April 22, 2025 • 28 mins
Body literacy transforms how we relate to our bodies by teaching us to understand hormonal shifts, physical sensations, and emotional patterns, beyond just tracking our periods.
• Cervical mucus changes throughout your cycle, becoming clear and stretchy during ovulation
• Basal body temperature rises slightly after ovulation and stays elevated until your next period
• Skin breakouts and digestive issues often follow hormonal patterns connected to your menstrual cycle
• Mood and mental clarity fluctuate predictably with hormonal changes
• Libido typically increases during ovulation due to estrogen and testosterone surges
• Black women face higher rates of misdiagnosis, making body literacy an essential advocacy tool
• Body literacy practice can start with a simple daily log of symptoms and sensations
• Ask yourself daily: "What is my body asking for today?"
Come hang with me over on Instagram at the Tea with Tanya podcast page! Share your aha moments, DM me your questions, and let's work on building body literacy together.
This is our year of reclaiming wellness with softness and strategy.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Tea with Tanya.
I'm your host, tanya Ambrose,an average millennial navigating
life as a maternal healthprofessional, non-profit founder
and grad student.
Join me in the Tea Tasting Roomwhere we spill the tea on
finding balance and promotingpositive living while doing it
all.
(00:20):
Hey, my friends, welcome backto Tea with Tanya.
Thank you for joining me herein the Tea Tasting Room for
another week of some tea, foranother week of just hanging out
, having some real and honestconversation as it relates to
our health and wellness and, ofcourse, promoting positive
living.
(00:40):
I hope I really do hope thatyou have done something for
yourself within this last week.
So by the time you would haveleft the Tea Tasting Room last
week.
I hope, I really do hope thatyou have done something for
yourself within this last week.
So by the time you would haveread the tea tasting room last
week, I hope you did somethingpositive for yourself.
For me, your girl is slackingbecause, let me tell you, I am
knee deep all the way knee deepinto the many assignments that I
have due to.
All of a sudden, they seem tobe due on the same day or on the
(01:01):
same time, like why is thishappening to me?
I don't know.
And of course, now you know,winding down to the end of the
semester, and as much as I'mstressed out as it relates to
having to make sure all myassignments are done and all my
presentations are ready, youknow I'm already an overachiever
, so of course the pressure iseven worse.
The pressure is getting worse.
Okay, so it's just, it'sbittersweet.
(01:24):
I don't know.
I'll probably share thisjourney with you guys in the
next episode or so, but it isreally bittersweet as it relates
to me getting ready to graduateon May.
In May the best month, ofcourse, because you know that's
my birth month.
That's the month that might notprobably have our event as well
, but it's just the best month.
But to be graduating in mybirth month, it's amazing.
(01:44):
But it's just so bittersweetbecause what is my life going to
be like after grad school?
I feel like, you know, part ofmy life has just become, my
personality, essentially, hasjust become you know, this girl
that's in grad school.
She's in grad school full time,she works full time, she has a
nonprofit, a part, so manydifferent and then for this to
be taken away, of course in agood way, in the next three
(02:05):
weeks or so I just don't knowwhat my life is going to be.
Everybody keeps telling me areyou excited?
You should be excited X, y, z,and I am.
I am beyond the moon, like whenI say I'm going all out.
I am going all out for thisgraduation because when I
graduated from Georgia StateUniversity with my undergrad,
the graduation was basically melooking at a computer screen,
because that was in the heart ofCOVID-19, that pandemic.
(02:27):
So I am definitely going allout for my graduation.
But, yeah, it's bittersweet.
So send some good energy toyour friend here in the tea
tasting room because she isthriving, essentially.
But she's also having a littlebit of a fear as it relates to
the unknown.
But she's also having a littlebit of a fear as it relates to
the unknown, like what is lifegoing to be like after
(02:48):
graduation, especially given theclimate that we're living in in
this country as it relates tofunding being slashed left,
right and center.
You know it's a veryinteresting time to be a public
health professional, so it'sbittersweet for some.
I'm graduating school.
What am I going to do after?
The idea of finding, you know,potentially a dream job?
Or you know, it shouldn'thappen in a different way.
It's all a bit shaky right now,but I, you know, I'm grateful
(03:11):
for the job that I have and I'mjust looking forward to what's
next, you know, leading more inmy faith to see what's going to
happen next in this life.
All right, before we dive in totoday's episode, I just want to
tell you I'm so grateful, myfriend, for the love and the
feedback from the last twoepisodes One featuring Dr
Natasha Ramsey and if youhaven't listened to this episode
(03:32):
, I do recommend you listen tothat and then last week's
episode of Period Peace.
You guys have been in the DMsin my WhatsApp telling me how
much you appreciate the episode.
So please, my friend, I'mtelling you I appreciate the
feedback, but please go aheadand just, you know, rate and
leave a review on Apple Podcastswherever you listen to your
podcast, so you know what youcan help boost your girl up in
(03:54):
this podcasting space.
All right, but so many of youhave shared.
You know how it helped youreflect on your own menstrual
cycle and you know to connectwith your body as well.
So it made me feel good,because that's exactly what this
space is for here in the TeaTasting Room, and that's
honestly what inspired today'sconversation as well, because
now that we are all thinkingabout our cycles, more you know
(04:16):
from a mindfulness standpoint,more mindfully, it's time for us
to take it a step further.
Okay, so, yes, we're going to betalking about body literacy and
understanding your body beyondyour period.
And if you're wondering whatexactly is body literacy, don't
worry, my friend, we are aboutto break it down together, all
right?
So make sure you grab yourfavorite cup of tea or your
(04:37):
drink of choice.
For me, I'm sipping on somechamomile and lavender tea in
the middle of the day.
Yes, because I need to calm mybody a little bit.
It's too much, and if you'reafraid, to just calm down, just
a little bit.
But anyway, let's get rightinto it, my friend.
So let's start with the basics.
Body literacy is the practice oflearning how your body works,
(04:58):
recognizing its pattern andusing that knowledge to make
informed choices about yourhealth and life.
This goes way beyond, my friend.
This goes way beyond justknowing when your period starts.
It's about understanding thehormonal shifts in your body,
your cervical mucus, your basalbody temperature.
You know your energy levels,digestion, mood, skin changes,
(05:21):
because that's a real thing.
Libido fluctuation, becausethat's also not a real thing.
And your sleep cycles as well.
So it's about noticing whatyour body is trying to tell you
every day, not just whensomething feels off, and I
usually I'm guilty of this inthe past, where I would wait
until I'm at the end or, youknow, I just say something hit
(05:41):
the fan for me to really andtruly pay attention to what my
body has been telling me a weekbefore or days before.
So you definitely want toensure that you know, you're
more in tune with your body andgetting an understanding of
these things because, again,it's going to help you to
understand why something feelsoff.
So think of it like learning anew language.
(06:01):
Your body speaks in symptoms,signals and sensations, and body
literacy is the fluency webuild to understand it.
All right, and it's not just awellness trend, because I know
so many different things on theTikTok, the Instagram, the
Facebook, snapchat, whateveryou're on, there's so many
trends as it relates to wellness.
