Your Diet and Your Menstrual Cycle - What You Need to Know

If we had to line up the number of days that you will have your period back-to-back, you would have a period non-stop for 10 years. That is an entire decade of your life spent on your period! While this is a perfectly natural occurrence that is a part of the female experience, it is worth learning a bit more about how your body ticks so that you can provide it with what it needs the most.

As holistic therapists at the forefront of innovative menstrual cycle therapy, we have had countless questions surrounding practical steps that can be implemented during this time of the month. But the fact is your period is not just encompassed by the days when you are bleeding. A menstrual cycle is exactly as its name stipulates it is – a cycle; one that starts on the first day of bleeding, runs all the way through to the last day of bleeding and beyond, and then ends the day before your next period begins – only to start all over again. Long story short: your menstrual cycle is a whole lot more than just a couple of inconvenient days a month when your uterus decides to tear her walls down and start redecorating.

One of the fundamental recommendations we offer for all of our clients is to approach their cycle with a healthy diet that supports their hormones throughout all four phases of their cycle. This is exactly what we will be exploring next.

The Four Phases

As much as this article is going to be about what to eat and what to avoid, it is also about undergoing a mindset shift. Your menstrual cycle is not something to just get through. You can have a balanced, hormone-happy, and healthy life all month long, irrespective of where you are in your cycle. Before we can dive into the finer details of what you should eat, and when, it is important to understand how your body works during your cycle. For the most part, many women are under the misconception that their menstrual cycle begins with the first sign of menstrual bleeding and ends once this has ceased. Yes, the “period” during which bleeding is present is more commonly referred to as menstruation, but there are three other distinct phases outside of this timeframe. Let’s discuss these four phases now.

Your Hormones & You

Your body is bound to go through an array of changes during each phase of your menstrual cycle because each phase serves a purpose. During the menstrual phase, your estrogen and progesterone levels will drop. This is where many women get

confused because the menstrual phase is brief and is often just the signalling phase where your hormonal changes tell your uterus that it is time to start shedding.

There is an overlap in the follicular phase which starts during the first day of menstrual bleeding and lasts for up to 14 days. The unfertilized egg will be expelled from your body along with the thickened lining of your uterine wall. This lining will then be built back up in preparation for the ovulatory phase.

During this phase, you begin producing follicle-stimulating hormones and your ovaries will produce up to 20 follicle sacs that contain underdeveloped or “immature” eggs. The egg that matures the fastest, wins the race and is primed for fertilization. The rest of them get reabsorbed into your body via the ovaries. Once this happens, your estrogen levels begin to soar once more, thickening your uterine lining. The stage is set and your mature egg can now travel down toward your uterus. Like the menstrual phase, this window is very small and if the egg is not fertilized within 24 hours of reaching the uterus, it dissolves and the luteal phase gets underway.

At this point, your body will produce progesterone to try and keep that lining intact just in case your egg has been fertilized. If the egg has not been fertilized, progesterone will steadily decrease between days 15 and 28. By day 28, “Aunty Flow” pays you a ruby red visit again.

These fluctuations in the way your hormones work throughout your cycle are the precise reason why we recommend a diet that is tailored to your four phases.

What to Eat (and What Not to Eat)

Menstrual Phase (A small window between Day 28 and Day 4)

Eat: In the window just before your period and just after the first signs of bleeding, you might experience food cravings. Junk food and c

hocolate might make you feel better in the short term but, in the long run, it is going to cause bloating and wild spikes in your energy levels. Focus on eating foods that are hydrating in nature. These include tomatoes, watermelon, cucumber, and celery.

Avoid: Keep away from processed foods and packaged snacks such as burgers, pizza, chocolate, and potato chips. Yes, you can treat yourself, but make it a small treat and focus on staying hydrated and eating foods that will minimize the effects of cramping, bloating, and lethargy.

Follicular Phase (Days 1-14) and Ovulatory Phase (Day 14-16)

Eat: It is important to enjoy a carb-rich and protein-rich diet during this phase. Eating things such as avocado, oily fish, and whole grains will be paramount to your ability to maintain your focus at work and feel your best.

Avoid: At this time, you should try to avoid binge eating, especially if you tend to consume carbs that are overly processed, refined, or of poor quality.

This could lead to insulin imbalances as your body is in a glycogen-reserving, fat-burning state.

Luteal Phase (Days 16-28)

Eat: Keep in mind that your insulin sensitivity will be at an all-time low during this phase. If you’re not planning on falling pregnant and do not suspect that you are, this is a great time to boost weight loss and hormonal recalibration. Since you will be preparing to shed during this phase and your mature egg will be gone, you can cut the carbs back and load up on foods that are high in amino acids. This will engage your fat-burning abilities as your glycogen stores diminish. Think of things like soy, nuts, turkey, and lean meat.

Avoid: This is not the best time to be getting hopped up on coffee or hitting the club every weekend. Caffeine and alcohol during the luteal phase will lead to more intense period cramps at the onset of your menstrual cycle.

Summary

Working with your body instead of against it throughout the month will allow you to experience a balanced and healthy life throughout the year. You will not have as many fluctuations in your temperament, nor will you experience cramps at the intensity that you normally do.

If you would like to learn more about our menstrual therapy, use the button below.

Learn more about menstrual cycle therapy

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