Syncing Your Diet and Menstrual Cycle
As women, our bodies go through significant hormonal shifts throughout the month, affecting everything from energy levels to emotional well-being. By aligning your nutrition with your menstrual cycle phases, you can support your body’s natural rhythms, enhance your hormonal health, and ease cycle-related discomforts like cramps, bloating, and mood swings.
Before we discuss eating according to menstrual cycle, let’s touch on the menstrual cycle phases.
Phases of the menstrual cycle
Menstruation (Days 1-5): This is when menstrual bleeding occurs.
Follicular phase (Days 1-14): This phase overlaps with your period. The first few days, known as the early follicular phase, see the rise of a hormone called follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates the follicles (a small fluid-filled sac that houses an egg) in both your ovaries to grow. The final days, starting around day 6, are called the late follicular phase.
During this phase, a dominant follicle steps up with a mature egg. Your endometrium (the special tissue lining your uterus or womb) also thickens in preparation for pregnancy. Estrogen facilitates this entire process, and another hormone called the luteinizing hormone (LH) rises to usher in the next phase.
Ovulation (Day 14): This phase occurs when an egg is released by the dominant follicle to travel into your fallopian tube, where it waits for 24 hours to be fertilized by a sperm. It marks the peak of fertility.
Luteal phase (Days 15-28): Here, your body continues to prepare for the possibility of pregnancy. The levels of luteinizing hormone drop sharply, and estrogen levels temporarily decrease before rising again, along with progesterone. Together, they work to keep your womb ready for the implantation of an embryo (i.e., a fertilized egg). If nothing happens, their levels begin to drop. Your endometrium (uterine lining) is set to shed, taking you back to day one.
To successfully adopt a cycle-syncing diet, you need to know what phase of your cycle you are currently on. We strongly advise downloading a mobile period tracker app and logging the last 3 to 5 periods you can remember or wait to start tracking from your next one. Most apps will let you log your symptoms, including mood, sex and sex drive, energy or activity levels, vaginal discharge, bowel movements, use of contraceptives, and more, for a more tailored service and accurate predictions of future periods.
What to eat during follicular phase
The follicular phase is where your menstrual cycle begins, and it involves an interplay of several hormones, so adequate all-around nutrition is essential to provide lots of energy and maintain a healthy balance and functioning of the hormones involved. First, you want to focus on eating complex carbohydrates, which include:
Strawberries
Apples
Bananas
Brown rice
Oats
Quinoa
Asparagus
Chickpeas
Starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, squash, beets, and corn
They are high in fiber, so they are much more filling than simple carbs (e.g. white rice, pasta, sugary snacks, and refined sugar in processed foods). They also won’t spike up your blood sugar as fast or drastically but will regulate your blood sugar levels so you can enjoy sustained energy and stable moods.
Now, it wouldn’t be right to eat mostly carbs. Balance is key. Always.
Add some healthy fats such as fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, plant oils, edamame, nut butter, and eggs, as well as proteins like chicken breasts, fish, dairy products, tofu, and lentils to your plate. Leafy vegetables would make for a great addition of micronutrients and antioxidants that will provide necessary menstrual cycle support during this phase.
Foods to avoid during follicular phase include ultra-processed foods, high-fat processed foods, sugary or spicy foods, excess caffeine and alcohol.
What to eat during ovulation phase
Research says foods that support the ovulation phase include plant-based sources of protein, carbohydrates with low glycemic index, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, foods high in vitamins B9 (folic acid) and D and antioxidant-rich foods.
Plant-based protein sources include quinoa, seitan, nut butter, tofu, and chickpeas.
The glycemic index is a numerical scale from 0 to 100 used to rank carbohydrates based on how much they raise blood sugar levels within two hours after consumption. Carbohydrates with a score of under 55 are considered low-glycemic index (low GI) carbs. These include:
Most fruits and vegetables.
Legumes such as beans, peas, edamame, tofu, soy-based meat substitutes, and lentils.
Nuts and seeds.
Low-fat dairy products like milk, plain yogurt, and cheese.
Whole grains such as steel-cut oats, whole-grain pumpernickel bread, sourdough bread, rice bran cereals, wheat tortillas, and barley.
Vitamin D is nicknamed the 'sunshine vitamin,' so you can get a good dose by taking a morning walk when the sun is not too hot, eliminating the need for sunscreen. Additionally, you can eat
Vitamin D-rich foods such as fatty fish (e.g., salmon, mackerel, trout, and sardine), some mushrooms, and fortified milk or cereal.
Foods high in folic acid (B9) include beef liver, dark leafy greens, eggs, lentils, black-eyed peas, avocado, and oranges.
Foods such as eggs, fatty fish (e.g., sardines, herring, mackerel), plant oils (especially canola, flaxseed, and olive), seeds (like chia sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin), nuts (especially walnuts and almonds), and avocado are high in healthy fats or fatty acids. Additionally, foods like many fruits, vegetables, spices, and herbs are packed with antioxidants. Think dark leafy greens, all kinds of berries, and the likes of ginger, oregano, parsley, thyme, garlic, coriander, and cumin that’ll add deep flavors to your cooking.
