I’m congratulating myself — and you — on developing a genuine interest in hormones and nutrition. This will grow into a series of informative and practical articles.
Why Track Your Menstrual Cycle?
Today, there are many convenient apps to track your cycle. If you’re also using the sympto-thermal or Creighton method — even better! These offer highly insightful data. I strongly recommend keeping a self-observation journal: note the day of your cycle, how you feel emotionally and physically (colors can help), your energy level, what you eat and how your body reacts. This will help you see patterns and draw helpful conclusions.
How Does Food Affect Hormones?
You can support hormonal balance through diet — and even reduce menstrual cramps, breast tenderness, and other symptoms — by aligning your food choices with your cycle phase.
Hormonal health starts in the gut. Inflammation in the gut overactivates the immune system, which can trigger a variety of health issues. It’s often said that the gut is the root of all disease.
Nutrition Basics for Hormonal Balance
- Balanced macronutrients: each meal should ideally include protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs. For example: one serving of fish (protein), two servings of vegetables and quinoa (carbs), drizzled with olive oil (fat).
- Avoid inflammation-triggering foods: refined grains (white flour), gluten, hydrogenated oils, trans fats (store-bought pizza, cookies, etc.), added sugar, and sometimes dairy. Every body is different, so self-observation is essential — if your body doesn’t tolerate something, don’t eat it. Elimination diets can help identify trigger foods.
- Include probiotics and prebiotics: yogurt, kefir, fermented vegetables, whole grains, bananas, onions, oats.
- Get enough fiber: at least 25–30 grams a day (avocados, raspberries, lentils).
- Healthy fats: coconut oil, good-quality butter, dairy, meat, salmon, nuts, seeds.
- Hydration: drink plenty of water.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine: no more than one drink and 1–2 cups of coffee a day.
Hormone Precursors: Why They Matter
Your body makes most of its hormones from precursors — or “prohormones.” These are raw materials that help your body produce hormones more efficiently. One example is pregnenolone (often called the “mother hormone”), which can be converted into either progesterone (a reproductive hormone) or DHEA (a stress hormone).
Depending on your body’s current needs, it will prioritize one over the other. When you’re under stress, your body will favor survival over reproduction — meaning it will make stress hormones first. This is why eating a balanced, nutrient-dense diet is crucial: you need enough building blocks to go around.
What to Eat in Each Phase of Your Cycle
Menstruation (Days 1–8)
Focus on water-rich fruits and vegetables, low-glycemic foods, and those high in iron, zinc, and iodine. Think: beans, cabbage, seaweed, mushrooms, chestnuts, beets, plums, figs, watermelon, bananas.
For extra comfort and healing: warm soups, bone broth (rich in collagen for tissue repair), eggs, seafood, stir-fried dishes, smoothies with dark berries, and chamomile tea.
Follicular Phase (Days 7–10)
This is a time for light, refreshing foods: salads, avocados, veal, salmon, chicken, eggs, carrots, zucchini, green peas, leafy greens (with lemon and legumes), probiotics, fermented and pickled veggies, citrus fruits.
Ovulation (Days 11–14)
Focus on fiber-rich veggies like asparagus and spinach, and antioxidant-packed fruits like raspberries, strawberries, coconut. Eat fewer carbs, and choose lighter ones like quinoa, amaranth, lentils. Great snacks: almonds, pistachios, pecans.
Luteal Phase (Days 15–30)
To tame cravings and reduce bloating caused by rising progesterone, focus on foods rich in B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and fiber. These help reduce sugar cravings and support the body through this phase.
Try roasted sweet potatoes, pumpkin, parsnips, squash. Choose grains like brown rice or millet alongside protein from chickpeas, legumes, grass-fed beef, or turkey. Add cauliflower, onions, radishes. Peppermint tea is also a great choice.
Seed Cycling: A Natural Hormonal Support
Seed cycling is a simple and research-backed way to support your hormonal rhythm through specific seeds:
- Days 1–15 (menstruation + follicular phase): 1 tbsp freshly ground flaxseed + 1 tbsp ground pumpkin seeds daily.
- Days 15–30 (luteal phase): 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds + 1 tbsp ground sunflower seeds daily.
You can add them to smoothies, salads, or just eat them with a spoon.
☝️ If you don’t have a cycle, you can follow the moon phases as a guide.
In Closing
Hormonal balance isn’t just about reproduction. It’s deeply connected to your energy, mood, skin, sleep, and overall wellbeing. And the first step to achieving it is your plate — full of mindful nourishment.
