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Cacao benefits | Cacao experience | Cacao health | Cacao nutrition | Ceremonial cacao
Chocolate seems to be the number one period-related craving. Taken to be part and parcel of the dreaded PMS symptoms, it is neither questioned nor particularly understood. In fact, most dismiss it as a simple craving for sugar, just in chocolate form.
Yet, there is a good reason many premenstrual women reach out for anything chocolate. And that is, they haven't yet discovered Keith's Ceremonial Grade Cacao! In all seriousness, science concurs with the need to consume Cacao before the start of our menstrual cycle for more reasons than one.
Then, of course, the cyclical process of menstruation is not only physiological. It is also profoundly spiritual for those who can tap into the body's wisdom and harness the gifts of its magical chemistry. For unlike men who experience a 24-hour hormonal wave, women embody a 28-day lunar cycle that comes equipped with its own hidden magic.
Hormones aren't to be bypassed! They link to our mood, appetite, sex drive, energy levels, emotional state, mindset, and much more. As they fluctuate, so do our needs, feelings, and connection to reality. Try, as we may, to make it in 'a man's world,' it's important to honor our differences so that we may truly thrive.
Ceremonial Cacao is like a gentle mother teaching us about our body's intelligence through subtle cues, signals, and sensations. By consciously engaging with Ceremonial Cacao throughout our monthly cycle, we synergize with the transient forces that live within our very cells.
Hormones form from fat. That's why it is essential for women to consume adequate fat for everything to work optimally. Pure Cacao is full of the healthiest fat out there, with a 40-60% fat content, commonly called Cacao butter (or cocoa butter), an extremely healthy fat on par with that in Avocado.
Pure Cacao is also packed with magnesium, a natural relaxant and an excellent remedy for stress and the hypervigilant 'fight or flight' state. Staying in this stressful mode for an extended time takes a toll on our hormones. Our wise body limits fertility hormone production, recognizing full well this is no time to bring life into the world. But regardless of whether we want to bear children or not, our hormones must be in tip-top shape month-round so that we may reap the rewards of each cycle's season.
Menstruation has had such a bad wrap for such a long time. Luckily, women are now re-examining their relationship to it, recognizing it as a tool, a key to their innermost world. Physiologically, hormones are at their lowest ebb, which requires us to respond to the need for rest and repair. Think of menstruation as Inner Winter - a time that calls for nourishment, relaxation, and hibernation. Rallying the help of Ceremonial Cacao to trust and give in to this allows our physical, energetic, and emotional bodies to reap each delicious reward.
During menstruation, the veil between ourselves and the ethereal world becomes thin. When we consciously tune into ourselves during this tender time, we receive insight about ourselves, our wounding, and our unique place in the world. Pairing Cacao is a no-brainer. Magnesium eases menstrual cramps and thus allows us to surrender more deeply. As our womb contracts, we release oxytocin (the connection hormone), which Cacao enhances further by fueling us with anandamide, the bliss chemical! Layering this experience, we become bathed within our own love supply!
We may work in harmony with these cleansing forces by releasing all that has accumulated over the month and creating a special Cacao ritual. Journaling, meditating, singing, or expressing ourselves with love can be extremely therapeutic during such a cathartic time.
During menstruation, ample rest and rejuvenation provide us with a 'get up and go' attitude the following week. The Follicular Phase, aka 'Inner Spring,' is a time for exploration, creativity, and play. We are born again! Estrogen rises, and dopamine and serotonin begin to rebuild as our mood receives a lift. Feeling energized and content with inspiration, the trick here is to learn to walk before you can run. A conscious Cacao practice reminds us to ground into our beings while fueling us with heartfelt ideas for the month ahead.
During ovulation, aka 'Inner Summer,' we are creative forces to be reckoned with! It's time to consciously conceive our personal projects, aspirations, and dreams. We may pour ourselves from the cup we have filled during the previous two weeks of self-care. Testosterone and estrogen peak, enlivening us and giving us physical energy for dancing, exercising, and joyful movement. Our mental fortitude thickens as happy hormones race through us, and our ego regains control with confidence. Infusing ovulation with Cacao, we become chocolate-fueled loving machines!
As a heart-opener, Cacao connects us with our partners more deeply. If not using ovulation to conceive, its benefits can be poured into our creative projects, work-load, social scene, and self-expression. Staying connected to our hearts and bodies during ovulation is vital for experiencing the benefits of this naturally exciting, albeit intoxicating, time. Cacao balances the powerful energies alive within us by reminding us to anchor ourselves into the core of our being.
'Inner Autumn' aka The Luteal Phase approaches around day 21 as the fun-loving veil through which we previously saw the world wears thin. Although seeming like a 'kill-joy' after all of the buzz, the Luteal Phase is a rightful initiation to higher realms of consciousness. Here we see a rise in progesterone, which is responsible for our appetite, nervous system, self-reflection, and sleep. As estrogen drops, so too can our feel-good feelings. This is where Cacao steps in! Drinking Ceremonial Cacao allows us to access our truth, however difficult, with more tender loving care.
'PMS' is not a label to dress with but rather a phase that invites us to notice where we are out of sync. Nothing is to be done other than to recognize and meet ourselves, our needs, and our inner dialogue with more tender loving care. Ultimately, this is our deepest yearning during a so misunderstood time. Think of inner Autumn as the time we collect the treasure to bring back to our caves. As the doorway to the underworld opens, Ceremonial Cacao keeps us connected to our heart and sacred body every step of the way.
When we honor our cyclical beings, we understand ourselves as wise and mystical as Mother Nature herself. A conscious Cacao and menstrual practice cultivates better care for ourselves, each other, and society as a whole. With this loving awareness, we fill our own cups before pouring. In turn, we rediscover the magic that already exists inside.
