What to Eat and Drink in Each Phase of Your Cycle

How do I track my period/know what phase I’m in?

Menstrual Phase: 3-7 days. Begins with day 1 of your period and ends when your period ends.

What your body is doing: The lining of the uterus is shedding. Hormones are at an all-time low at the beginning of your cycle and then begin to increase to more stable levels at the end of your period. You are losing blood and iron, prostaglandins (which cause cramping) are peaking. You typically feel more inward, slow, and restful here.

How to best support it: Focus on nourishing foods that build iron, assist in iron absorption, and are anti-inflammatory to fight cramps. Drink the most water compared to the rest of your month here as you are losing hydration when you’re bleeding.

Hydration: Two liters plus of water a day, and lots of hydration through non-caffeinated teas, add kombucha to help with your gut which can go haywire during menstruation.

Animal Sources: Beef, fish, and poultry (liver is also a fantastic source of if you’re into it!)

Anti-Inflammatory Spices & Herbs: Turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, cardamom, cumin, garlic, parsley, curry.

Plant Sources: Spinach, chard, kale, collard greens, broccoli, mushrooms, beets bell peppers, lentils, pinto beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, citrus fruits, strawberries, cherries, pineapple, mango, papaya.

Follicular phase:  ~13 days (this is the most variable phase RE timing)

What your body is doing: When your body prepares an egg to be released. Hormones estrogen and testosterone are peaking. You typically feel the most confident and full of energy as well as think and move quickly here.

How to best support it: Use your increased energy to stay healthy, work out your hardest, stay the most active, and support your body with energy building foods. Foods that pack plenty of vitamins, nutrients, and pop for the punch are the best here. Drink plenty of water to keep up with your lifestyle.

Hydration: At least two liters per day and add frozen fruit as ice cubes to your water, lemon or lime juice to increase energy and give you an extra boost.

Animal Sources: Beef, fish and poultry, lamb, eggs, dairy products (if you can).

Plant Sources: Chia seeds, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, hemp seeds, banana, apple, apricot, kiwi, blueberries, sugar snap peas, kale, green beans, green peas, carrots, sprouts, artichoke, parsley, sweet potato, brown rice.

Ovulatory phase: This phase occurs roughly 14 days after the first day of your period.

What your body is doing: Releasing an egg into your fallopian tubes for fertilization. This phase begins with high levels of estrogen and testosterone giving you lots of flirty, outgoing, and social feelings. Directly after ovulation, progesterone is on the rise which causes you to feel a bit more sluggish, introverted, snuggly, and protective than normal. Water weight is easy to put on here and constipation, crampiness, or nausea is not uncommon with ovulation. Listen to your body, track your cycle, and when you know ovulation is coming, go out, have fun, take advantage of these positive extroverted feelings as well as keep exercising. And after ovulation, if you begin to feel less energetic, stay home, rest, and cozy up.

How to best support it: Take advantage of the dichotomy of this phase by doing things to boost the energy you do have in preparation for lower energy levels as well as to stave off constipation, bloating, and low energy. Avoid salty foods to eliminate bloating, hydrate, eat fiber-rich foods and keep moving and exercising to decrease constipation. Foods that are high in water content help with hydration.

Hydration: At least two liters per day, adding a greens powder to your water to increase fiber can help here too (check your local health food store, they often have ones that taste delicious!)

Animal Sources: Beef, fish, eggs, and shellfish.

Plant Sources: Cauliflower, broccoli, all greens, tomatoes, potato, bell pepper,  eggplant, zucchini, squash, lettuce, cucumber, radish, watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, grapefruit, plums, pears, peaches, berries, goji berry, maca, micro-greens, spirulina, sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, pistachios.

Luteal phase: 14 days

What your body is doing: When the egg is either fertilized and prepares for attachment to the uterus or without pregnancy, disintegrates and your body prepares to cycle again. For the first four to seven days you typically have normal energy and mood that will slowly decline over the rest of the two weeks. If pregnancy doesn’t occur during this phase your hormones take a big drop and can cause the crummiest feelings of the month. Think PMS symptoms. As estrogen drops, serotonin follows causing you to feel a little bluer, as well as high progesterone, may cause cravings for fatty, high carb foods and an increased appetite in general.

How to best support it: Again, listen to your body here—enjoy the time you have in this phase before the hormonal swing hits. Continue to exercise but as your energy levels decline consider less high-impact movement like yoga and walking. Give your body what it needs by indulging a little more here than you normally would. Your body has these cravings for a reason—you’re preparing for menstruation. High iron, ultra-nourishing, and the most nutrient-dense indulgent foods are okay here. Warm, soft, and comforting foods are key.

Hydration: Two liters of water per day, avoid caffeine and dehydrating yourself as this will make you feel worse.

Animal Sources: Bone broth, beef, tuna, salmon, poultry, shellfish.

Plant Sources: Veggie broth, Kale, chard, arugula, cabbage, avocado, figs, raspberry, sweet potato, carrots, banana, plantain, brown rice, almonds, sunflower seeds, black beans, chickpeas, whole wheat grains, and pasta, and… dark chocolate!

Don’t forget! This is only a guide. Adding in these tips and foods can be awesomely helpful but please do not be too strict with yourself. Give your self grace and kindness and remember, tuning in and emphasizing self-love is the point of cycle syncing!