How to Cycle Sync with Food for a Better Cycle
Food is healing to the body, especially when it comes to your period.
That's some good news, eh!
Quick recap – last week’s post was about the infradian rhythm, how it plays a major role in your cycle, and what cycle syncing is all about. If you haven’t read that post yet, please hop over here and then come back. This post will make a lot more sense, I promise!
Ok, onto cycle syncing your body with food during your menstrual cycle. Ladies, I’m talking real food here – not junk foods that you crave. You see, there are underlying reasons for food cravings. The food I’m referring to here is nutrient-dense, whole foods. Healing foods.
Your body is asking for foods that are going to support and nourish it during your menstrual cycle, as hormones rise and fall. Whole foods are going to do just that. By cycle syncing with whole foods, you are supporting your hormones and providing your body with the needed nutrients for each phase.
Pretty cool, huh?
Here’s a reminder of each of the phases –
Phase 1: Follicular (the 7 to 10 days after your period)
Phase 2: Ovulatory (the 3 to 4 days in the middle of your cycle)
Phase 3: Luteal (the 10 to 14 days between ovulation and your period)
Phase 4: Menstrual (the 3 to 7 days of your period)
Now let’s take a look at each phase and the suggested foods to consume. These foods are what Alisa Vitti, founder of Flo Living, has determined as the best foods to help balance out your hormones and provide the proper micronutrients for that phase of your cycle.
Note – the majority of foods are veggies. Mom was on to something when she said eat your greens, sweet pea!
Phase 1 – Follicular (your period has ended)
What’s going on: Your hormones have calmed down, but they will begin to rise again. You want to aim for smaller meals during this phase.
Foods to eat more of –
Artichokes
Broccoli
Carrots
Green peas
Zucchini
Fermented foods
Sprouted grains like oats, quinoa, brown rice
Phase 2 – Ovulatory
What’s going on: The estrogen and luteinizing (hormone released by the anterior pituitary that's a major player in ensuring a healthy reproductive system) hormones are on the rise. Your body is craving raw foods in this phase.
Avoid eating cruciferous veggies like Brussel Sprouts, broccoli, kale, and cauliflower raw if you have a thyroid condition as these foods can be hard on the thyroid.
Foods to eat more of –
Asparagus
Brussel Sprouts
Swiss Chard
Spinach
Sprouted grains like oats, quinoa, brown rice
I’m sure you’ve noticed it’s a lot of dark, leafy greens and veggies during this phase. They’re great for detoxing and high in vitamins and minerals, as well as magnesium, which helps to contract and relax muscles. Upping your magnesium can bring relief to period cramps.
Happy hormone tip – dark chocolate (at least 70% and higher) is high in magnesium, too. Have a square or two when you ne – heck, when you want it.
Phase 3 – Luteal
What’s going on – Hormones estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone have reached their peaks but will drop right before you menstruate. Your body is craving warm, comfort foods in this phase.
Foods to eat more of –
Cauliflower
Collard greens
Onion
Radish
Squash
Sweet potato
Pumpkin
Turkey
Phase 4 – Menstrual
What’s going on - The bleed has commenced. Your hormones are at their lowest level and you probably feel it. You’re typically more fatigued and low on energy and stamina during this phase. This is the time to increase your protein and fat intake to help nourish the hormones and provide energy for the body. This is also the time to be most gentle with yourself (more on that in my next post).
Foods to eat more of –
Beet
Kale
Kelp
Mushrooms
Seaweed
Watermelon
Duck
Pasture-raised pork
Grass-fed beef
And let’s not forget bone broth! Bone broth is packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and collagen. It helps ease digestion, strengthen the immune system, and calm the body. And it’s a supportive food for any of the phases! I call it a “hug in a mug” because it feels like a warm embrace with each sip.
PMS Symptoms
Vitti suggests adding in more complex carbs if/ when PMS hits. Complex carb suggestions – sweet potatoes (my personal favorite), butternut squash, beans, apples, rice, quinoa, and oats. For better digestion and absorption of nutrients, soak your beans, rice, and oats first before cooking. The complex carbs will help sustain energy, boost mood, and reduce cravings.
For cramps, up your fat intake. Eat more fatty whole foods like salmon, mackerel, sardines, avocado, sprouted nuts and seeds, and eggs. Cook with unrefined virgin coconut oil, grass-fed butter, ghee, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, and lard. Increasing your fat intake will help combat the inflammation in your body and provide fuel to your hormones. Hormones need fat to thrive.
Ultimately, PMS symptoms should subside or stop altogether the more you work on your hormones and balance them out by reducing inflammatory foods and cycling in whole foods, lots of rest, nourishing movement, and reducing your stress levels.
Do I have to eat all of these foods during each cycle?
You don’t! Honestly, that would be overwhelming even for me. The key is to start eating more veggies, in general, and to try adding in 1-2 recommended veggies for each cycle. As always, start small and pay attention to what is in season and local.
Do I always need to eat with my cycle?
Again, you don’t. My hope is you’ll take this info and run with it. Try as many or as few recommended foods as you want for each cycle, but note how you feel. Do you have fewer cravings? More energy? Less cramping? That’s what counts! If you are craving other whole foods in your cycle that isn’t recommended for that phase, that’s ok! Your body is telling you it wants those foods, so please honor that.
Can I cycle sync if I have a missing period?
The short answer- not yet. If your period is missing, there’s a chance you could be dealing with PCOS, Hypothalamic Amenorrhea, or PBCS (post-birth control syndrome). Or if you’re on the pill, you’ll need to get off it first to cycle sync properly. If you’re thinking of getting off the pill, please see a holistic practitioner like myself or a Naturopathic or functional medicine doctor (or even holistic or open-minded gynecologist) that will do the research necessary to determine the root cause of your missing period. If you’re on birth control and have been thinking of getting off, please click here to read up on what that process looks like.
Can I cycle sync if I have an irregular period?
Yes, you can! Irregular periods have underlying root causes that need addressing, similar to missing periods, so please see a holistic practitioner to address those concerns. To cycle sync, you’ll just need to track your period and be flexible. You can start with the follicular phase now or track with the moon’s phases for the month you’re starting to cycle.
Cycle syncing is not THE answer to a healthy and smooth cycle, but it is darn close to it. Please remember it takes time to try something new and then implement it into your life. Your body is unique and what makes you YOU, so listen to it and give it what it needs. This guide is simply that – a guide in helping you achieve a better cycle.
Embrace your cycle. It's a part of you and it is a sign that your body is healthy and functioning properly. The more in tune we become with our body and provide it the nourishing foods it needs, aside from movement and self-care, the better your cycle will be. You'll soon go from dread to gratitude for this fascinating thing called a menstrual cycle.
That's pretty cool.
*Stay tuned for next week – cycle syncing with your exercise!
Source:
Vitti, A. 2020. Hormones and Food: 4 foods to get rid of your symptoms in 4 weeks! Retrieved from https://www.floliving.com/4-foods-get-rid-symptoms-4-weeks/