(06:23):
But this is not reallynecessarily a wellness trend.
It is honestly backed byscience, biomarkers and cycle
phases.
They tend to report a betteremotional well-being, stronger
(06:47):
reproductive agency and improvedhealth outcomes.
So I'm not just saying, oh hey,you know, check your
temperature, observe yourcervical mucus.
Your body is telling you astory, it's telling you
something.
So you definitely want to beaware so that when you're seeing
your care provider you'rebetter, you know, you're able to
improve your health outcomes.
But also explain what is it thatyou've seen?
(07:07):
Because nobody's going to knowyour body better than you.
I won't know your body morethan you, even if we talk here
in the TSA Zoom, you know, inthe DMs.
I can only give you so muchwithin my scope of practice.
But also, again, it's just asign or a way for you to learn
and really lean in to what yourbody is telling you.
Too many times we tend tolisten to what our healthcare
(07:28):
provider is saying with nopushback.
Oh, you know what?
Take this medication, dowhatever it's like.
No, you need to know what'sgoing on in your body so you can
know yea or nay.
I don't think this is going tobe the right method of treatment
for something.
You know what I mean.
So really and truly, speak upand just know more about your
body, understand those fertilitybiomarkers and your cycle
phases so that you can have youknow better emotional well-being
(07:49):
and, of course, your agencywhen it comes to your
reproductive health.
So here's where it gets real,my friend, you already know your
period is a vital sign.
Or, if you didn't know, youknow now.
Your period is a vital sign.
But your body is giving youdata long before and after your
period shows up.
Okay, so let's talk about thesigns.
(08:12):
First thing is going to be thecervical mucus.
This is your vaginal discharge.
You know it changes with yourcycle, so during ovulation it
becomes more clear, stretchy andlike egg white.
It looks like egg white,essentially.
Right Now.
This isn't gross.
I'm just saying it's making melaugh because me and my friend
(08:33):
Hannah shout out to Hannah mycoworker, who turned my friend
the conversations that we haveabout our body, because she's
also a certified reproductivelife specialist.
So the conversations that wehave, especially at work or even
via text, you know, talkingabout ovulation, or this is how
my cervical mucus is lookingtoday.
Girl, if you're in that textthread, you're going to be like
girl, what are you talking about?
But it's normal.
(08:54):
It's important that wenormalize this conversation
because, again, this isn't gross, it's powerful.
This discharge during ovulationliterally helps sperm travel
and it's also a sign offertility as well.
So that's how you understand.
Again, we're talking aboutfertility.
If you're someone who's tryingto conceive, these are the
things that you want to payattention to.
(09:14):
You know, when you payattention to your mucus, it
helps you to understand whenyou're most fertile and when
your body's under stress as well.
So that's something to look foras well fertile and when your
body's under stress as well, sothat's something to look for as
well.
So you know, sometimes you knowI may have this discharge and
you're thinking essentiallysomething negative or thinking
that it's ghost.
It's like no, your body'stelling you where you are in
your cycle and it's also tellingyou, you know what your body's
(09:35):
under stress.
That's why you're seeingcertain things.
It's very important that you'reable to recognize these things
so you can have theseconversations with your care
provider or, you know, yourgynecologist, whatever the case
may be.
So pay attention to your mucus,your discharge, because, again,
it helps you to understand whereyou are in your menstrual cycle
and if something again seemsdifferent or off during, let's
(09:57):
say, your ovulation phase, youknow it's time to call your
doctor to see what is going onwith your body.
You know what I mean and thenext thing you want to do is to
track your basal bodytemperature, aka BBT.
Your BBT is your body's restingtemperature.
That's usually taken the firstthing in the morning After
(10:18):
ovulation.
Your BBT it rises slightly andit tends to stay elevated until
your next period.
So when you track your BBT, itrises slightly and it tends to
stay elevated until your nextperiod.
So when you track your BBT, youknow it really and truly helps
you to pinpoint ovulation andnotice any sort of dysfunctional
irregularities when it comes toyour thyroid and your hormones.
It definitely helps you to beable to communicate that to your
(10:40):
healthcare provider.
So again, we want to get in thehabit of testing our basal body
temperature.
It's very simple, you know.
Again, we're trying to see whatour body is telling us.
We're trying to build thatstory, create that story.
So we know this is a bit highor a bit low.
Something is off here.
So you definitely want to lookinto tracking your basal body
temperature.
And the next thing to thinkabout is the Skin and gut
(11:03):
changes.
Child, let me tell you the skinand gut changes Acne flare-ups,
bloating shows up likeclockwork, let me tell you Me.
And bloating, at this point wego together real bad and I hate
it so bad.
But these are hormonemessengers, right.
So when you think aboutestrogen and then progesterone,
they both affect digestion andinflammation.
(11:24):
So then you know, your skinbreakouts or your digestive
system or issues might be as aresult of your cycle as well.
For me, like I told mygynecologist recently, this
stomach of mine, the way I'mbloated, I can't, it's becoming
more and more annoying.
But also, she ran severaldifferent tests to see.
Okay, you know what, let'sstart with your thyroid, like I
would have mentioned with yourBBT.
(11:45):
Let's start with your thyroid,like I would have mentioned with
your bbt.
Let's start with your thyroid.
Let's test different hormonallevels to see where we are and
what's contributing toessentially, either my, my
weight gain or you know what'sgoing on in my gut and why my
skin.
Well, my skin is flawless rightnow.
To be honest, you know I'mgonna toot my own horn there,
but you know I do have likedifferent pimples and stuff
during the my, either myovulation or the menstrual phase
(12:06):
of my menstrual cycle.
But again, these are thechanges that happens in your
body when it comes to your skinand your gut changes.
Sometimes we tend to say Idon't have period acne this
month, but then sometimes thatacne does not disappear after
you're done bleeding.
So essentially, again, this isalso a sign that something could
potentially be off with yourhormones as well.
(12:27):
So we got to look into itreally and truly.
You want to be in tune.
That's how in tune you need tobe with your body.
Looking at your skin oh, I havethis breakout.
I haven't had a breakout in solong.
That's not your norm.
This is another way again totrack your skin and your gut,
any changes in your skin andyour gut as well.
And then you know you want tolook at your mood and your
mental clarity.
Like you ever notice thatyou're more focused one week and
(12:49):
foggy the next.
Hello, that's me.
Let me tell you, when I getinto that focus era, that focus
week, I am locked in andeverything gets done.
You know, then the next week islike I'm going to take a rest
day or I don't have the desireto do it.
So, when I would have mentionedin the previous episode about
your menstrual cycle and thethings that you should be doing
at each phase, it is very, veryimportant, you know, because,
(13:10):
again, like I say, when you knowwe have people tell us she's on
her period.
Is she acting that way?
No, it's not often true.
You're not often bleedingduring that time.
You are at a particular phasein your menstrual cycle that is
responsible for having your moodor your energy be much lower or
higher throughout thatparticular phase.
