Menstrual cycle: day 1 of your period bleed (Days 1-4) The first part of your menstrual cycle is menstruation – from when your period (or bleeding) starts until it ends. The average period usually lasts around 2 days to 1 week. Your menstrual phase (your period) is a time to rest and replenish. Your body is undergoing a controlled inflammatory response to shed your uterine lining, so nourishing yourself with nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods will help support you at this time.
Exercise: rest, yoga, and walking
Food:dark green leafy vegetables, bananas, blueberries, avocados, fish like salmon, nuts & seeds, sweet potatoes, and dark chocolate :)
Energy: low (estrogen and progesterone are low)
Follicular phase: (5-10 days) On day 1 of your cycle, both estrogen and progesterone are low, which signals the pituitary gland (a pea-sized gland at the base of the brain) to release Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH stimulates the ovaries to form a follicle in preparation for ovulation. Fresh vibrant foods make you feel more energized during this phase, when all hormone levels are beginning to rise. Estrogen and testosterone levels are going up. During this time it is important to make sure that you are nourishing your body, so that your body can release an egg. Why is it important to release an egg even if you’re not trying to get pregnant? If the egg is not released, there is no adequate production of progesterone. Progesterone deficiency causes various symptoms such as lack of menstruation, mood problems and also leads to estrogen dominance.
Exercise: running, cycling
Foods: Phytoestrogens ** broccoli, Lemon, Flaxseeds, chicken, eggs Kimchi, sauerkraut, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, lean meat, lemons, oranges, flaxseed, and oats or rice, edamame
Energy: Lower
Hormones: Estrogen and progesterone low, but start rising to prepare for ovulation
Ovulatory phase:(10-14 days) Ovulation is the part of the cycle where a mature follicle (part of the ovary) discharges an egg. It’s during this time that the egg travels down the fallopian tube and either implants in the endometrium (uterine lining) if fertilized by sperm or slowly dissolved and passed out of the body, along with the uterine lining during your menses. The follicle produces more estrogen to prepare the uterus for pregnancy. For around days 12-14 of the cycle, estrogen peaks and triggers the release of luteinizing hormone (LH). This LH surge causes ovulation. This phase occurs in the middle of your cycle, and lasts only a week while the egg is released from the ovary and travels to the uterus. During ovulation, you may feel hotter than usual, because the body temperature rises by 0.5 degrees. If you are trying to get pregnant, this is the perfect time. As the egg is released and travels through fallopian tubes, you may feel a little stiffness or pain around the hips, abdomen and lower back. Your energy levels are now high and your mood should be very stable during your ovulatory phase. These foods provide high levels of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that will help your liver metabolize excess estrogen. By eating fiber rich foods in this phase, you’re also supporting your large interest to increase transit time and help flush the estrogen that the liver is working hard to metabolize.
Exercise: HITT, sprinting, high intensity, weight training
Foods: bell peppers, spinach, kale, broccoli, tomatoes, leafy greens, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, oats, rice
Energy: All time high, mood should be up
Hormones: Estrogen peaks
Luteal phase: (15-23 days) The ruptured follicle, now called the corpus luteum releases progesterone and estrogen to prepare for pregnancy. If pregnancy occurs, estrogen and progesterone stay high throughout, a phenomenon commonly mimicked with most hormonal birth controls. If pregnancy does not occur, estrogen and progesterone drop and menses occurs. Your body needs more during this phase! Your metabolism naturally speeds up during this phase along with B vitamins to pump up the production of progesterone and to stabilize blood sugar levels. Eat cooked leafy veggies because these are high in calcium and magnesium to reduce fluid retention. Eating these high fiber foods again will help your liver metabolize out excess estrogen reducing symptoms such as migraines, cramps, acne, and mood shifts during your menstrual phase. It’s important to increase your protein intake and health fats, in addition to heating food, because your body is getting ready to work hard during your bleeding days.
Exercise: weight training, jogging, cycling
Foods: Anti-inflammatory ** Quinoa, rice, avocado, salmon, chicken, beef (prostaglandins) walnuts & almonds, cauliflower, apples, chickpeas, sesame seeds, turkey, peppermint tea
Energy: Average
Hormones: Progesterone is high and if not pregnant, progesterone goes super low
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