Every woman remembers her first period. Mine was on my twelfth birthday and my mother was scheduled to leave the following morning for an 8-day trip to Paris. I, along with my father, felt overwhelmed and completely bombarded by this unexpected leap into womanhood. The brief sex-education classes provided in school didn’t even begin to delve into the intricacy & power of a woman’s menstrual cycle. As you will begin to discover here, the physical and hormonal changes that occur throughout the month involve much more than cramps and chocolate cravings. The menstrual cycle can actually be used as a compass to help navigate your internal world.
Menstrual related hormonal fluctuations coordinate changes in food intake and metabolism to prepare the body for reproduction. Studies show a significant increase in appetite, food intake and energy expenditure during the week prior to menstruation. The lowest levels are seen during the week following menstruation. There are even suggestions that taste preferences change across the cycle, with increased carbohydrate and fat cravings just before menstruation (providing some evidence for the classic, PMS stereotype).
In order to learn the shifts in my own body, I began charting my cycle — including daily notes on energy level / appetite / emotion. Within just 3 months of charting, I was amazed to see how accurately I could predict changes in all three of these areas. Through learning to trust the energetic and hormonal cycle of my body I began to understand the need to adjust my eating and exercise routine from week to week.
In what I consider to be a must-read for every woman, Code Red: Know your flow, unlock your monthly super powers and create a bloody amazing life. Period., author Lisa Lister explores the powerful nature of a woman’s menstrual cycle. With a fun-loving writing style, Lisa brilliantly compares the 4 weeks of a woman’s monthly cycle to the 4 seasons of the year. There are physical & energetic shifts that occur on the earth from spring, to summer, to fall, to winter. She describes how we cycle through similar shifts during the course of 1 month.
In my description of the menstrual cycle below, I explain how hormonal changes impact your energy level, appetite, and food intake throughout the month. In each of the four weeks, I include Lisa’s metaphor of the seasons to help you better visualize the energetic shifts occurring in your body during each phase. I have given an estimated length of time for each phase, but be aware that this will vary slightly for every woman. My purpose for providing this information is to encourage you to allow cyclical changes in the amounts and types of foods you choose to eat each day. Unlike the rules of the latest fad diet, intake is not meant to be restricted to monotonous food choices and consistent portion sizes every day of your life. There are important changes occurring in your body that require changes in food intake from day to day.
Stages of Your Cycle:
Menstruation (days 1-6, bleed time), Winter.
This phase of the cycle is part of the follicular (or proliferative) phase, which is a time of growth and development of the ovarian follicle. It is characterized by the lowest hormonal levels of progesterone & estrogen. Overall, energy levels decrease during this time of the month. It is a time to become quiet and turn inward (think personal hibernation). You will likely need to slow the pace of your day and choose restorative, relaxing movement.
Nutrition Recommendations for Menstruation:
Increase iron intake. Women have higher iron needs than men due to the iron lost in blood during our period. We actually lose around 1 mg of iron per day of bleeding, so it’s no wonder that iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutrient deficiency in women! For a full review of iron-rich foods, see my post: Ironclad Intake.
Choose warming foods. Create meals using warm, cooked foods to help ground and balance the energy of the body. Soups, sews, red meats, and root vegetables are great foods to choose during your period. Overall, appetite and food intake will be a bit decreased due to the low hormonal levels and decline in activity.
Pre-ovulation (days 7-12), Spring.
This second half of the follicular phase is marked by a rise in estrogen levels. Circulating estrogen (in the form of estradiol) reaches a peak and has an appetite suppressing effect. Appetite and food intake are lowest during this phase of the cycle. Some studies show that this occurs because estradiol decreases the stomach’s secretion of the hunger hormone ghrelin. Others cite evidence that this occurs because estradiol increases the satiating effect of the gastrointestinal hormone cholecystokinin (CCK).
Think of this phase as a time of renewed energy. You will likely experience an increased desire to socialize and begin new projects. Choose activities such as walking, jogging, biking, dancing, or vinyasa flow yoga to get the energy moving.
Nutrition Recommendations for Pre-ovulation:
Choose cooling foods. Fresh, cool foods are balancing for the high energy of this phase. Increase intake of foods like leafy greens, fruit, and fish. Add green smoothies (check out my recommendations in Get Your Greens) and crisp salads with a variety of organic produce to optimize your nutrient intake.
Ovulation (days 13-15), Summer.
This phase is characterized by peaks in luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). During ovulation you are your most energetic & powerful self and ready to conquer anything! You may be so focused on accomplishing goals that you need to remind yourself to slow down for meals.
Nutrition Recommendations for Fertility:
Choose healthy fats. Saturated fat and cholesterol are necessary to synthesize sex hormones estrogen & progesterone. Irregular hormonal fluctuation is linked to fatigue, skin issues, trouble sleeping, weight gain, PMS, and infertility. Dietary saturated fat helps the body maintain hormonal balance, which has a huge impact on maintaining a regular menstrual cycle. Whole food sources of saturated fat include grass-fed beef, clarified ghee, full-fat dairy, and coconut oil. The Nurse’s Health Study even found that 1-2 servings of full-fat dairy (such as milk, cream or yogurt) can help protect against ovulatory infertility.
