Follicular Phase (days 1-12):  

The follicular phase starts on the first day of your period (some call the actual
period portion the “menstrual phase,” but technically menstruation marks the
beginning of the follicular phase). Throughout the follicular phase, your brain
releases hormones that both stimulate the production of eggs in your ovaries
while also increasing estrogen production.

With period-related blood loss, it’s important to up the iron, vitamin C and B
vitamins to help promote blood cell production and prevent anemia. Low
levels of vitamin B12 can contribute to fatigue, dizziness and nervousness. If
you happen to take the pill, I’d recommend adding B complex to your daily
regimen as these contraceptives have been shown to deplete vitamins B1, B2
& B6 (3).

Eat more:

Iron – beef, chicken, turkey, dried beans, leafy greens, egg yolks, fortified
cereals

Vitamin C – citrus fruits, kiwi, pineapple, cantaloupe, kale, yellow peppers,
broccoli

B12 – clams, salmon, tuna, fortified cereals, fortified plant-milks and some
fortified soy products

B6 – turkey, fish, potatoes, starchy vegetables, non-citrus fruits

Anti-inflammatory herbs and spices – ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cilantro,

garlic parsley … incorporate these herbs into fresh, plant-based meals to help
combat cramping and inflammation.

Ovulatory Phase (days 12-14):

Eggs are released from the ovary (aka ovulation) into the fallopian tube. You’ll
notice a change or increase in your cervical mucus, which would eventually
help to capture and nourish sperm for fertilization.

Some people notice a heightened sense of smell or breast tenderness around

this time. Many women also experience increased energy (and libido, heyy-o)
so make sure you’re not countering all that extra energy expenditure with junk
food. Hormone shifts around ovulation have been known to increase sugar
cravings so prepare yourself and keep plenty of healthy, easy-to-grab sweet
snacks at hand. Make sure you’re getting plenty of fiber to prevent bloating
and ensure bowel regularity (gals, we recommend 25 grams of fiber a day).
Fermented foods can also help promote gut health, bowel regularity and fluid
balance, so consider incorporating kombucha, kefir, yogurt or raw apple cider
vinegar into your daily regimen.

Eat more:

Fiber – fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, seeds, nuts, beans (real foods
are always preferred over fiber-supplements).

Healthy sweet fixes – dark chocolate, fresh, in-season fruits, greek yogurts,
dates, apple chips … or check out any of the RD approved weekday recipes
in Weekday Weekend.

Luteal Phase (days 14-28):

This phase begins right after ovulation. Estrogen and progesterone levels
increase which prepare the egg for implantation. A non-fertilized egg will pass
through the uterus until the uterine lining sheds and … voila, you have a
period and find yourself back at day 1 of the follicular phase.

Ladies, this is the time to really up your game in preparation for your monthly
stay at the Red Roof Inn. Research reveals women who experience greater
pain during periods have higher levels of prostaglandins (a chemical released
to stimulate contraction and breakdown of the uterine lining). This
prostaglandin production is directly related to the amount of omega-3 fatty
acids in one’s body—in other words, the more omega-3 rich foods you eat (in
conjunction with a decrease in omega-6 rich foods) will theoretically lower
prostaglandin production, in turn, improving period cramps. You may want to
consider taking a fish oil supplement if you consistently battle PMS-related
cramping (shoot for at least 1500 mg DHA/EPA per day).

Eat more:

Omega-3 fatty acids – coconut oils, olive oils, grass-fed butter and beef,
salmon, leafy greens, avocados, walnuts

Eat less:
Omega-6 fatty acids – vegetable oils, processed foods, mayonnaise, salad
dressings

Ancient Ayurvedic medicine believes your period acts similarly to a built-in

detox system. So if you’ve had a stressful month of junk food, boozing and
little exercise, the thought is that your period will be pretty brutal. On the
contrary, if you’ve taken good care of yourself, chances are your period will be
much lighter. (2) Speaking of booze, consider avoiding alcohol if you’re
experiencing PMS symptoms. Sources say drinking alcohol can actually
worsen symptoms of headaches, breast tenderness and mood swings. Of
course moderation throughout the rest of your cycle is generally okay, but I
would suggest avoiding alcohol altogether towards the start of your period.

