. Keep Ujjayi breath soft and steady, creating an ocean-like sound at the throat.
Why it helps: Mobilizes the spine, stimulates abdominal and pelvic organs, and generates gentle warmth. Ujjayi breath helps regulate the nervous system, which plays a major role in hormonal stability.

3. Downward Facing Dog with Kapalabhati Breath (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Lift hips toward the sky, lengthening through the spine. Keep knees bent if needed. Add a short round of Kapalabhati (quick exhalations through the nose) if you have energy for it.
Why it helps: Enhances circulation from legs to pelvis, supports digestion, and clears mental fog. Kapalabhati stimulates the digestive fire (Agni in yoga) and boosts vitality, useful in phases when energy dips.

4. Cobra Pose with Lion’s Breath (Bhujangasana + Simhasana)

Press hands lightly into the mat, lift the chest, and breathe in deeply. Exhale through the mouth with your tongue out and a “ha” sound.
Why it helps: Opens the chest, stretches the belly, and increases blood flow to reproductive organs. Lion’s Breath helps release jaw and throat tension, which are often linked to pelvic tension and suppressed emotion.

5. Supine Twist with Bhramari Breath (Supta Matsyendrasana)

Lie on your back, knees together, and gently drop them to one side while arms extend out. Add Bhramari (humming bee breath) for a soft vibration on the exhale.
Why it helps: Twists massage the digestive organs and encourage lymphatic flow. Bhramari breath calms the mind, soothes anxiety, and supports balanced stress hormone levels.

6. Reclined Bound Angle with Extended Exhales (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Lie back with soles of the feet together, knees apart, and supports under the thighs. Inhale naturally, then exhale for twice as long as you inhale.
Why it helps: Opens the hips and pelvis, improves circulation to reproductive tissues, and extended exhales deepen parasympathetic activity — helping hormonal systems function in balance.

How to Use This Practice Throughout the Month

• Daily Maintenance: Practice once a day to keep circulation, digestion, and stress regulation in balance.

• Phase-Specific Adjustments:

  • Menstrual Phase: Keep movements slow and omit Kapalabhati if energy is low.

  • Follicular Phase: Enjoy the full sequence; this is often a naturally higher-energy phase.

  • Ovulation: Use to ease any tension or bloating and support pelvic circulation.

  • Luteal Phase: Focus on longer exhales and gentler variations to calm the nervous system.

Your hormones respond best to consistency, not crisis management. This short flow is more than a PMS fix, it’s a whole-cycle care ritual. By giving your body a few mindful minutes each day, you create the internal environment for your hormones to work in harmony, making every phase of your cycle a little more balanced and a lot more comfortable.

Ovulation Pain Explained: Understanding & Supporting Mittelschmerz

Ovulation is often described as the “peak” of the menstrual cycle, energy is high, hormones are surging, and your body is at its most fertile. But for some people, this time also comes with a surprising visitor: a sharp twinge, cramp, or ache in the lower belly known as mittelschmerz.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Is it normal to feel discomfort during ovulation?” you’re not alone. Let’s unpack what this sensation is, why it happens, and how you can support your body when it shows up.

What is Mittelschmerz?

Mittelschmerz is a German word meaning “middle pain,” referring to discomfort felt roughly midway through the menstrual cycle when ovulation occurs. It typically appears on one side of the lower abdomen, the side of the ovary that’s releasing an egg that month.

For many, it’s a brief, mild sensation lasting a few minutes to a few hours. For others, it can last up to two days and may feel intense enough to disrupt daily activities.

What Does It Feel Like?

Everyone experiences mittelschmerz differently, but it’s often described as:

• A sudden, sharp twinge

• A dull ache or cramp

• A sense of fullness or heaviness in the lower belly

• Tenderness on one side

• Occasionally accompanied by light spotting or increased cervical mucus

Why Does Ovulation Pain Happen?

Researchers believe mittelschmerz is caused by one or a combination of:

1. Follicle rupture: The ovary’s follicle breaks open to release the egg, which can stretch or irritate surrounding tissue.

2. Fluid release: Fluid or a small amount of blood from the ruptured follicle may irritate the abdominal lining.

3. Muscle contractions: The ovary and nearby muscles may contract during ovulation, creating a cramping sensation.

It’s not harmful, but the discomfort is a sign of just how dynamic and active your body is in this phase.

