“I hope that by inviting men and women to at least acquire working knowledge of the menstrual cycle, we can create fertile soil in which the seeds of appreciation–and ultimately, love–will grow” (Valenzuela, 194).
In a world that tries to tell us that our bodies don’t matter, or that there is no meaningful difference between males and females, and that the answer to menstrual disorders is to shut off our reproductive system via synthetic hormones, Christina Valenzuela’s new book, The Language of Your Body: Embracing God’s Design for Your Cycle, proclaims the opposite. Instead, Valenzuela says that women are intrinsically different from men, and deserve to benefit from healthy hormone fluctuations, which “are needed in the articulation of our embodied female experience” (Valenzuela, 206). In other words, in The Language of Your Body, Valenzuela discusses the integral role menstrual cycles play in the feminine design.
For Valenzuela, our periods are not something that happens to us, nor are they “the curse of Eve.” Instead, they are an integral part of the intricate hormonal interplay that affects the entirety of women’s lives. Valenzuela adds an additional component from a Catholic Christian perspective: our menstrual cycles affect our spiritual life and are part of how women uniquely image God.
Valenzuela is the owner and creative director of Pearl and Thistle, a resource for cycle literacy, body literacy, and natural family planning (NFP) for all ages. She is a certified Boston Cross Check instructor, a symptohormonal method of NFP that offers greater flexibility by combining biomarkers from different methods. Valenzuela also holds a Master’s degree in theological studies from Harvard Divinity School. This unique background allows her to understand the importance of menstrual cycles from a biological and theological perspective.
Valenzuela has previously shared with Natural Womanhood her NFP testimony, including how she was failed by the medical system and her Church community in the initial stages of learning to chart her cycles. This personal experience equips her to speak to readers of all backgrounds, regardless of their knowledge of cycles and charting.
Who is the intended audience of The Language of Your Body?
Ultimately, The Language of Your Body is written for everyone, but those readers with Judeo-Christian faith, and particularly Catholic Christians, are the most likely to pick this book up and benefit from it.
Throughout the book, however, Valenzuela explains the value of cycle charting for women of all ages and vocations. Additionally, she demonstrates how men can benefit from understanding the basics of the menstrual cycle. For example, Valenzuela points out how married men can gain insight into better loving their wives and growing in communication skills, but she does not stop there. She points out that church leaders can enhance their pastoral care of couples who practice NFP by better understanding the role the menstrual cycle plays in women’s lives. The Language of Your Body is especially suited for women who desire to move beyond a shame-filled view of their cycles to see how a respectful, knowledgeable approach can positively impact their overall health and well-being, including their spiritual life.
What are the main content areas of The Language of Your Body?
The Language of Your Body is broken up into 15 chapters. It also includes an appendix with resources to help the reader choose an NFP method. The main theme of the book is that the menstrual cycle is an important aspect of the female design which can affect a woman’s physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational well-being.
The first two chapters focus on the basics of the menstrual cycle and why faithful women and couples should care about cycles beyond family planning purposes. She then moves into the multiple ways the menstrual cycle is part of how females image God. Chapters 9-15 look at the basics of cycle charting, different reproductive transitions in life, and how understanding our cycles can give us unique advantages in growing in virtue and showing up for ourselves, our community, and our relationships.
Strengths of The Language of Your Body
Valenzuela has a challenging message to convey: not only do our cycles matter for health and family planning, but they are part of both the embodied and spiritual female experience. The average reader may not be aware of the basic health components of the menstrual cycle, let alone more advanced concepts like “cycle syncing.” Many women even agree with the common reference to menstruation as “a woman’s curse.” Valenzuela expertly meets her readers where they are, guides them through the basics of the menstrual cycle and charting, and conveys why a period is so much more than “that time of the month.”
Like Valenzuela, I am a Fertility Awareness Instructor and a devout Catholic. Because of this, I was completely on board with her message from the beginning. However, I firmly believe that even if I did not have cycle knowledge or understand the Catholic Church’s teachings on these issues, I would have walked away from this book feeling empowered to chart, having grown in my understanding of hormones, and with a new ability to recognize the inherent beauty of the feminine design.
Limitations or Blindspots
Valenzuela’s entire book is well-rounded with thorough arguments for all of her points. The only limitation I can find with The Language of Your Body is that it is primarily geared towards devout Catholics. To fully benefit from the book, Valenzuela assumes her readers are well-versed in Catholic teaching. Someone who is not Catholic or does not understand Catholic theology may need to research as they read to understand the totality of her message.
Valenzuela consistently emphasizes that cycle charting can benefit all women.She demonstrates the practicality of charting for the average woman while recognizing the difficulties, emphasizing that no woman should feel pressured to chart.
One of Valenzuela’s primary messages is that cycle awareness is a priceless tool for teens. She provides relatable examples, demonstrating the value cycle knowledge has on women’s physical, emotional, and relational well-being, especially in the teen years. Additionally, Valenzuela gives practical reasons for why adult unmarried women can benefit from practicing FAMs. Celibate nuns, to name one group, would gain invaluable information for their health and supporting one another in community life.
The verdict: To buy, borrow, or skip The Language of Your Body altogether?
The Language of Your Body gets a buy from me. I walked away from this book with a greater appreciation for the uniqueness of the human female cycle and the Catholic theology on the feminine design. I also learned how to better meet women in various reproductive phases of life and how to use my cycle awareness to strengthen my prayer life. Since reading it, I have found myself recommending this book to friends and family of all ages to help them grasp the immense value of cycle charting. Granted, The Language of Your Body is unapologetically Catholic and would primarily benefit this religious group. However, any reader wanting to better understand the female body and how it affects every area of women’s lives could gain insight from reading it.