So you know, we're not going totake it as an insult, because
you know what, sometimes peoplejust don't know better.
And if they want to say, oh,you know she's being moody
(13:31):
because she's on her period, youknow, let them be, Just educate
them and say you know what I'mactually on my anyway.
Estrogen boosts serotonin, whileprogesterone can have a calming
(13:53):
or a sleepy effect.
So knowing this helps you toplan tasks or give yourself more
grace, because one thing I'mgonna do I'm getting better at
is giving myself grace.
When I'm in a particular phaseof my menstrual cycle, when,
when my energy is low, I justfeel sleepy, I don't want to
talk to anybody, I'm going togive myself grace and I dictate
(14:13):
how much I can push through toget a task done.
You know, when the energy ishigh, like I would have
mentioned, I'm going to crimeeverything I can in that week.
I'm going to get everythingdone because I know the
following week I'm not going tobe my best self, but at least I
know I would have done.
I would have set myself up forsuccess because I would have
planned and did things duringthat serotonin boost.
(14:34):
And then let's talk about ourlibido.
It fluctuates, we're going tobe honest.
If you listen to this, it doesfluctuate.
You're likely to feel moredesire during ovulation because
of the surge in your estrogenand your and their testosterone.
Now, if you're a woman herewho've ever menstruated and
you've ovulated, you know that'swhen you start having all the
feelings you want to call upthis person that you can't stand
(14:56):
.
You know you have oh, you knowan ex.
That way, let me call see howyou doing.
What's going on now.
That's that's really and trulywhat happens during ovulation.
But we got to be strong, myfriend.
We're not going to pick up thephone and call a waste man.
You understand me.
We are not going to essentiallydo that.
But you know this is notsomething to be ashamed of.
(15:17):
To be honest, you know it'sjust biology.
We have no control over this.
I don't care what medicationyou want to take.
We have absolutely no controlover how we feel, especially,
you know, during that ovulationperiod of our menstrual cycle,
your libido is going tofluctuate.
You're going to have a highdesire to do X, y, z, or you're
going to have a low desire, andthen that's also OK.
(15:38):
You know what I mean.
So, knowing this, it helps youto understand yourself in
relationships and your ownself-care needs.
Because you know, because oncethat ovulation comes for me, you
have a bunch of differentcravings you start thinking
about oh, the past, oh, let mecall this person.
Then you know what.
If you're like me, you got tojust take a deep breath.
I'm like you know what, tanya?
No, we're not going to do that,because now I'm able to
recognize, obviously, certainpoints in my menstrual cycle
(16:01):
where I'm going to have aparticular feeling.
But also I know in my heart,you know what.
No, this is not the right thingto do.
So don't be ashamed if youstart feeling the way you're
feeling during ovulation phase.
If you want to call a person up, that's up to you.
But you know, make sure youhave some boundaries as well,
all right, but it doesn't needto be a shame, it's just part of
biology.
But once you understand this,especially in your different
relationships, you know, you'llbe able to know how to care for
(16:23):
yourself and what you need aswell.
You know what I mean.
All right, so let's talk aboutwhy this conversation matters so
deeply to me, and just to youas well, my friend.
You know, as Black women, ifwe're being honest, you know we
are often dismissed ormisdiagnosed, and research
consistently shows that we aremore likely to experience
(16:47):
delayed diagnosis, especiallyfor things like endometriosis,
fibroids, pcos and, you know,other autoimmune disorders as
well.
And when you look at the CDCdata, yes, I am who I am, you
know, with the little data thatwe have, because we know what's
going on here.
But the CDC data confirms thatsystemic bias and limited
(17:08):
provider time contribute tothese disparities and that's why
it's very important for me totalk about it here in the
podcast and even just to myfriends in general and just when
I do speaking engagements.
You know that's why bodyliteracy is a liberation tool,
because for far too long, youknow the disparities that we
(17:29):
face, especially in this countrywhere I live, in the United
States, as a Black woman, youhave to work 10 times harder,
you have to speak up real hardor as aggressive to get the care
that you need, depending onwhat your care provider is.
It's why I also advocate forcommunity health workers,
because they are the bridge.
We serve as the bridge to apatient or an individual like
(17:50):
yourself and the care provider,because sometimes you go to
these doctors, you're spending20, 30 minutes in there.
What are they doing?
Checking basic vital signs orwhatever the case may be, but
you don't often get heard and ittakes you a long time sometimes
when things already go southbefore you can get any sort of
diagnosis Again.
That's why I say body literacyis important when I'm talking
(18:12):
about your libido and where youare in your cycle and how you're
going to feel.
I'm not just saying thisbecause it's a conversation to
have.
It's more so.
It's a need, it's a requirement, because if you don't know
about your body, I can guaranteeyou your healthcare provider,
your doctors, aren't going toknow about your body more than
you.
So you're the one that shouldbe in tune so you can
communicate with your primarycare provider so they know.
(18:34):
This is what Tanya is saying.
Let me see.
Sometimes they'll dismiss you.
That's the reality of it all.
They'll dismiss certain thingsbecause they don't have the time
, but again, once you'reinformed, again, once you're
using body literacy as aliberation tool.
Nobody can say anything and ifthat person isn't giving you the
care that you need, you move onto somebody else.
You know what I mean.
It's never too late to evenchange your care provider.
(18:55):
But you know, when we know ourown patterns and signals, you
know you can speak upconfidently at the doctor's
office, you can catch red flagsearly, you can also advocate for
the care you deserve and youcan track and respond to stress,
which we know really and trulyit impacts us in a major way.
So you definitely want toensure that you can track these
(19:16):
signals and these patterns,because body literacy isn't just
about tracking a cycle, it'sabout reclaiming your body, your
rhythm and your peace.
So, when you're thinking aboutbody literacy, remember this, my
friend it's not just abouttracking your cycle, it's about
reclaiming your body, yourrhythm and your peace.
All right, and I will say this,you know I remember someone
(19:39):
asked me how can I startpracticing body literacy?
And you know you don'tnecessarily need any fancy tools
to begin with, because I knowagain, in this wellness space,
sometimes we want to buyeverything that we see on TikTok
Because, I'll be honest, myTikTok shop I have 166 items,
166 items in my TikTok cartBecause you know you're seeing
(20:00):
certain things.
Do I need them?
Absolutely not.
But again, you know, that isjust how it is.
We're thinking that we needcertain things to begin a
particular part or area of ourlife.
You know what I mean.
Don't be like me and have allthese things in your cart.
That is ridiculous.
But you don't need any fancytools to begin with.
You know, here's how you canactually start when it comes to
wanting to practice and beingbody literate as well.
First thing, I will say and Istarted this many years ago and
(20:24):
you know I've been inconsistenthere and, if I can be honest
with you, but you know, the lastyear or so I've been consistent
because, again, going throughcertain things, you know, as a
migraine girly, you know certainhealth issues that you, you're
coming across.
I need to make sure I haveeverything documented as well.
So I encourage you to.