How Can I Support My Body During Mittelschmerz?

While most ovulation pain resolves on its own, here are some gentle, supportive approaches:

Nourish & Hydrate

• Stay hydrated to support circulation and tissue repair.

• Include anti-inflammatory foods like berries, leafy greens, turmeric, and omega-3-rich sources (flax, chia, salmon).

Gentle Movement

• Try restorative yoga poses like Supported Child’s Pose, Supine Twist, or Reclined Bound Angle Pose to ease pelvic tension.

• Short walks can improve blood flow and reduce cramping.

Apply Heat

• A warm compress or hot water bottle over the lower abdomen can soothe muscles and improve comfort.

Breathe for Release

• Use slow, deep belly breaths to calm the nervous system and release pelvic tension.

What Might Make Ovulation Pain Worse?

• Dehydration: Can increase cramping sensations.

• Inflammation: Diets high in processed sugar or trans fats may amplify discomfort.

• High stress levels: Tightens muscles and sensitizes nerves.

• Pelvic adhesions or underlying conditions: Conditions like endometriosis or ovarian cysts can heighten sensations.

If ovulation pain is severe, worsening, or accompanied by fever, nausea, or unusual bleeding, it’s worth checking in with a healthcare provider to rule out other conditions.

When to Seek Help

Mild ovulation pain is common and usually harmless. But you should see a provider if:

• Pain is severe or lasts longer than a couple of days

• Discomfort is present on both sides

• Pain is accompanied by heavy bleeding, fever, or dizziness

• It’s interfering with your ability to work, sleep, or move comfortably

Mittelschmerz is a reminder that your cycle is alive and active, a moment when your body is working hard to release the possibility of new life. While it’s not always pleasant, it’s usually a normal and healthy sign of ovulation.

By tracking your cycle, noticing patterns, and offering yourself hydration, rest, and gentle movement, you can navigate this moment with more ease and connection to your body’s rhythms.

Your inner summer can still be a time of radiance, sometimes, you just need to add a little extra care to keep your light shining.

The Menstrual Cycle: More Than Just a Period

A Rhythm Worth Remembering

Most of us were only taught to notice our cycle when we're bleeding or in pain. But there's so much more happening beneath the surface.

Your menstrual cycle is a full-body rhythm. Learning it can change the way you move through life.

 A Quick Look: Two Phases

The cycle begins on the first day of your period and lasts around 21–35 days.

There are two main phases:

• Follicular Phase (before ovulation): this part can vary from month to month

• Luteal Phase (after ovulation): this part tends to stay more consistent

Changes in stress, sleep, travel, or health can affect the timing, especially in the first half.

The Inner Seasons

Many traditions speak of four inner seasons within the cycle, each with its own energy:

• Winter - Menstruation: rest, reflect

• Spring - Pre-ovulation: clarity, fresh energy

• Summer - Ovulation: connection, creativity

• Autumn - Pre-menstrual: boundaries, truth-telling

These phases aren’t always the same length, but they each hold wisdom.

 Ayurveda’s Take

Ayurveda, a traditional healing system, sees the cycle through elemental energies:

• Kapha energy builds and nourishes in the early cycle

• Pitta brings heat and focus around ovulation

• Vata governs release and sensitivity before and during menstruation

Each part of the cycle calls for different types of support; movement, food, herbs, and rest.

Why This Matters

Understanding your cycle can help you:

• Stop blaming yourself for energy or mood shifts

• Care for your body more kindly

• Feel more connected to your natural rhythm

• Hold more compassion, for yourself and other women

Inner Summer

Understanding the ovulatory phase through the lens of seasonal changes.

Welcome to summer.
In the Northern Hemisphere, we’re deep into the warm, sun-soaked days of the year, the kind that invite late sunsets, ripe fruit, and a sense of possibility in the air. It’s the season of bloom, expression, and connection. Inside our bodies, this same energy has a mirror: inner summer, the ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle. This is the time when your hormones peak, your energy often reaches its height, and your body is at its most fertile, roughly days 14–20, depending on your cycle. You may feel more social, confident, and magnetic, as if your inner light is turned all the way up. When our inner summer happens to align with the Earth’s summer, the experience can feel even more amplified, heat meeting heat, vibrancy feeding vibrancy. Let’s explore what inner summer looks like and how it may be shaped by the season we’re living in now.

