Balance Your Hormones… With Food!
Can what we eat help different cycle symptoms? If you suffer from painful periods or intense PMS symptoms, changing, or rather, adjusting your diet to parallel which phase of your cycle you’re in can be an incredible help. So how does our diet help us during our cycle? The hormones in our bodies that regulate our cycles can be influenced by many things, including what we eat. Balancing progesterone and estrogen primarily are critical for not only hormone health, but also our overall physical, mental, and emotional wellness.
The different nutrients present in our foods have many influences on our hormones. They can help support hormone detoxification, guide hormone activity, and even help with their creation. The female body is a miracle in itself and if we can reduce our symptoms by what we eat during a specific phase of the cycle, why not try it?! It can not only help us with painful symptoms, it can help us emotionally by balancing our mood and increasing energy levels. A diet rich in whole, plant-based foods, quality proteins and healthy fats is a great place to start getting hormones in balance and tune. Okay. Let’s break it down.
PHASE 1
The 1st phase, our bleed phase. Shark week lol. Our food focus during this phase should be adding plenty of nutrients, warmth and comfort. The first day of our cycle is day one of menstruation and our hormones are at their lowest point as they’re working hard to shed the lining of the uterus. Because of the low concentration of our hormones at this time, energy levels are likely to be lower so we should support our bodies with plenty of unprocessed in foods rich in nutrients that keep our energy up and blood sugar level steady.
A good mix of quality lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates like root vegetables and whole grains can help our bodies support us as we go through the process of menstruation which can drain us of our energy. Also try to include cooked, fermented, sprouted foods because they may be easier to digest as some of the breaking down process has already begun. Definitely include plenty of iron rich foods such as kelp, pumpkin seeds, spinach, grass fed beef, eggs, and fish. These foods help to replenish iron levels that can get low while we bleed.
PASHE 2
Now we move into the follicular phase. Food focus now should be fresh and light. At our follicular phase our hormone levels are still low, but are starting to rise as our egg follicles mature to prepare for ovulation. We also might be starting to get our energy back so this is a good time to include light and fresh food such as salads and fermented foods such as kefir or yogurt which supports gut health and detoxification. Our estrogen levels are rising during this time, so some may find that they have more energy, focus and willpower at this time so this is a good time to go grocery shopping for our healthy foods!
PHASE 3
Next, we have the ovulatory phase. We should focus on fibrous and light foods at this point. Our hormone levels are rising here, specifically estrogen because it is involved in the ovulation process. Our basal body temperature also increases which gives us increased energy. Too much estrogen can negatively affect us with symptoms like sore breasts and increased spotting. So focusing on nutrients that support the liver to remove this extra estrogen are critical to include at this time.Those nutrients are found in foods like kale, broccoli, onions garlic, and whole grains.
PHASE 4
Finally, we reach the luteal phase. Here, we should focus on working to curb our cravings. Our hormone levels reach their peak in this phase as we approach menstruation again and this is where many women experience PMS. During this phase, if you experience water retention in the form of swollen breast and bloating, you want to avoid foods high in salt. If you are prone to cravings like myself you may want to eat a lot of sugar. Let’s try to incorporate more complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, pasta or bread that can help us get our B vitamins and fiber which helps to curb cravings and balance those bad moods. It is best to avoid or reduce caffeine and alcohol during this time because these stimulants can worsen PMS symptoms such as anxiety and irritability. These two things can also interfere with the absorption of critical vitamins and minerals so instead you may want to try sparkling water, herbal teas and maybe decaf coffee. I knowwwww lol just this week!
I hope this helps you!
References
What foods to eat during your cycle. Moody. (2021, March 18). Retrieved May 9, 2022, from https://moodymonth.com/articles/what-foods-to-eat-during-your-cycle