If you want to start practicingbody literacy, or how to become
body literacy, I'm encouragingyou to start, and here's how you
(20:47):
can Each day, you're going tojot down how you slept, your
energy level, your mood, yourdischarge if you notice any
discharge, that is, you know youwant to track your appetite,
cravings or your digestion.
And then you also want to trackyour emotions or your stress
(21:08):
levels and, to be honest, justtwo to three minutes a day can
make a world of difference.
It may sound a lot when I'mtelling you to get a journal,
but I remember one time when Iwas, you know, first, when I was
really deep into like my reallyreally severe migraines and I
had to do a migraine log.
I had to put what did I eat forthe day, what physical activity
I did, did I have a migraine,what time did it start, what
time did it end, these differentthings.
(21:29):
And that kind of got me in theway of really and truly just
documenting everything for me,because for me, if I don't write
something down, it's either notgoing to happen or it's not
going to be committed to memory.
I know we have all smartphonesand everything, but you
definitely want to create a bodylog or a journal because you're
going to journal every day howyou slept, your energy level,
your mood, your discharge, ifyou notice any.
You know your appetite,cravings or digestion.
(21:51):
You know emotions or stress.
Again, it's going to make aworld of difference, but it's
also going to teach you.
You're going to becomeconsistent in wanting to really
update yourself about your lifeand then, when it comes to any
issues that may seem off, youcan go back to this journal to
see you know what.
Well, on this day I was feelingthis pain, or I was, I was
feeling this way, but then, liketwo weeks later, you know, so
you're able to come pee and seewhat is going on and I will say,
(22:14):
you know is going on.
And I will say, you know, I'mrecommending this.
But I also have a love-haterelationship, if I can be honest
, and it's, you know, use acycle tracking app.
Now, I'm not going to sit hereand pretend like I don't use an
app.
I had the two apps that I useconsistently because one.
Sometimes, you know, I do writewhat I got to write now because
I'm old school, but you knowit's also convenient when you're
(22:34):
on the go.
I'm not going to name those twoapps, but you know there's so
many cycling track it after youcan use as well.
But I will say one of thereasons why I kind of like have
a love-hate relationship isbecause, again, the taking of
data and I became much moreskeptical, if I can be honest,
my friend, when things were justgoing south here in the US, you
know we have the emergence ofAI, which, south here in the US
(22:57):
you know we have the emergenceof AI, which is fine.
But then also, when it came tothe abortion laws or
reproductive health issues,that's been happening across the
state or the country, you know,when they were like, oh, we're
going to use that, we're goingto use your whatever you use
here for your data on thesedifferent apps to track you,
(23:20):
like, mind, your business.
So that's kind of where thatthe love-hate relationship come,
because it is convenient totrack your period and just, you
know, document certain things,that where you are in your cycle
and whatnot, but also I'm notsure where's my data going
anymore.
So that's kind of why I havethe love-hate relationship.
But, like I said, I still usethem.
I'm just not gonna say whichone I use.
You know what I mean.
And then pen and paper work too.
Good old school ways, like whenyou first started a period or
whatever we knew we had todocument from day one down to
28,.
Whatever Pen and paper, itworks too, you know.
(23:41):
But you want to track yourperiod.
When your period starts, thatfirst thing.
When you see in that blood, youwant to start it then and then
you want to track how long itlasts and any symptoms you may
have.
Again, a lot of these apps theydo have that, where you can
just input it.
You can do it that way, but youcan also use a pen and paper
and just really and truly trackdown.
I kind of make it like a bulletpoint what is it called?
(24:02):
Like a bullet journaling, whereyou have your okay, I want to
have this intake of water, Iwant to do whatever you can
track it.
And it makes for a Sunday.
I sit down with my book, mylittle notebook that I have, and
I'm writing X, y, z as itrelates to my menstrual cycle or
where I'm in the phase.
So it really truly.
You know it does make a littledifference, but again, you can
(24:22):
either choose to use a pen andpaper or you can use the cycle
tracking apps.
Go for it.
And the third thing is you wantto watch for patterns, not
perfection, and I had to learnthis the hard way.
You perfection, and I had tolearn this the hard way.
You're not looking to controlyour body, you are actually
learning from it.
So it's really okay if thingsfluctuate.
You're gathering insight, notdiagnosing yourself.
(24:45):
Because if you're like me, letme tell you one thing I'm going
to do.
I'm going to Google something.
I'm like girl, you know what?
No, we're not doing this, we'renot doing that.
So again, I had to, like youknow, stray away from the whole
perfection aspect of things.
It's okay if things fluctuate,that's fine.
That's another way for you togather insight and not diagnose
yourself.
So you know, you know what, onthis week or this day, this is
what happened.
(25:06):
Or this month, this is whathappened.
So you can go back and say youknow what, three months ago,
this is how things were goingversus now, not only just for
you personally, also when you'retalking to your care provider
as well.
And the fourth thing is to askyourself daily what is my body
asking for today?
Okay, this question alone itbuilds trust between you and
(25:26):
your body.
Right, me and my body.
You know we're trusting eachother because one thing I'm
going to do now, if I'm not inthe mood to do something or I
can't push through, it's notgoing to get done in that moment
.
You know, I still strugglesometimes because, again, I'm an
overachiever and I do a lot, soI have things to do.
But the question that I askmyself most times is what is my
body asking me for today?
Whatever it is asking for, itis going to get.
(25:48):
I can guarantee you that.
So that's essentially how youcan start practicing body
literacy.
It's to start a body log orjournal.
It's to use the cycle trackingapp or pen and paper too as well
to track your period, how longit lasts, and any symptoms
during that time, your differentmenstrual phases, and then you
can watch for patterns notperfection, because you're not
looking to control your body,you're looking to learn from it.
(26:10):
And then, of course, askyourself daily what is my body
asking for today?
That's how you build the trustbetween you and your body.
My friend, as we come to theend of this episode, our bodies
are wise.
I want you to know that ourbodies are wise.
They speak in rhythms, inwhispers, in nudges, and
(26:30):
learning to listen to our body.
That's, honestly, ultimately,body literacy.
This is how we shift fromsurvival mode to sacred
awareness, honestly, from shameto understanding, from
exhaustion to empowered care.
So this week I want to inviteyou to start your body literacy
(26:53):
journey.
From this week, start a dailycheck-in journey.
From this week, start a dailycheck-in.
Write just one sentence.
That's all it takes.
Write one sentence, track onechange and ask one question.
That's all.
I'm not asking for much fromyou, my friend.
Your body isn't a mystery, it'sa map, and my doctor once told
me that your body isn't amystery.
It's a map.
You just need the language toread it right and honestly.
(27:16):
You don't have to do it aloneeither.
You don't have to do it alone.
Come and hang with me over onInstagram at the Tea with Tanya
podcast page and just let meknow, or even send me an email.
Just let me know what you'renoticing, you know.
Share any sort of aha moments,dm me your questions, because
this conversation goes waybeyond this episode, and let's
just really keep building thisliteracy together, or body
(27:37):
literacy, because this is ouryear 2025.
This is our year of reclaimingwellness with softness and
strategy.