What to eat during luteal phase
Where estrogen acts as an antidepressant to elevate mood and raise energy levels, progesterone does the complete opposite. So, the luteal phase, which involves having more progesterone than estrogen, may be characterized by low moods, unexplained tiredness, and other known symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) such as acne, oily skin, irritability, constipation, nausea, and tender breasts.
Moreover, since your body is preparing for pregnancy, it will use more energy in the form of fats and protein. So, you may also notice changes in your appetite or unhealthy food cravings in this phase. Therefore, you'll need to eat foods high in healthy fats and protein to give your reproductive system some clean fuel to run on with just enough to spare for your normal activities.
Also, fiber-rich foods can help regulate blood sugar levels to avoid cortisol (stress hormone) spikes that may contribute to mood swings. These foods may include:
Oats
Apples
Artichoke
Kale
Lentils
Kidney beans
Black beans
Split peas
Chickpeas
Chia seeds
Pistachios
Coconut
As with your follicular phase, here, you should avoid eating ultra-processed foods, sugary or spicy foods, and alcohol, as they not only contribute to hormonal imbalance but can also increase inflammation and cause severe cramping.
What to eat during periods
If you’ve ever wondered: “What nutrients are lost during menstruation?” The simple answer is iron. While on your period, your iron and hydration levels may fall below normal, potentially leading to dehydration headaches, fatigue, and lightheadedness. Also, as your uterine lining sheds and more prostaglandins are produced, your muscles may contract violently, causing menstrual cramps. On top of that, a large majority of women struggle with mood swings, bloating, lower back pain, constipation or diarrhea, and frustration (because what’s not to be frustrated about in this phase?!).
To replace lost fluids and combat dehydration, you should aim to drink up to 8 glasses of water daily. It’ll also help you achieve a clear, glowing skin. Consider setting a reminder on your phone to drink a glass every 2 hours from 8 AM to 8 PM. You can also improve your hydration levels more conveniently by eating your water. Work water-rich foods such as cucumbers, watermelons, celery, peaches, mangoes, strawberries, and pineapples into your diet.
Next, you want to replenish your body’s iron levels. Eat iron-rich foods, including:
Seafood (fish and shellfish)
Poultry
Organ meat like liver and kidney.
Dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and broccoli.
Quinoa.
Tofu.
Beans, peas and lentils.
Dark chocolate.
Sweet potato with the skin.
Unfortunately, you don’t absorb all the iron you eat, particularly with plant-based food sources, due to the presence of antinutrients (i.e., compounds that bind to certain nutrients and restrict your body’s ability to absorb them). To work around this, here are 2 tips that will be particularly valuable for our vegan sisters, who must obtain their iron exclusively from plant-based foods.
Many antinutrients can be depleted or completely removed from food through preparation methods such as fermentation, soaking overnight, sprouting, and cooking.
Pairing iron-rich food sources with foods high in vitamins C and A can help increase the level of absorbable iron.
Foods high in vitamin C include citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, spinach, bell peppers, and melons.
Foods high in vitamin A include Carrots, squash, red bell pepper, apricot, beef liver, and cod liver oil.
Moving on, make yourself a hot cup of cinnamon tea. Research has proven that it contains antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, period pain, bloating, menstrual bleeding, nausea, and vomiting. Ginger tea also serves the same purpose, as it has been shown to inhibit the production of prostaglandins. Feel free to sprinkle cinnamon on your food or add fresh ginger to your cooking if you are not a tea lover.
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish, seafood, and fish oil supplements, have been found to significantly reduce the severity of menstrual pain. It may also help improve the emotional symptoms (i.e., depression, anxiety, overwhelm, and mood swings) associated with periods, as proven by research.
Finally, if you often feel so tired and moody that you can't help lying around throughout your period, or you find yourself cheating on your diet, go ahead and add high-protein foods to your meals. Protein-rich foods, including eggs, chickpeas, lentils, chicken breasts, beans, greek yogurt, nuts, and seeds, will give you sustained energy, stabilize your mood, keep you feeling full for longer, and reduce your unhealthy cravings.
The best period snacks you can have to satisfy your sweet tooth include:
Yogurt with granola or fruits.
Dried fruits.
Nuts.
Dark chocolate.
Oatmeal bowl customized with fruits, nuts, seeds, and plant butter.
Peanut butter.
Smoothies.
Foods you should avoid during your period include salty foods, junk foods, sugary foods, caffeine, spicy foods, and alcohol. Although red meat is high in iron, it also contains high levels of prostaglandins, so it is advisable to limit your consumption or avoid it altogether.
*Prostaglandins are hormone-like chemicals that trigger inflammation and cause your blood vessels and the muscles in your endometrium to contract, which helps to initiate menstruation. However, excessive prostaglandins can cause intense muscle contractions, leading to painful period cramps and heavy bleeding.
In addition to eating a healthy menstrual cycle diet, you must know that several other factors can influence your menstrual health. These factors include chronic stress, poor sleep quality, being sick or chronically ill, vigorous exercise, excessive or sudden weight loss, and use of hormonal contraceptives. They can delay your menstrual cycle or lead to heavier or lighter than normal blood flow.
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