Feed your phase: Nutrition for the menstrual cycle
When thinking about how to best prepare your body for conception, it’s important to start by observing your menstrual cycle. Throughout the menstrual cycle, certain changes and hormonal fluctuations are taking place that influences fertility and conception.
Fortunately, becoming familiar with the different phases of the cycle can help us identify the foods and nutrients that best support and nourish the body through these transitions, normalizing and regulating the menstrual cycle naturally. I like to think of this process as “feeding your phase.”
While this information is applicable to any woman seeking to normalize her cycle, it is, without a doubt, a very important first step as one prepares for conception.
What we will be looking at:
The different phases of the menstrual cycle
The primary hormones to consider during the cycle
How to best support and regulate the cycle nutritionally
Considering that every woman’s body is unique, it is highly recommended that one learns to track their cycle length and any additional patterns that may provide useful information in order to predict fertile days and non-fertile days.
The menstrual cycle consists of two phases; the follicular phase and the luteal phase. A normal cycle varies in length, but generally, it is anywhere between 21 to 35 days. Ideally, 24 to 35 days is considered healthy in order to provide a robust luteal phase.
The Follicular Phase:
The follicular phase is the first half of the cycle, roughly days one through fourteen. This phase can be broken into two sub-phases. The first sub-phase is the shedding of the uterine lining, also known as the period. This begins with the first day of the bleed and lasts around 3-7 days. After completion of the shedding of the uterine lining, the focus of the follicular phase shifts to the growth of the follicles, which will ultimately lead to the release of an egg. Multiple follicles will grow, but only one will mature, becoming the dominant follicle that will release the egg during ovulation. This marks the second phase, known as the luteal phase.
The Luteal Phase:
Ovulation happens around day 14, but this can vary depending on the length of one’s cycle. A healthy luteal phase should be at least 12 days, according to the research. Again, ovulation is dependent on the length of one’s cycle, which is one of the reasons why cycle tracking is so important. After ovulation, progesterone is the primary hormone along with estrogen that is working to thicken the uterine lining for the possibility of fertilization.
Whether avoiding pregnancy or actively trying to conceive, charting the cycle will help to identify fertile versus infertile days.
The primary hormones to consider during the cycle are estrogen, progesterone, FSH, also known as follicular stimulating hormone, and LH, or luteinizing hormone.
Estrogen has two different peaks, one near ovulation (around days 10-16) and the other during the luteal phase (around days 18-23).
Progesterone has its peak in the luteal phase (around days 14-28) after ovulation has occurred. FSH and LH both peak before ovulation (around days 12-14).
Cycle tracking not only allows for the identification of fertile and non-fertile days but also assists with ascertaining more subtle changes in the body, such as mood and energy level, helping one decide when specific foods and exercises will be most suited.
Now that we have discussed the basics of each phase and the hormones involved let’s look at how to best feed and nourish each phase of the cycle.
Feeding menstruation:
Due to the shedding of the uterine lining and blood loss, menstruation is often seen as a restorative phase. This phase takes a lot of energy because of the blood loss and the associated iron loss that is taking place. It's helpful here to include foods that are restorative and will promote sleep and energy, as well as reduce inflammation.
Supporting nutrients include:
Magnesium-rich foods: aids sleep; relaxes the muscles, easing cramps-dark chocolate, cherries, seeds.
Iron-rich foods: replenishes iron that has been lost during blood loss-Heme sources include red meat and other animal sources. Non-heme iron can be obtained from plant sources such as leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, red bean, red kidney beans.
Antioxidant-rich foods: help fight inflammation-Vitamin C and other polyphenol-rich plants-most colorful fruits and veggies (bell peppers, citrus, etc.), leafy greens, garlic, ginger, turmeric, rosemary, and green tea.
Hydration: replenish lost fluids-adequate water, coconut water, bone broth, and certain herbal teas. Teas such as red raspberry leaf, nettle, and lemongrass can also tone the uterus and support hormones.
Warm-cooked foods: cold foods require a lot more energy for digestion and absorption.
Feeding the follicular Phase:
During the second half of the follicular phase, there is an increase in estrogen, which also leads to increased energy. Here we want to support increased energy availability and also support the microbiome to properly eliminate excess estrogens that can build up during this time.
Supporting nutrients include:
Carbohydrates: increased insulin sensitivity at this time allows for better metabolism of carbohydrates. Focus on complex carbohydrates, colorful veggies, leafy greens, and whole grains.
Estrogen metabolizing foods and liver cleansing foods: probiotic-rich foods and Fermented foods: kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, etc., B vitamin-rich leafy greens, and cruciferous veggies like broccoli, kale, and bok choy
Anti-inflammatory foods: Omega 3-rich foods such as fish and pastured eggs and anti-antioxidant-rich foods such as those mentioned above.
Feeding Ovulation:
Once the mature follicle ruptures and the egg is released, that follicle becomes what is now called the corpus luteum. This is what produces progesterone. If, however, there is no follicle maturation and rupture, progesterone will not be produced, as is the case with PCOS (Polycysctic Ovarian Syndrome). So without a corpus luteum, there is no progesterone, and this will broadly disrupt the entire cycle.
Here we want to continue to support the liver with estrogen detoxification and facilitate elimination and bloating.
Supporting nutrients include:
Probiotics/prebiotic-rich foods: to enrich the beneficial bacteria-fermented foods; kimchi and kombucha, yogurt. Prebiotic-rich foods (fiber that feeds the beneficial bacteria); garlic, onion, asparagus, and banana
Fiber: both soluble and insoluble fiber- Helps remove and detoxify estrogen and promote healthy bowels and waste removal.
Cruciferous and sulfur-containing veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and onions, and garlic
B vitamins like B 12: leafy greens, and animal sources, nutritional yeast
Dandelion tea: supports the liver and helps with bloating.
Feeding the luteal phase:
Post-ovulation, the endometrium is thickening for potential fertilization. Estrogen will surge here around days 20 to 22 and this surge is often associated with the symptoms that we experience around PMS. If fertilization doesn't happen, then progesterone will decline, and menstruation will take place, initiating the whole cycle all over again.
Here we want to support progesterone production and sleep, optimize digestion, balance mood, and combat inflammation.
Supporting nutrients include:
Progesterone-promoting foods-B6: avocado, banana, salmon, Magnesium-rich foods: dark chocolate, cherries, seeds
Vitamin C-rich foods: boost progesterone and combat inflammation. Bell peppers, citrus fruits
Mood-supporting nutrients-Fat soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, K, B 12, and probiotics play a role in our nervous system function and support mood balance.
Protein-rich foods: important for the production of our neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
When tracking the menstrual cycle, remember that every body is different, and each phase varies in length of time. Clarity on the length of each phase will aid in choosing the right nutritional application to support your natural cycle. This can take some practice and should be observed for at least a few months in order to begin to see patterns. There are also many great apps and paper charts available to make tracking easy.
To get the full breakdown of each phase along with some visual support, you can watch the full episode of Rebel Roots Nutrition on Youtube HERE or listen to the podcast episode HERE.
For more personalized support around nurturing and feeding the menstrual phases, connect with Carla at rebelrootsnutrition@gmail.com,
https://www.rebelrootsnutrition.com/