Until next time, my friend,stay whole, stay grounded and
you know what?
Sip slow.
I love you for listening.
Thank you for joining me foranother episode of Tea with
Tanya.
If you like this episode, besure to share it with a friend.
(28:00):
Don't forget to follow onInstagram at Tea with Tanya
Podcast.
Be sure to subscribe to theweekly Tea Talk newsletter and,
of course, rate on Apple orSpotify and subscribe wherever
you listen.
See you next time.
I love you for listening.
Welcome to Tea with Tanya.
I'm your host, tanya Ambrose,an average millennial navigating
life as a maternal healthprofessional, non-profit founder
and grad student.
Join me in the Tea Tasting Roomwhere we spill the tea on
finding balance and promotingpositive living while doing it
all.
(00:20):
Hey, my friends, welcome backto Tea with Tanya.
Thank you for joining me herein the Tea Tasting Room for
another week of some tea, foranother week of just hanging out
, having some real and honestconversation as it relates to
our health and wellness and, ofcourse, promoting positive
living.
(00:40):
I hope I really do hope thatyou have done something for
yourself within this last week.
So by the time you would haveleft the Tea Tasting Room last
week.
I hope, I really do hope thatyou have done something for
yourself within this last week.
So by the time you would haveread the tea tasting room last
week, I hope you did somethingpositive for yourself.
For me, your girl is slackingbecause, let me tell you, I am
knee deep all the way knee deepinto the many assignments that I
have due to.
All of a sudden, they seem tobe due on the same day or on the
(01:01):
same time, like why is thishappening to me?
I don't know.
And of course, now you know,winding down to the end of the
semester, and as much as I'mstressed out as it relates to
having to make sure all myassignments are done and all my
presentations are ready, youknow I'm already an overachiever
, so of course the pressure iseven worse.
The pressure is getting worse.
Okay, so it's just, it'sbittersweet.
(01:24):
I don't know.
I'll probably share thisjourney with you guys in the
next episode or so, but it isreally bittersweet as it relates
to me getting ready to graduateon May.
In May the best month, ofcourse, because you know that's
my birth month.
That's the month that might notprobably have our event as well
, but it's just the best month.
But to be graduating in mybirth month, it's amazing.
(01:44):
But it's just so bittersweetbecause what is my life going to
be like after grad school?
I feel like, you know, part ofmy life has just become, my
personality, essentially, hasjust become you know, this girl
that's in grad school.
She's in grad school full time,she works full time, she has a
nonprofit, a part, so manydifferent and then for this to
be taken away, of course in agood way, in the next three
(02:05):
weeks or so I just don't knowwhat my life is going to be.
Everybody keeps telling me areyou excited?
You should be excited X, y, z,and I am.
I am beyond the moon, like whenI say I'm going all out.
I am going all out for thisgraduation because when I
graduated from Georgia StateUniversity with my undergrad,
the graduation was basically melooking at a computer screen,
because that was in the heart ofCOVID-19, that pandemic.
(02:27):
So I am definitely going allout for my graduation.
But, yeah, it's bittersweet.
So send some good energy toyour friend here in the tea
tasting room because she isthriving, essentially.
But she's also having a littlebit of a fear as it relates to
the unknown.
But she's also having a littlebit of a fear as it relates to
the unknown, like what is lifegoing to be like after
(02:48):
graduation, especially given theclimate that we're living in in
this country as it relates tofunding being slashed left,
right and center.
You know it's a veryinteresting time to be a public
health professional, so it'sbittersweet for some.
I'm graduating school.
What am I going to do after?
The idea of finding, you know,potentially a dream job?
Or you know, it shouldn'thappen in a different way.
It's all a bit shaky right now,but I, you know, I'm grateful
(03:11):
for the job that I have and I'mjust looking forward to what's
next, you know, leading more inmy faith to see what's going to
happen next in this life.
All right, before we dive in totoday's episode, I just want to
tell you I'm so grateful, myfriend, for the love and the
feedback from the last twoepisodes One featuring Dr
Natasha Ramsey and if youhaven't listened to this episode
(03:32):
, I do recommend you listen tothat and then last week's
episode of Period Peace.
You guys have been in the DMsin my WhatsApp telling me how
much you appreciate the episode.
So please, my friend, I'mtelling you I appreciate the
feedback, but please go aheadand just, you know, rate and
leave a review on Apple Podcastswherever you listen to your
podcast, so you know what youcan help boost your girl up in
(03:54):
this podcasting space.
All right, but so many of youhave shared.
You know how it helped youreflect on your own menstrual
cycle and you know to connectwith your body as well.
So it made me feel good,because that's exactly what this
space is for here in the TeaTasting Room, and that's
honestly what inspired today'sconversation as well, because
now that we are all thinkingabout our cycles, more you know
(04:16):
from a mindfulness standpoint,more mindfully, it's time for us
to take it a step further.
Okay, so, yes, we're going to betalking about body literacy and
understanding your body beyondyour period.
And if you're wondering whatexactly is body literacy, don't
worry, my friend, we are aboutto break it down together, all
right?
So make sure you grab yourfavorite cup of tea or your
(04:37):
drink of choice.
For me, I'm sipping on somechamomile and lavender tea in
the middle of the day.
Yes, because I need to calm mybody a little bit.
It's too much, and if you'reafraid, to just calm down, just
a little bit.
But anyway, let's get rightinto it, my friend.
So let's start with the basics.
Body literacy is the practice oflearning how your body works,
(04:58):
recognizing its pattern andusing that knowledge to make
informed choices about yourhealth and life.
This goes way beyond, my friend.
This goes way beyond justknowing when your period starts.
It's about understanding thehormonal shifts in your body,
your cervical mucus, your basalbody temperature.
You know your energy levels,digestion, mood, skin changes,
(05:21):
because that's a real thing.
Libido fluctuation, becausethat's also not a real thing.
And your sleep cycles as well.
So it's about noticing whatyour body is trying to tell you
every day, not just whensomething feels off, and I
usually I'm guilty of this inthe past, where I would wait
until I'm at the end or, youknow, I just say something hit
(05:41):
the fan for me to really andtruly pay attention to what my
body has been telling me a weekbefore or days before.
So you definitely want toensure that you know, you're
more in tune with your body andgetting an understanding of
these things because, again,it's going to help you to
understand why something feelsoff.
So think of it like learning anew language.
(06:01):
Your body speaks in symptoms,signals and sensations, and body
literacy is the fluency webuild to understand it.
All right, and it's not just awellness trend, because I know
so many different things on theTikTok, the Instagram, the
Facebook, snapchat, whateveryou're on, there's so many
trends as it relates to wellness.
(06:23):
But this is not reallynecessarily a wellness trend.
It is honestly backed byscience, biomarkers and cycle
phases.
They tend to report a betteremotional well-being, stronger
(06:47):
reproductive agency and improvedhealth outcomes.
So I'm not just saying, oh hey,you know, check your
temperature, observe yourcervical mucus.
Your body is telling you astory, it's telling you
something.
