Nutrition Throughout Your Menstrual Cycle
In a pre or perimenopausal woman, there are four unique phases of the menstrual cycle. At each phase, sex hormones rise and fall in response to finely tuned signals from our brain. Our bodies are sensitive and complex and these signals sometimes work wonderfully, and sometimes they cease all together depending on where we are in our life cycle and according to various inputs from our environment, including food intake. When thinking about how to utilize food to promote the proper peaks and valleys of key reproductive hormones, we can break down each cycle phase by which action we want to highlight and which foods match those actions.
*The cycle days of each phase mentioned below are an average and based on a 28 day cycle
Menstrual Phase: cycle days 1 -7 (varying lengths of bleed time)
The beginning of the cycle starts with the first day of a full menstrual flow. To support complete shedding of the endometrial lining, we want to simultaneously circulate and nourish our blood stores. Foods should be warming and mineral rich to maintain blood flow and also balance blood being lost. Soups, stews, congees and cooked vegetables are ideal. Some examples of foods that circulate and nourish the blood are:
Grass fed beef & bison
Lentils and buckwheat
Mung beans and adzuki beans
Sweet potatoes, beets and carrots
Spinach, kale and bok choy
Grapefruit, oranges, lemons, berries, cherries
Ginger, cinnamon, coriander, turmeric
Red dates
Follicular Phase: cycle days 1-14 (from day one of your menstrual flow to ovulation)
The follicular phase can vary but the average length is about 13-14 days. During this time the uterine lining is thickening in response to the estrogen from growing follicles (eggs). The intention during this time is to encourage the healthy growth of follicles which will help the endometrium build in preparation for possible implantation. Foods that support these processes are:
Chicken, turkey, eggs, tofu
Shellfish, oysters, sardines
Seeds - sesame, flax, chia, pumpkin
Walnuts, brazil nuts
Blueberries, raspberries, goji berries, dates, persimmon
Seaweeds, dark leafy greens
Avocados
Olive oil, avocado oil
Coconut milk
Barley, millet, brown rice
Ovulatory Phase: cycle days 14 - 15
Several hormones spike around this time to support the release of a mature egg. Certain foods and herbs, and acupuncture and lifestyle choices provide the energy needed for this main event in a woman's menstrual cycle.
Cruciferous veggies
High fiber foods
Warming spices such as cinnamon, cloves, cumin, cardamom, cayenne and ginger
Luteal Phase: cycle days 15-28
After ovulation, if conception is not desired, the goal is to keep the body’s energy moving freely to avoid stagnation, which can aggravate premenstrual symptoms. PMS symptoms range but may look like physical and emotional tension, cramping, headaches, and gas or bloating. Focus on high fiber and low sugar meals to promote bowel regularity, reduce bloat, manage blood sugar, and support sleep.
Chicken, beef, bone broth
White fish
Rice, quinoa
Chickpeas, cannellini, navy beans
Sweet potatoes, squash, carrot
Leeks, mustard greens, dandelion greens, onions, radish, scallions
Apples, peaches, pears
Vinegar
Basil, cumin, cardamom, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, pepper, spearmint, spirulina
Takeaways
Attuning inward to understand the subtle changes throughout your cycle can empower you to take an active role in your hormonal health. Adjusting what you eat, how you move your body, and the ways you care for yourself based on the four phases of your cycle helps you keep your hormones more balanced and unwanted symptoms at bay.