What Is Inner Summer?

The Science:
This is your ovulatory phase, when estrogen reaches its peak, luteinizing hormone (LH) surges, and progesterone begins to gently rise. Physically, this is when your body releases an egg, and from a reproductive perspective, it’s the time you’re most likely to conceive. You may notice your skin glowing, your voice sounding warmer, and your ability to connect with others feeling effortless.

A Note on Potential Discomfort:
While many experience ovulation as a time of ease and vitality, some notice sensations that are less celebrated. One example is mittelschmerz, a German word meaning “middle pain.” This can feel like a brief twinge, ache, or cramp on one side of the lower abdomen when the ovary releases an egg. It’s generally harmless, but for some, it can be uncomfortable or even intense enough to affect daily life. Other shifts, such as temporary bloating or breast tenderness, can also appear during this phase. We’ll explore mittelschmerz in depth in a future post, but for now, simply knowing it’s possible can help you track, understand, and support your body’s needs.

Energetic View:
Like the height of summer, this is your time of outward expression and fullness. You might feel magnetic, generous, loving, and more in tune with the world around you. It’s a natural window for creativity, collaboration, and celebration.
Note: Even though energy may be high, it’s still important to stay nourished and hydrated, summer can burn bright but also burn out if we don’t tend the fire.

When your inner summer aligns with the Earth’s summer season, the sensations can feel even more amplified; heat, expansion, and aliveness in every cell.

Inner Summer Practices

Ways to honor your body, mind, and vibrant energy in this phase

Breathwork: Heart-Centered Breath

• Sit comfortably and place your hands over your heart.

• Inhale deeply through the nose for a count of 4, imagining breath flowing into your chest.

• Exhale through the mouth for a count of 6, softening your shoulders and jaw.

• Continue for 1–3 minutes, feeling your heart space expand.

This breath supports connection, compassion, and the open-hearted energy of summer.

Yoga Style to Try: Heart-Opening Flow
Your body may crave movement that matches your energy; uplifting, spacious, and flowing. Think sequences that open the chest and side body, and invite play:

• Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

• Wild Thing (Camatkarasana)

• Dancer’s Pose (Natarajasana)

• Side Plank variations

• Crescent Lunge with backbend

• Supported Fish Pose for a gentle, nourishing close

Herbs for Inner Summer
Support hydration, circulation, and gentle cooling as the inner “heat” rises:

• Hibiscus: Cooling, rich in vitamin C

• Peppermint: Refreshing and uplifting

• Raspberry leaf: Tones and nourishes the uterus

Enjoy as iced teas or herbal infusions for a summer refresh.

Seed Cycling for Ovulatory Phase
Continue with:

• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed

• 1 tbsp ground pumpkin seeds

These support healthy estrogen metabolism and hormone balance in this fertile window.

Shine & Connect

Your inner summer is an open invitation to express your full self. Some ideas to play with:

• Host a gathering or connect with friends

• Share your creative work or ideas

• Practice acts of generosity and kindness

• Wear colors that make you feel radiant (think warm golds, corals, and whites)

 Journal prompts to play with 

• Where in my life am I ready to be fully seen?

• What brings me joy to share right now?

• How can I nurture connection with myself and others?

Inner summer is a celebration, a reminder that you are a vital, radiant part of the larger web of life.

By honoring this phase, you align with your natural rhythm, your creative fire, and the beauty of being fully in bloom. And just like summer itself, this moment is precious, savor it while it lasts.

Find our blog on Inner Spring here.

The Fertile Years Without a Uterus: Pelvic Health After Hysterectomy

Our womb holds more than potential for pregnancy, it’s part of the architecture of our core. So when a uterus is surgically removed, even if the ovaries remain and hormones continue cycling, the structure of the pelvis changes. This shift can impact the pelvic floor, posture, and how we feel in our bodies.

Let’s talk about what’s happening and how we can support ourselves moving forward.

What Happens in the Pelvis After a Hysterectomy?