So you definitely want to beaware so that when you're seeing
your care provider you'rebetter, you know, you're able to
improve your health outcomes.
But also explain what is it thatyou've seen?
(07:07):
Because nobody's going to knowyour body better than you.
I won't know your body morethan you, even if we talk here
in the TSA Zoom, you know, inthe DMs.
I can only give you so muchwithin my scope of practice.
But also, again, it's just asign or a way for you to learn
and really lean in to what yourbody is telling you.
Too many times we tend tolisten to what our healthcare
(07:28):
provider is saying with nopushback.
Oh, you know what?
Take this medication, dowhatever it's like.
No, you need to know what'sgoing on in your body so you can
know yea or nay.
I don't think this is going tobe the right method of treatment
for something.
You know what I mean.
So really and truly, speak upand just know more about your
body, understand those fertilitybiomarkers and your cycle
phases so that you can have youknow better emotional well-being
(07:49):
and, of course, your agencywhen it comes to your
reproductive health.
So here's where it gets real,my friend, you already know your
period is a vital sign.
Or, if you didn't know, youknow now.
Your period is a vital sign.
But your body is giving youdata long before and after your
period shows up.
Okay, so let's talk about thesigns.
(08:12):
First thing is going to be thecervical mucus.
This is your vaginal discharge.
You know it changes with yourcycle, so during ovulation it
becomes more clear, stretchy andlike egg white.
It looks like egg white,essentially.
Right Now.
This isn't gross.
I'm just saying it's making melaugh because me and my friend
(08:33):
Hannah shout out to Hannah mycoworker, who turned my friend
the conversations that we haveabout our body, because she's
also a certified reproductivelife specialist.
So the conversations that wehave, especially at work or even
via text, you know, talkingabout ovulation, or this is how
my cervical mucus is lookingtoday.
Girl, if you're in that textthread, you're going to be like
girl, what are you talking about?
But it's normal.
(08:54):
It's important that wenormalize this conversation
because, again, this isn't gross, it's powerful.
This discharge during ovulationliterally helps sperm travel
and it's also a sign offertility as well.
So that's how you understand.
Again, we're talking aboutfertility.
If you're someone who's tryingto conceive, these are the
things that you want to payattention to.
(09:14):
You know, when you payattention to your mucus, it
helps you to understand whenyou're most fertile and when
your body's under stress as well.
So that's something to look foras well fertile and when your
body's under stress as well, sothat's something to look for as
well.
So you know, sometimes you knowI may have this discharge and
you're thinking essentiallysomething negative or thinking
that it's ghost.
It's like no, your body'stelling you where you are in
your cycle and it's also tellingyou, you know what your body's
(09:35):
under stress.
That's why you're seeingcertain things.
It's very important that you'reable to recognize these things
so you can have theseconversations with your care
provider or, you know, yourgynecologist, whatever the case
may be.
So pay attention to your mucus,your discharge, because, again,
it helps you to understand whereyou are in your menstrual cycle
and if something again seemsdifferent or off during, let's
(09:57):
say, your ovulation phase, youknow it's time to call your
doctor to see what is going onwith your body.
You know what I mean and thenext thing you want to do is to
track your basal bodytemperature, aka BBT.
Your BBT is your body's restingtemperature.
That's usually taken the firstthing in the morning After
(10:18):
ovulation.
Your BBT it rises slightly andit tends to stay elevated until
your next period.
So when you track your BBT, itrises slightly and it tends to
stay elevated until your nextperiod.
So when you track your BBT, youknow it really and truly helps
you to pinpoint ovulation andnotice any sort of dysfunctional
irregularities when it comes toyour thyroid and your hormones.
It definitely helps you to beable to communicate that to your
(10:40):
healthcare provider.
So again, we want to get in thehabit of testing our basal body
temperature.
It's very simple, you know.
Again, we're trying to see whatour body is telling us.
We're trying to build thatstory, create that story.
So we know this is a bit highor a bit low.
Something is off here.
So you definitely want to lookinto tracking your basal body
temperature.
And the next thing to thinkabout is the Skin and gut
(11:03):
changes.
Child, let me tell you the skinand gut changes Acne flare-ups,
bloating shows up likeclockwork, let me tell you Me.
And bloating, at this point wego together real bad and I hate
it so bad.
But these are hormonemessengers, right.
So when you think aboutestrogen and then progesterone,
they both affect digestion andinflammation.
(11:24):
So then you know, your skinbreakouts or your digestive
system or issues might be as aresult of your cycle as well.
For me, like I told mygynecologist recently, this
stomach of mine, the way I'mbloated, I can't, it's becoming
more and more annoying.
But also, she ran severaldifferent tests to see.
Okay, you know what, let'sstart with your thyroid, like I
would have mentioned with yourBBT.
(11:45):
Let's start with your thyroid,like I would have mentioned with
your bbt.
Let's start with your thyroid.
Let's test different hormonallevels to see where we are and
what's contributing toessentially, either my, my
weight gain or you know what'sgoing on in my gut and why my
skin.
Well, my skin is flawless rightnow.
To be honest, you know I'mgonna toot my own horn there,
but you know I do have likedifferent pimples and stuff
during the my, either myovulation or the menstrual phase
(12:06):
of my menstrual cycle.
But again, these are thechanges that happens in your
body when it comes to your skinand your gut changes.
Sometimes we tend to say Idon't have period acne this
month, but then sometimes thatacne does not disappear after
you're done bleeding.
So essentially, again, this isalso a sign that something could
potentially be off with yourhormones as well.
(12:27):
So we got to look into itreally and truly.
You want to be in tune.
That's how in tune you need tobe with your body.
Looking at your skin oh, I havethis breakout.
I haven't had a breakout in solong.
That's not your norm.
This is another way again totrack your skin and your gut,
any changes in your skin andyour gut as well.
And then you know you want tolook at your mood and your
mental clarity.
Like you ever notice thatyou're more focused one week and
(12:49):
foggy the next.
Hello, that's me.
Let me tell you, when I getinto that focus era, that focus
week, I am locked in andeverything gets done.
You know, then the next week islike I'm going to take a rest
day or I don't have the desireto do it.
So, when I would have mentionedin the previous episode about
your menstrual cycle and thethings that you should be doing
at each phase, it is very, veryimportant, you know, because,
(13:10):
again, like I say, when you knowwe have people tell us she's on
her period.
Is she acting that way?
No, it's not often true.
You're not often bleedingduring that time.
You are at a particular phasein your menstrual cycle that is
responsible for having your moodor your energy be much lower or
higher throughout thatparticular phase.
So you know, we're not going totake it as an insult, because
you know what, sometimes peoplejust don't know better.
And if they want to say, oh,you know she's being moody
(13:31):
because she's on her period, youknow, let them be, Just educate
them and say you know what I'mactually on my anyway.
Estrogen boosts serotonin, whileprogesterone can have a calming
(13:53):
or a sleepy effect.
So knowing this helps you toplan tasks or give yourself more
grace, because one thing I'mgonna do I'm getting better at
is giving myself grace.
