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Sorry Ella and Zara, (and others..and this may go off of your intended questions, but this is based on research, lol my own).   

Kudo's Zara for starting this thread (and the ladies showing interest) .....cycling questions and threads has popped up at BN many times before, though the question still remains unresolved, hopefully this thread will shine some much needed light on it, and what should go hand and hand with ladies NBE...cycling.

A few things stick out in my mind on the topic of cycling....first being (and of overall importance) is anytime you reach a tolerance using herbals one should cycle off said herbals. So, how does one determine when that time is?.....that will depend on individual metabolisms quite honestly, however, when the effects of supplements lose there intended desired effect....it could be (est) 3 to 6 weeks or longer. If you don't see any results during the first 30 days however?, I'd say re-evaluate the NBE plan.  

Basal body temp (BBT) steadily raises after ovulation (day 15 and after)...peaking mid luteal, this is when you'd introduce BO for those ladies who take it. This also when to add progesterone while temperatures are increased... which progesterone should provide already during luteal and increased BBT, but that's not always the case. See, it's easier to inhibit estradiol than DHT in our blood via SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin)....that's the stuff that transports hormones (in our blood). When body temp increases SHBG levels go down....meaning estradiol goes down with it.....and when do you think estradiol goes down?.......you got it (in luteal).....less free energy binding means less DHT. What's odd is how SHBG will essentially show higher in blood tests when fasting the night before (fast of at least 8 hours), though increased blood sugars and exercise increases body temp too....as well we know. 

So in essence, why throw more herbals at producing estradiol in luteal when we know it is almost impossible to maintain, though it may vary well be that estradiol has steady state in luteal to use as ones advantage. Plus, T will be higher when E is lower......and attaching a 5 alpha inhibitor promotes aromatase. DHT should be in its weakest point I'm my estimation, via lack of free energy binding during luteal. However....the gains (swelling) in luteal are also water gains too.....maintaining growth from one cycle to another is no easy task. 

Here's where this gets interesting though....FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) is a all natural aromatase......and when to take full advantage of it is in luteal.....this is where sustained growth can be coupled with swelling (in my opinion).....i could talk about this later perhaps?.

There is a chart/graph (which I can't find atm)   detailing an average BBT and hormone levels during 
a cycle...I'll try to find it...(I think it was lost in the move).

Thank you, Lotus, for posting this info! This is all so important to know when it comes to herbs and cycling, and it does help to clear up some things for me! I would love it if you could talk more on this topic, and about FSH and luteal phases, because I think it's valuable and crucial for those of us on herbal/supplement plans to know, and like I said before, I need to soak up all the info I can!! One thing I don't want to do is follow a complicated plan and not understand or not know why the hell I'm doing it (especially when I feel like some of those complicated plans have irrelevant steps). 

Xoxo