What To Eat During Each Phase Of Your Menstrual Cycle, From An MD

If you want clues into how your hormones are functioning, look to your menstrual cycle. Since there's no such thing as a "normal" menstrual cycle, tracking yours can help identify your personal baseline, so you can then recognize if/when something feels off (which might indicate a hormonal imbalance).

That said, supporting your hormones shouldn't begin when things go awry: maintenance is key to sustained health. One way to practice hormonal maintenance is by eating in tune with your cycle. Below I explain the four main phases of the menstrual cycle, and the best food to support each one.

During the follicular phase, which follows menstruation and precedes ovulation, estrogen and testosterone start to rise and peak. The brain will begin producing follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which tells the ovaries to prepare to release an egg. Eventually, one follicle (fluid-filled sacs containing eggs) becomes more dominant than the other. The more dominant follicle will produce estrogen as it grows, therefore, increasing your estrogen levels during this time, too.

During ovulation, the eggs are released and they travel through the fallopian tube to the ovary where it can potentially be fertilized. Though it's possible to get pregnant during any phase of menstruation, it's most likely during ovulation (this is also why you might be feeling especially horny!). Estrogen and testosterone are peaking during this time.

The next phase of your cycle is called the luteal phase: It follows ovulation and precedes your next period. During this phase, the pituitary gland releases luteinizing hormones, starting out in low levels and continuously rising as more is released. When it's peaked, it signals the ovary to release an egg. As mentioned, the eggs are surrounded by fluid-filled sacs (aka follicles), which break down when the egg is released, building what's called the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum then breaks down and releases progesterone. This hormone helps thicken the uterine lining so it's ready for implantation.

Day one of your cycle begins the day you start menstruating (i.e. the day your period starts). As you begin to bleed, the hormones estrogen and progesterone plummet. Blood and tissue from the uterine lining is also shedding during this phase, so your body and your hormones are undergoing drastic fluctuations—be gentle on yourself.