When I'm in a particular phaseof my menstrual cycle, when,
when my energy is low, I justfeel sleepy, I don't want to
talk to anybody, I'm going togive myself grace and I dictate
(14:13):
how much I can push through toget a task done.
You know, when the energy ishigh, like I would have
mentioned, I'm going to crimeeverything I can in that week.
I'm going to get everythingdone because I know the
following week I'm not going tobe my best self, but at least I
know I would have done.
I would have set myself up forsuccess because I would have
planned and did things duringthat serotonin boost.
(14:34):
And then let's talk about ourlibido.
It fluctuates, we're going tobe honest.
If you listen to this, it doesfluctuate.
You're likely to feel moredesire during ovulation because
of the surge in your estrogenand your and their testosterone.
Now, if you're a woman herewho've ever menstruated and
you've ovulated, you know that'swhen you start having all the
feelings you want to call upthis person that you can't stand
(14:56):
.
You know you have oh, you knowan ex.
That way, let me call see howyou doing.
What's going on now.
That's that's really and trulywhat happens during ovulation.
But we got to be strong, myfriend.
We're not going to pick up thephone and call a waste man.
You understand me.
We are not going to essentiallydo that.
But you know this is notsomething to be ashamed of.
(15:17):
To be honest, you know it'sjust biology.
We have no control over this.
I don't care what medicationyou want to take.
We have absolutely no controlover how we feel, especially,
you know, during that ovulationperiod of our menstrual cycle,
your libido is going tofluctuate.
You're going to have a highdesire to do X, y, z, or you're
going to have a low desire, andthen that's also OK.
(15:38):
You know what I mean.
So, knowing this, it helps youto understand yourself in
relationships and your ownself-care needs.
Because you know, because oncethat ovulation comes for me, you
have a bunch of differentcravings you start thinking
about oh, the past, oh, let mecall this person.
Then you know what.
If you're like me, you got tojust take a deep breath.
I'm like you know what, tanya?
No, we're not going to do that,because now I'm able to
recognize, obviously, certainpoints in my menstrual cycle
(16:01):
where I'm going to have aparticular feeling.
But also I know in my heart,you know what.
No, this is not the right thingto do.
So don't be ashamed if youstart feeling the way you're
feeling during ovulation phase.
If you want to call a person up, that's up to you.
But you know, make sure youhave some boundaries as well,
all right, but it doesn't needto be a shame, it's just part of
biology.
But once you understand this,especially in your different
relationships, you know, you'llbe able to know how to care for
(16:23):
yourself and what you need aswell.
You know what I mean.
All right, so let's talk aboutwhy this conversation matters so
deeply to me, and just to youas well, my friend.
You know, as Black women, ifwe're being honest, you know we
are often dismissed ormisdiagnosed, and research
consistently shows that we aremore likely to experience
(16:47):
delayed diagnosis, especiallyfor things like endometriosis,
fibroids, pcos and, you know,other autoimmune disorders as
well.
And when you look at the CDCdata, yes, I am who I am, you
know, with the little data thatwe have, because we know what's
going on here.
But the CDC data confirms thatsystemic bias and limited
(17:08):
provider time contribute tothese disparities and that's why
it's very important for me totalk about it here in the
podcast and even just to myfriends in general and just when
I do speaking engagements.
You know that's why bodyliteracy is a liberation tool,
because for far too long, youknow the disparities that we
(17:29):
face, especially in this countrywhere I live, in the United
States, as a Black woman, youhave to work 10 times harder,
you have to speak up real hardor as aggressive to get the care
that you need, depending onwhat your care provider is.
It's why I also advocate forcommunity health workers,
because they are the bridge.
We serve as the bridge to apatient or an individual like
(17:50):
yourself and the care provider,because sometimes you go to
these doctors, you're spending20, 30 minutes in there.
What are they doing?
Checking basic vital signs orwhatever the case may be, but
you don't often get heard and ittakes you a long time sometimes
when things already go southbefore you can get any sort of
diagnosis Again.
That's why I say body literacyis important when I'm talking
(18:12):
about your libido and where youare in your cycle and how you're
going to feel.
I'm not just saying thisbecause it's a conversation to
have.
It's more so.
It's a need, it's a requirement, because if you don't know
about your body, I can guaranteeyou your healthcare provider,
your doctors, aren't going toknow about your body more than
you.
So you're the one that shouldbe in tune so you can
communicate with your primarycare provider so they know.
(18:34):
This is what Tanya is saying.
Let me see.
Sometimes they'll dismiss you.
That's the reality of it all.
They'll dismiss certain thingsbecause they don't have the time
, but again, once you'reinformed, again, once you're
using body literacy as aliberation tool.
Nobody can say anything and ifthat person isn't giving you the
care that you need, you move onto somebody else.
You know what I mean.
It's never too late to evenchange your care provider.
(18:55):
But you know, when we know ourown patterns and signals, you
know you can speak upconfidently at the doctor's
office, you can catch red flagsearly, you can also advocate for
the care you deserve and youcan track and respond to stress,
which we know really and trulyit impacts us in a major way.
So you definitely want toensure that you can track these
(19:16):
signals and these patterns,because body literacy isn't just
about tracking a cycle, it'sabout reclaiming your body, your
rhythm and your peace.
So, when you're thinking aboutbody literacy, remember this, my
friend it's not just abouttracking your cycle, it's about
reclaiming your body, yourrhythm and your peace.
All right, and I will say this,you know I remember someone
(19:39):
asked me how can I startpracticing body literacy?
And you know you don'tnecessarily need any fancy tools
to begin with, because I knowagain, in this wellness space,
sometimes we want to buyeverything that we see on TikTok
Because, I'll be honest, myTikTok shop I have 166 items,
166 items in my TikTok cartBecause you know you're seeing
(20:00):
certain things.
Do I need them?
Absolutely not.
But again, you know, that isjust how it is.
We're thinking that we needcertain things to begin a
particular part or area of ourlife.
You know what I mean.
Don't be like me and have allthese things in your cart.
That is ridiculous.
But you don't need any fancytools to begin with.
You know, here's how you canactually start when it comes to
wanting to practice and beingbody literate as well.
First thing, I will say and Istarted this many years ago and
(20:24):
you know I've been inconsistenthere and, if I can be honest
with you, but you know, the lastyear or so I've been consistent
because, again, going throughcertain things, you know, as a
migraine girly, you know certainhealth issues that you, you're
coming across.
I need to make sure I haveeverything documented as well.
So I encourage you to.
If you want to start practicingbody literacy, or how to become
body literacy, I'm encouragingyou to start, and here's how you
(20:47):
can Each day, you're going tojot down how you slept, your
energy level, your mood, yourdischarge if you notice any
discharge, that is, you know youwant to track your appetite,
cravings or your digestion.
And then you also want to trackyour emotions or your stress
(21:08):
levels and, to be honest, justtwo to three minutes a day can
make a world of difference.
It may sound a lot when I'mtelling you to get a journal,
but I remember one time when Iwas, you know, first, when I was
really deep into like my reallyreally severe migraines and I
had to do a migraine log.
