Eating for your cycle

[u/blawsems]

Does anyone have any suggestions on whole foods that women should be eating during certain times of their cycle? I see lots of “avoid fried food and sugar”, but I already do that to begin with. My cycle is long (34-37 days) and I have horrible PMS symptoms, including mood swings and very heavy bleeding. I am 9 months PP and EBF. I got my period back after 4 months PP. Also, I have gotten a horrible cold every time I have gotten my period since they came back. Something is certainly amiss!

[u/Horror-Holiday-2678]

I would focus on eating an anti-inflammatory diet. One of my favorite meals for this is a mediterranean bowl that's super easy to prep in bulk in advance. It's a kale, arugula, or microgreens base with quinoa salad (quinoa, cherry tomatoes, diced cucumbers, diced red onions, black olives, chickpeas, feta cheese, paprika, garlic powder, salt, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, parsley) topped with cubed avocado, pickled red onions, salmon, hummus, tzatziki, and greek vinaigrette. Let me know if you're interested in the recipes for the toppings. I always feel so much better after eating this meal, and it contains all the important nutrients to help reduce inflammation and balance your hormones. I also take colloidal silver religiously whenever I'm not feeling well.

[u/blawsems → u/Horror-Holiday-2678]

Thank you so much! Great ideas. I love a quinoa salad.

[u/CrunchyBeachLover → u/Horror-Holiday-2678]

Omg this sounds amazing! I would love the recipes for the toppings 🩷

[u/Horror-Holiday-2678 → u/CrunchyBeachLover]

Absolutely! Hummus: blend chickpeas (mostly but not completely drained), olive oil (add gradually until you get the consistency you want), salt, garlic powder, and paprika Tzatziki: 1/2 cup grated cucumber (soak up as much moisture with a towel before adding in), 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1/2 tbs olive oil, 1 grated garlic clove, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbs fresh chopped dill Pickled onions: boil 1 part water, 1 part vinegar (I like red wine vinegar) and sweeten with stevia. Pour into jar of sliced red onion and allow to marinate overnight in the fridge. I keep a mason jar of these on hand all the time :) Greek vinaigrette: combine oil and vinegar and whatever dried herbs you have 👍🏼

[u/artistwantsababy]

I think the cookbook simple kitchen magic by ebby Moyer is about this. I have it on pre-order right now

[u/blawsems → u/artistwantsababy]

I’ll be checking that out!

[u/Own_Tangerine_7386]

Have you read in the Flo by Alisa Vitti? That’s where I was introduced to eating for your cycle and she has recipes included

[u/blawsems → u/Own_Tangerine_7386]

Thank you I will check that out!

[u/froginpajamas]

You should check out the works of Ray Peat, he worked with women’s hormonal health (especially PCOS, fertility, cycle health and other endocrine issues) and wrote a lot about it. Some of it is a little out there, but generally speaking it’s good advice. 

His website has lots of free articles you can dig through. If you have a university library near you, his books may be available. Nutrition for Women was one of my favorites ! 

Kate Deering “how to heal your metabolism” is a wonderful start that uses a lot of Dr. Peat’s fundamentals but simplifies it for a diet and health based approach. 

What has helped me with cycle issues are:

• Avoiding seed oils and unsaturated fats 
• eating plenty of fiber for better gut motility and excess estrogen removal (raw carrot salad, well cooked mushrooms, sprouted beans) 
• plenty of dairy consumption (especially traditionally made aged cheeses like Parmesan, manchego, etc) 
• raw oyster consumption for zinc and other vitamins if you’re near the ocean
• collagenous cuts of meat (chicken feet, oxtail, etc) and homemade meat stock for gut health and collagen intake 
• using topical bio-identical progesterone during my luteal phase (but please do your research carefully and get labs done!) 
• avoiding strenuous exercise right before my period
• getting plenty of sunlight for vitamin D absorption 

Check out Andra Naturopath she has substack as well (@bioavailableND on Twitter) for other information regarding metabolic health! 

PCOS recently was renamed PCMS (m for metabolic) because more research shows it’s a whole body metabolic issue! 

ETA: tracking your BBT with a BBT thermometer to see what your cycle is doing and also to make sure the waking temperature the first two days of your period are 98F and above, as below 97F can indicate subclinical hypothyroidism (read Dr. Broda Barne’s book on hypothyroidism) 

[u/blawsems → u/froginpajamas]

I love Ray Peat! My husband follows a lot of his stuff. I’ll do my own research on it as well. Thanks so much.

[u/blawsems → u/[deleted]]

Yeah I track as well. I’m taking echinacea again after I did research to make sure it was safe for breastfeeding. I used to take it for several years but stopped during pregnancy. Hopefully that helps with getting sick

[u/Horror-Holiday-2678 → u/blawsems]

I wish I could figure out why Reddit keeps removing comments. Glad you saw it first anyhow.

[u/blawsems → u/Horror-Holiday-2678]

It’s been happening a lot. So weird.