Eat whole grains. Complex carbohydrates slow the release of sugar into the blood stream, helping to balance blood sugar and insulin levels. Elevated insulin levels, which can be caused from eating too much refined sugar, can disrupt reproductive hormones, making it difficult to conceive. Consume a variety of grains, such as: amaranth, barley, buckwheat, farro, millet, oats, and quinoa.
Focus on Folate. If you are planning to conceive, folic acid is your go-to nutrient! Folic acid works to help a baby’s neural tube develop into his or her brain and spinal chord. Folate-rich foods include: nuts, beans, eggs, peas, and grains fortified with folic acid. Because birth defects occur within the first 3-4 weeks of pregnancy, the CDC recommends taking daily folic acid supplements (400 mcg) for at least 1 month before becoming pregnant.
Pre-menstruation (days 16-28), Fall.
Classically called the luteal (secretory) phase, this is the longest phase of the cycle. It is characterized by the development of the corpus luteum, which produces increased levels of progesterone. Circulating levels of progesterone actually rise 10-fold during the week following ovulation. During this phase you will experience a significant increase in appetite and food intake. Researchers suggest that progesterone does not directly cause an increase in appetite, but rather antagonizes the effects of estradiol (an appetite suppressant).
Some studies suggest that there is an increase in food cravings during this phase, specifically for sweet, carbohydrate-dense foods. One study reported that compared to the follicular phase (pre-ovulation), women consumed anywhere from 87 to 500 additional calories during the luteal phase (pre-menstruation). Try adding an extra snack rich in protein and fat during this time of the month to provide the necessary increase in energy and combat sugar cravings.
Researchers have proposed that the increase in binge eating is associated with low levels of serotonin during this phase of the cycle. Low levels of serotonin are also associated with symptoms of depression & anxiety, and may correlate with mood changes experienced during PMS. Despite popular opinion that serotonin is a chemical primarily produced in the brain, 80-90% of the body’s serotonin is found in the gastrointestinal tract. Just one more reason to focus on your gut health!
Nutrition Recommendations for PMS:
Increase protein intake. Focus on high protein foods to help maintain stable blood sugar levels and curb the elevated food cravings. Protein-dense foods to choose include: eggs, nuts & seeds, Greek yogurt, quinoa, beans & legumes, fish, poultry and beef. To read a more detailed list of protein-rich foods, check out my post: Eat Your Way to Healthier Hair.
Elevate mood with B-complex vitamins. To help combat the mood shifts that can occur during this time of the month, focus on increasing foods rich in B-complex vitamins (especially vitamin B6). Quinoa, beans, and legumes are great sources of both protein & B-complex vitamins.
Hydrate with filtered water. Fluid retention is common in the days leading up to your period. This is due to the hormonal shifts, which cause your body to hold onto sodium. The more sodium you have, the more water is retained in your tissues. Decrease your intake of salty foods and increase your water consumption to help limit bloating.
<3 I want to note that statistically significant cycle-related changes in hormone levels and appetite were not seen in women using oral contraceptives or in women without a period. If you fall into either of these categories and want to embrace this flow-style living, you may choose to follow the cycles of the moon to discover how to shift your energy throughout the month.
The photo depicts a turmeric latte, made with warmed coconut milk, grated ginger, turmeric and organic honey. The full-fat coconut, warming ginger, and anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric make it a lovely drink to choose during the menstrual phase of your cycle. For women trying to become pregnant – inflammation interferes with ovulation and conception, so decreasing stress levels and adding anti-inflammatory foods can help prepare the body for pregnancy.)
References:
Lister L. Code Red. Know your flow, unlock your monthly super powers and create a bloody amazing life. Period. SHE Press UK; 2015.
Hollins-Martin C, van den Akker O, Martin C, and Preedy VR. Handbook on diet and nutrition in the menstrual cycle, preconception and fertility, Volume 7. 2014.
Dye L and Blunder JE. Menstrual cycle and appetite control: implications for weight regulation. Human Reproduction. 1997; 12(6): 1142-1151.
Farage MA, Neill S and MacLean AB. Physiological changes associated with the menstrual cycle. Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey. 2009; 64(1): 58-72.
Hildebrandt et al. The effects of ovarian hormones and emotional eating on changes in weight preoccupation across the menstrual cycle. Int J Eat Disorder. 2015; 48(5): 477-486.
Hirschberg AL. Sex hormones, appetite and eating behaviour in women. Maturitas. 2012; 71: 248-256.
Slump KL et al. Ovarian hormones and emotional eating associations across the menstrual cycle: an examination of the potential moderating effects of body mass index and dietary restraint. Int J Eat Disorder. 2013; 46(3): 256-263.
Slump KL et al. The interactive effects of estrogen and progesterone on changes in emotional eating across the menstrual cycle. J Abnorm Psychol. 2013; 122(1): 131-137.
McNeil J and Doucet E. Possible factors for altered energy balance across the menstrual cycle: a closer look at the severity of PMS, reward driven behaviors, and leptin variations. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2012; 163(1): 5-10.
Racine SE et al. Differential associations between ovarian hormones and disordered eating symptoms across the menstrual cycle in women. Int J Eat Disorder. 2012; 45: 333-344.