I had to put what did I eat forthe day, what physical activity
I did, did I have a migraine,what time did it start, what
time did it end, these differentthings.
(21:29):
And that kind of got me in theway of really and truly just
documenting everything for me,because for me, if I don't write
something down, it's either notgoing to happen or it's not
going to be committed to memory.
I know we have all smartphonesand everything, but you
definitely want to create a bodylog or a journal because you're
going to journal every day howyou slept, your energy level,
your mood, your discharge, ifyou notice any.
You know your appetite,cravings or digestion.
(21:51):
You know emotions or stress.
Again, it's going to make aworld of difference, but it's
also going to teach you.
You're going to becomeconsistent in wanting to really
update yourself about your lifeand then, when it comes to any
issues that may seem off, youcan go back to this journal to
see you know what.
Well, on this day I was feelingthis pain, or I was, I was
feeling this way, but then, liketwo weeks later, you know, so
you're able to come pee and seewhat is going on and I will say,
(22:14):
you know is going on.
And I will say, you know, I'mrecommending this.
But I also have a love-haterelationship, if I can be honest
, and it's, you know, use acycle tracking app.
Now, I'm not going to sit hereand pretend like I don't use an
app.
I had the two apps that I useconsistently because one.
Sometimes, you know, I do writewhat I got to write now because
I'm old school, but you knowit's also convenient when you're
(22:34):
on the go.
I'm not going to name those twoapps, but you know there's so
many cycling track it after youcan use as well.
But I will say one of thereasons why I kind of like have
a love-hate relationship isbecause, again, the taking of
data and I became much moreskeptical, if I can be honest,
my friend, when things were justgoing south here in the US, you
know we have the emergence ofAI, which, south here in the US
(22:57):
you know we have the emergenceof AI, which is fine.
But then also, when it came tothe abortion laws or
reproductive health issues,that's been happening across the
state or the country, you know,when they were like, oh, we're
going to use that, we're goingto use your whatever you use
here for your data on thesedifferent apps to track you,
(23:20):
like, mind, your business.
So that's kind of where thatthe love-hate relationship come,
because it is convenient totrack your period and just, you
know, document certain things,that where you are in your cycle
and whatnot, but also I'm notsure where's my data going
anymore.
So that's kind of why I havethe love-hate relationship.
But, like I said, I still usethem.
I'm just not gonna say whichone I use.
You know what I mean.
And then pen and paper work too.
Good old school ways, like whenyou first started a period or
whatever we knew we had todocument from day one down to
28,.
Whatever Pen and paper, itworks too, you know.
(23:41):
But you want to track yourperiod.
When your period starts, thatfirst thing.
When you see in that blood, youwant to start it then and then
you want to track how long itlasts and any symptoms you may
have.
Again, a lot of these apps theydo have that, where you can
just input it.
You can do it that way, but youcan also use a pen and paper
and just really and truly trackdown.
I kind of make it like a bulletpoint what is it called?
(24:02):
Like a bullet journaling, whereyou have your okay, I want to
have this intake of water, Iwant to do whatever you can
track it.
And it makes for a Sunday.
I sit down with my book, mylittle notebook that I have, and
I'm writing X, y, z as itrelates to my menstrual cycle or
where I'm in the phase.
So it really truly.
You know it does make a littledifference, but again, you can
(24:22):
either choose to use a pen andpaper or you can use the cycle
tracking apps.
Go for it.
And the third thing is you wantto watch for patterns, not
perfection, and I had to learnthis the hard way.
You perfection, and I had tolearn this the hard way.
You're not looking to controlyour body, you are actually
learning from it.
So it's really okay if thingsfluctuate.
You're gathering insight, notdiagnosing yourself.
(24:45):
Because if you're like me, letme tell you one thing I'm going
to do.
I'm going to Google something.
I'm like girl, you know what?
No, we're not doing this, we'renot doing that.
So again, I had to, like youknow, stray away from the whole
perfection aspect of things.
It's okay if things fluctuate,that's fine.
That's another way for you togather insight and not diagnose
yourself.
So you know, you know what, onthis week or this day, this is
what happened.
(25:06):
Or this month, this is whathappened.
So you can go back and say youknow what, three months ago,
this is how things were goingversus now, not only just for
you personally, also when you'retalking to your care provider
as well.
And the fourth thing is to askyourself daily what is my body
asking for today?
Okay, this question alone itbuilds trust between you and
(25:26):
your body.
Right, me and my body.
You know we're trusting eachother because one thing I'm
going to do now, if I'm not inthe mood to do something or I
can't push through, it's notgoing to get done in that moment
.
You know, I still strugglesometimes because, again, I'm an
overachiever and I do a lot, soI have things to do.
But the question that I askmyself most times is what is my
body asking me for today?
Whatever it is asking for, itis going to get.
(25:48):
I can guarantee you that.
So that's essentially how youcan start practicing body
literacy.
It's to start a body log orjournal.
It's to use the cycle trackingapp or pen and paper too as well
to track your period, how longit lasts, and any symptoms
during that time, your differentmenstrual phases, and then you
can watch for patterns notperfection, because you're not
looking to control your body,you're looking to learn from it.
(26:10):
And then, of course, askyourself daily what is my body
asking for today?
That's how you build the trustbetween you and your body.
My friend, as we come to theend of this episode, our bodies
are wise.
I want you to know that ourbodies are wise.
They speak in rhythms, inwhispers, in nudges, and
(26:30):
learning to listen to our body.
That's, honestly, ultimately,body literacy.
This is how we shift fromsurvival mode to sacred
awareness, honestly, from shameto understanding, from
exhaustion to empowered care.
So this week I want to inviteyou to start your body literacy
(26:53):
journey.
From this week, start a dailycheck-in journey.
From this week, start a dailycheck-in.
Write just one sentence.
That's all it takes.
Write one sentence, track onechange and ask one question.
That's all.
I'm not asking for much fromyou, my friend.
Your body isn't a mystery, it'sa map, and my doctor once told
me that your body isn't amystery.
It's a map.
You just need the language toread it right and honestly.
(27:16):
You don't have to do it aloneeither.
You don't have to do it alone.
Come and hang with me over onInstagram at the Tea with Tanya
podcast page and just let meknow, or even send me an email.
Just let me know what you'renoticing, you know.
Share any sort of aha moments,dm me your questions, because
this conversation goes waybeyond this episode, and let's
just really keep building thisliteracy together, or body
(27:37):
literacy, because this is ouryear 2025.
This is our year of reclaimingwellness with softness and
strategy.
Until next time, my friend,stay whole, stay grounded and
you know what?
Sip slow.
I love you for listening.
Thank you for joining me foranother episode of Tea with
Tanya.
If you like this episode, besure to share it with a friend.
(28:00):
Don't forget to follow onInstagram at Tea with Tanya
Podcast.
Be sure to subscribe to theweekly Tea Talk newsletter and,
of course, rate on Apple orSpotify and subscribe wherever
you listen.
See you next time.
I love you for listening.
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