Eating For Your Cycle
An Intro to Cyclical Eating to Improve your Menstrual Cycle, Regulate Hormones, and Reduce PMS Symptoms
Women for centuries have felt the dread that comes once a month through their menstrual cycle. However, since the evolution of birth control, glyphosates and other harmful chemicals sprayed on our foods, and the increase of additional artificial flavors, sweeteners, and even the low-fat/non-fat trends, PMS symptoms have been on the rise. Heavy bleeding, anxiety, depression, hormonal acne, extreme cramps, backaches, and hormonal imbalances are on the rise with the increase of these additions to our regular day-to-day. If you haven’t read my articles on birth control or causes of imbalanced hormones, please go and click the links above to gain a deeper understanding of what might be going on in your body.
But what if I told you that without all the added medications, heat packs, and feeling like you can’t live your life for a week or so, could be mitigated by learning to eat more intuitively with your cycle?!? If you are like I was as I started perimenopause, you might be thinking, “Jenni, I don’t have a regular cycle, how does this apply?” One of the best ways to communicate to your body what you want it to do (an ideal 28-30 day cycle) is to eat foods that best support the hormones of each stage in your cycle. That will help to regulate the levels of hormones that you need most at that time of the month. Trust me, it’s something I wish I would have started years ago. If you are in menopause, this will look different for you, but the foods listed are never going to hurt by adding them to your daily diet. I share more about balancing hormones in general here.
This article is intended to provide you with an introduction to learning what goes on in each phase of your cycle and what foods support it best. Stay tuned in the upcoming months (Spring and Summer 2023) for more information and an in-depth self-guided course with recipes, tips on exercising through each phase, and fertility information as well.
Menstrual Phase
(3- 7 Days) “Winter”
During the Menstrual Phase, your body is shedding the uterine lining that it no longer needs and you are bleeding. It’s referred to as winter as you are clearing out what is no longer needed and preparing for a new cycle and new growth.
In this phase, you will feel the least amount of energy. You might even feel tired, withdrawn, and introspective. Since estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone levels are low, you will be craving more comfort foods. Make sure to bulk up on broths, soups, and nutrient-rich smoothies. Since cravings will be higher for those sugary based foods, try dark chocolate squares.
Bulk up on omega fats like avocado, and wild-caught salmon. Focus on an anti-inflammatory diet.
Since you are bleeding, your body will be craving iron. Adding foods like grass-fed beef and other animal proteins, liver, leafy greens, and beans will help boost those levels. Since your energy is lower, aim for B vitamin-based foods like broccoli, brussels sprouts, and leafy green vegetables. Don’t forget to add in Vitamin C-based foods like citrus, and bell peppers too.
Follicular Phase
(7-10 Days) “Spring”
The follicular phase begins the first day after you stop bleeding. During this phase, your ovaries are prepping to ripen your egg for fertilization. It is during this phase that estrogen and testosterone start to ramp up. This will create a boost of energy and support a more focused mind and balanced mood. During this phase, you are liking to feel more confident, creative, powerful, and take more risks.
To support estrogen production add pumpkin and flax seeds into your diet. This is when healthy fats should shine. Enjoy your avocados, coconut oil, nuts, and grass-fed ghee or butter. These help with satiation and keep you fuller longer. In other words - long-term energy. For continued support with energy, increase your protein and smart carbs (oats, sweet potatoes, quinoa, millet) here. Again, wild-caught salmon, oysters, and eggs are a great source of protein during this phase.
Continue with Vitamin C- based foods like citrus, and bell peppers. This is also a time to add sulfur-rich foods like broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower, and Brussels Sprouts (the cruciferous family) to help fight off free radicals and support healthy detoxification.
Ovulatory Phase
(2-4 Days) “Summer”
For those of you who are actively trying to get pregnant, listen up! In fact, all women listen up, because the more in tune you are with your natural cycle, the easier it is to know the best time for conception and then make the move that will lead you to your desired outcome.
This is the phase where your egg is released from your ovary. Estrogen and testosterone are at their peak during this phase. You are going to likely feel attractive and have a higher sex drive!
However, since estrogen can actually be found in excess during this phase, it is best to incorporate foods that help to support healthy detox pathways. So again those cruciferous veggies along with cold water fish, quinoa, and brown rice. You might notice your appetite is less since a lot of your energy is put into that sex drive.
Luteal Phase
(10-14 Days) “Fall”
This phase is split into two halves. In the first half, you will notice that your body still has energy from the previous phase, but estrogen and testosterone and slowly starting to lower. As this happens progesterone starts to rise. Towards the end of the first half, you will feel your energy start to wean.
To combat this, include foods high in B6 Vitamins like bananas, cherries, and walnuts. Vitamin C-rich foods are still helpful so citrus, leafy greens, and bell peppers are a great addition.
In the second half, you will notice that progesterone is on the rise. This causes a few things to happen. First of all, you will notice that blood sugar levels can dip. This will also cause PMS symptoms such as moodiness and anxiety to rise. As serotonin and dopamine also decrease during this time, you are likely to feel stressed or sad. You’ll see an increase in cravings and sugary foods. Combat all of these symptoms with ample amounts of healthy dietary fats, protein, and fiber. This will help to regulate blood sugar levels. Grab a few squares of quality organic dark chocolate to curb those cravings. Furthermore, if you haven’t checked out my FREE Healthy Swaps List, go grab it now! This will provide you with a ton of ideas on how to make these swaps easier.
So there you have it! Your introduction to learning what your body needs to better regulate and support your hormones throughout each phase of your cycle! The best thing to do now is to SUBSCRIBE to my SubStack Channel and I will send you a Cheatsheet for Eating for Your Cycle.
