WOMEN ONLY: Everything a Modern Day Woman Needs to KnowHealing, Lifestyle, Natural Beauty, Natural Therapies, Self Care, WellnessBy Ella LiascosMarch 18, 2021 Share It’s 2019 and while it feels the world still hasn’t caught up in many ways — if you know where to look, there’s more communities, knowledge and resources available for the empowered woman than ever before. Whether it’s choosing natural birth control or our own beauty standards, below is our list of things we believe every modern day woman needs to know: Moon cups are better for you We all know they’re better for the world, but moon cups are better for our bodies too. Toxins can be absorbed through the vagina and they’ve found traces of chemicals, dioxins and insecticides in 5 out of 11 disposable sanitary products. These include Glyphosate (the active ingredient in weed killer) and Rayon (abrasive fibers that can cause tiny scratches). So do your vagina a favour and invest in organic tampons, or better yet — a moon cup. There’s an app that was approved by the FDA as a legitimate form of contraception The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has just approved an app called Natural Cycles as a form of contraception. While the idea of not using birth control is outrageous and out of the question for some, other women are looking for viable, natural alternatives to contraception — and this may just be one. Women using similar apps from Clue and Daysy are reporting feeling more in touch with their bodies after using these apps. It’s no surprise, seeing as the apps work by having you enter data (like your basal body temperature) and then using an Algorithm to predict when you’ll ovulate, when you’ll get menstruate and when you’re fertile so you know when to use backup contraception. You can sync your cycle for greater creativity, productivity and health Speaking of your cycle, there’s more knowledge circulating than ever before on the topic of the female hormonal cycle. Author Alissa Vitti of the must-read Woman Code is helping to spearhead the growing movement. You might have heard buzz words like ‘mindful menstruating’ lately. So what’s it all about? Well, women do a lot more than just menstruate and ovulate; we also have two other cycles in the month called the follicular phase (which happens after menstruation and before ovulation) and the luteal phase, (occurring after ovulation). Vitti recommends syncing your schedule and diet with your cycle, for greater productivity, alignment and a sense of wellbeing. Here’s a little crash course on it below: Menstruation - associated with winter time, menstruation it’s a time for rest and reflection. It’s said that the barriers between your conscious and subconscious mind are lowered during this time and your awareness is heightened — so it’s an ideal time to listen to those subtle messages and take stock. In ancient times, women would have red tent gatherings Follicular Phase - Associated with spring, you might experience greater ambition, motivation and determination in this phase. It’s a great time for brainstorming, starting new ideas and meeting new people. Ovulation - Said to be the ‘fruitful’ summer phase, it’s a time of high productivity, creative impulse and sexual energy. The full moon mirrors the egg at this phase. Your ability to communicate clearly is heightened at this time, as well as your confidence, so it’s a strategic time to have any challenging conversations. Luteal Phase – Your energy may remain high at the beginning of the Luteal phase, but scale back as you feel your energy lower again. It’s the female biological autumn phase where intuition is heightened and where you may feel a need for more self-care, time alone, or authentic conversation. Better known as PMS, it’s a great time to acknowledge, accept and have compassion for the emotions that come up during this phase and not expect too much of ourselves. It’s a time for letting go and releasing what is no longer serving us. A jade egg is useful for more than just pleasure One of the pioneers of the yoni egg movement Rosie Rees, says that she uses her jade egg as more of a self-care ritual. “I guess I have less of a fantasy goal-orientated self-pleasure practice and more of an enriching self-loving ritual,” she shares on her Youtube Channel. Aside from their well-known use for self-pleasure, Rosie also says you can use them to strengthen the muscles in your vagina after having a baby, or for those with incontinence when running or sneezing. She suggests keeping them in for half a day (or even a whole day) to get the full benefits. Each egg is formed from a different crystal with its own healing capabilities, for self-love, she suggests the rose quartz and for healing of negative energy, the black obsidian crystal. Lastly, before using them, she suggests boiling your crystals in hot water, before cleansing them by placing them in the sunlight or ocean. #saggyboobs matter If you haven’t yet heard of Chidera Eggerue, she’s a female force to be reckoned with and a voice of reason in a world that upholds impossible ‘beauty’ standards. A healing force for women round the world who want to learn to accept their bodies exactly as they are, we highly recommend immersing and empowering yourself in Chidera’s world either on her Instagram, or reading her book “What a Time To Be Alone.” Fight with your feminine, not your masculine Ladies, we already live in a patriarchy and while there are more women in positions of power (hello New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinta Arden), it’s so important that we use our feminine energy, not our masculine, to create change. The world is not in need of more masculine women, the world is in need of more feminine qualities in positions of power. Here’s a couple of inspiring talks on the topic to get you started: We need to restore femininity | Michelle Miler | TEDxAmsterdam Dare to be feminine for gut’s sake | Kaouthar Darmoni | TEDxEde Photo credit @eunoiasoulrituals POPULAR TAGS | goodness pick, discover, trending, popular reads Ella Liascos Ella is a travel and wellness writer from the port town of Fremantle. Yoga, dance and travel are her three greatest loves — and you'll find her at one of Perth's amazing yoga studios almost every day. A curious and purposeful traveller; she's studied yoga in India, worked surf retreats in Sri Lanka and has danced her way through Central America and the US.