You’ve probably noticed that you feel different when you’re on your period.
You may feel tired, bloated, and unable to muster up the energy to do basically anything.
This is because of shifts in your hormonal cycle.
But did you know this didn’t just stop at menstruation?
In fact, women typically go through four different cycles throughout a 28-day period.
So why haven’t you heard of this before?
Dr. Marjorie Jenkins, women’s health expert and senior clinical advisor at Incora Health, told DailyMail.com that it’s because women are taught about their period and not their cycle as a whole.
‘Medical education, fitness plans, and diet culture were all built around a male 24-hour hormone cycle – not the 28-day female one,’ Dr. Jenkins said.
Women’s health expert Dr. Marjorie Jenkins said that diet culture and fitness plans are built around men and that women can benefit from learning about their own bodies
‘Women have been left out of the conversation about their own bodies for far too long.’
But by learning about these cycles, what they do to your hormones, and what your body requires when they’re happening, you can figure out just how to fuel your body so that you’re as energized as you can possibly be.
The cycle begins with your menstrual phase.
During this phase, your hormones are at their lowest levels and therefore your energy takes a dip.
When you’re menstruating, your body is essentially looking for comfort.
‘Warm, iron-rich foods like lentils, beets, and broth-based soups help replenish and comfort your body,’ Dr. Jenkins said.
After you menstruate, your body goes into the follicular phase, which is when your energy and estrogen begin to rise.
Dr. Jenkins said that during this phase you feel more motivated and can think more clearly.
During your menstruation phase your body benefits from warm, iron-rich foods (stock image)
When it comes to food, she said to think fresh and vibrant, like leafy greens, fermented foods, cruciferous vegetables.
‘These support estrogen metabolism and give your brain the clarity boost it’s already leaning into,’ Dr. Jenkins said.
After the follicular phase, your body begins to ovulate.
You’ve probably heard of ovulation – it’s when your body essentially prepares to get pregnant.
This is when your estrogen peaks and you’re essentially firing on all cylinders.
During this time, you’ll likely feel high energy, high libido, and high creativity – and your meals should reflect this.
‘With estrogen surging, your liver is working hard to break down the excess estrogen,’ Dr. Jenkins explained.
This is where estrogen-balancing foods like cruciferous vegetables, flaxseeds, soy, green tea, and berries come in.
‘Eating an overall healthy diet can also help give you the strength and stamina you need during this high-energy phase,’ she said.
Your ovulation phase makes you feel high-energy, requiring an overall healthy diet to help you maintain your strength and stamina (stock image)
Then finally, your body enters the luteal phase.
This is when progesterone increases and you can experience premenstrual syndrome (AKA PMS) symptoms like bloating, water retention, breakouts, and irritability.
Dr. Jenkins explained that the luteal phase is essentially a ‘slowdown’ phase, so you need to support your body.
‘This is where nutrition really matters,’ she said.
‘To combat PMS and progesterone’s sluggish effects, focus on whole grains, lean proteins, superfoods, and magnesium-rich picks.’
She explained that antioxidants like turmeric and blueberries can be your best friend during this time.
This may seem overwhelming, but by staying in-tune with your body, you’ll find that you feel much better every day.
There are tracking apps that take the guesswork out of figuring out what part of your cycle you’re in so that you can give your body exactly what it needs.