Your uterus isn’t just a reproductive organ, it also plays a supportive structural role in the pelvic cavity.

When the uterus is removed, here’s what can change:

• Pelvic floor muscles may need to work harder to support remaining organs (like the bladder, rectum, and intestines)

• Ligaments and fascial networks are cut or altered during surgery

• The vaginal vault (top of the vaginal canal) no longer has the same anchoring, which can affect pelvic pressure and sensation

• Some people notice changes in bladder control, bowel movements, or core strength

This doesn’t mean you’re broken. But it does mean your body deserves intentional care.

Rebuilding Support from the Ground Up

After a hysterectomy, we want to create stability and reconnect to the pelvic bowl, not just to prevent dysfunction, but to feel strong, fluid, and alive in this space.

Here’s how:

Pelvic Floor Awareness

• Gentle awareness practices can help you tune into sensations in the pelvic floor; noticing tension, numbness, or holding

• Start with breath: inhale to soften, exhale to gently lift

Breath and Core Synergy

• Your diaphragm, core, and pelvic floor work together as a unit

• Practice slow belly breathing, allowing the inhale to expand the belly and pelvic bowl, and exhale to naturally draw the belly in

Posture and Movement

• Without the uterus, posture and alignment may subtly shift

• Incorporating gentle movements like cat-cow, hip circles, or bridge pose can reawaken stability

• Walking, stretching, and mindful transitions (getting up and down, twisting) all matter

Professional Support

• A pelvic floor physical therapist can assess your unique needs

• Even years post-op, it’s never too late to create more support

You’re Still Whole and Still Cycling

Even without a uterus, your ovaries may continue to cycle for years, affecting energy, mood, and more. Though your cycle may be invisible now, it still lives in you.

This is an invitation to:

• Stay curious about your body’s rhythms

• Nurture your pelvic space with loving attention

• Redefine fertility as creative, cyclical energy, not just reproduction

You are not missing something. You are adapting, becoming, evolving.

Whether your womb was removed through necessity or choice, your pelvic space still holds wisdom and life force. Supporting your pelvic floor isn’t just about preventing dysfunction, it’s about reclaiming connection.

Let this be your reminder: your body is worthy of care, your cycle still matters, and your story continues.

The Fertile Years Without a Uterus: Hysterectomy: What It Is, Why It's Done, and Who You Still Are

For many women, the word hysterectomy carries weight… physical, emotional, and symbolic. Whether it’s a decision made from necessity or through careful choice, this surgery can stir up deep questions about identity, function, and femininity.

Let’s bring some clarity and compassion to the conversation.

What Is a Hysterectomy?

A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. Depending on the reason and the individual’s health, the procedure may also include the removal of other reproductive organs:

• Partial (Supracervical) Hysterectomy: Uterus removed, cervix left in place

• Total Hysterectomy: Uterus and cervix removed

• Radical Hysterectomy: Uterus, cervix, part of the vagina, and surrounding tissues removed (often due to cancer)

• With or Without Oophorectomy: Ovaries may be removed (oophorectomy) or left intact

Why Do People Have a Hysterectomy?

There are many valid and medically supported reasons for this surgery, including:

• Fibroids causing pain or bleeding (the most common reason) 

• Endometriosis or adenomyosis

• Chronic pelvic pain

• Uterine prolapse

• Heavy or irregular bleeding unresponsive to treatment

• Certain types of gynecological cancer

Sometimes, it’s about reclaiming quality of life. Sometimes, it’s about saving it.

What Happens When the Ovaries Are Removed?

If ovaries are removed, hormone production drops off, this is called surgical menopause, and symptoms are often immediate and intense.

If ovaries are left intact, they may continue to cycle and produce hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone), although hormonal patterns may change over time.

With or without a uterus, you are still a woman.

Your identity is not defined by a single organ.
Your womanhood isn’t erased with surgery.
You are still whole, still wise, still cycling in your own way.

For some, a hysterectomy is a profound relief.
For others, it’s layered with grief.
For most, it’s both.

You Are Not Less, You Are Rewritten

Let’s hold space for all the emotions that can come with this choice or necessity.

And let’s say it clearly, again:

You are still a woman.
You are still worthy.
You are still deeply connected to your body, your wisdom, and your story.