Concerning caffeine, great news! No need to pass on your morning cup of joe
when experiencing PMS, as if anyone ever thought that was a good idea?! A
2016 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found “caffeine intake
is not associated with PMS, and that current recommendations for women to
reduce caffeine intake may not help prevent the development of PMS.”
Remember, caffeine is a diuretic so make sure you’re still drinking enough
water—which leads me to my next point. Water.  

Bloating is common during the follicular and luteal phases, as are food
cravings, thanks to fluctuations in hormones like estradiol and leptin. Besides
avoiding salty, processed foods, make sure you’re drinking plenty of water to
help combat the bloat and stay hydrated. Read more about how much water
you should be drinking here or, in a pinch, try to drink half your body weight in
ounces of water each day! Fruit- or herb-infused waters are a great way to
add some pizzazz to plain old water.

As a reminder, menstruation in and of itself is an inflammatory process. I

recommend trying to follow the anti-inflammatory as consistently as possible
throughout your entire cycle. Luckily, Lindsey just covered this topic in depth,
and I highly recommend you check out her post if you haven’t yet. In
conclusion, try to keep your meals plant-based with lots of healthy fats, lean
protein, fresh fiber sources and plenty of H2O.

A note from Lindsey:

Great stuff, Sarah! Full disclosure, PMS gets me down from time to time. I
always seem to notice I have more energy and am less emotional in the few
days before my cycle if I’m getting regular exercise. Turns out, it may not just
all be in my head. The American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists touts aerobic exercise as a way to relieve PMS symptoms and
it may even help relieve pain from period cramps. Whether you hop on a bike,
go for a swim, or take a jog–get your heart pumping for at least 30 minutes
most days. Although no judgment if you spend the first few days of your cycle
getting reacquainted with your couch.

Fase Folikuler (hari 1-12):

Fase folikuler dimulai pada hari pertama menstruasi Anda (beberapa menyebut bagian menstruasi yang
sebenarnya sebagai “fase menstruasi,” tetapi secara teknis, menstruasi menandai awal fase folikuler).
Sepanjang fase folikuler, otak Anda melepaskan hormon yang merangsang produksi telur di ovarium
Anda sekaligus meningkatkan produksi estrogen.

Dengan kehilangan darah terkait menstruasi, penting untuk meningkatkan zat besi, vitamin C, dan
vitamin B untuk membantu meningkatkan produksi sel darah dan mencegah anemia. Kadar vitamin B12
yang rendah dapat menyebabkan kelelahan, pusing, dan gugup. Jika Anda kebetulan mengonsumsi pil
tersebut, saya sarankan untuk menambahkan B kompleks ke dalam rejimen harian Anda karena
kontrasepsi ini telah terbukti menghabiskan vitamin B1, B2 & B6 (3).

Besi - daging sapi, ayam, kalkun, kacang-kacangan kering, sayuran berdaun hijau, kuning telur, sereal
yang diperkaya

Vitamin C - buah jeruk, kiwi, nanas, melon, kangkung, paprika kuning, brokoli

B12 - kerang, salmon, tuna, sereal yang diperkaya, susu nabati yang diperkaya dan beberapa produk
kedelai yang diperkaya

B6 - kalkun, ikan, kentang, sayuran bertepung, buah non-jeruk

Rempah dan rempah antiradang - jahe, kunyit, kayu manis, ketumbar, peterseli bawang putih…
menggabungkan herba ini ke dalam makanan nabati segar untuk membantu memerangi kram dan
peradangan.

Fase Ovulasi (hari 12-14):

Telur dilepaskan dari ovarium (alias ovulasi) ke tuba falopi. Anda akan melihat perubahan atau
peningkatan lendir serviks, yang pada akhirnya akan membantu menangkap dan memberi makan
sperma untuk pembuahan.

Beberapa orang merasakan sensasi penciuman atau nyeri payudara yang meningkat saat ini. Banyak
wanita juga mengalami peningkatan energi (dan libido, heyy-o) jadi pastikan Anda tidak mengimbangi
semua pengeluaran energi ekstra itu dengan junk food. Pergeseran hormon di sekitar ovulasi telah
diketahui dapat meningkatkan keinginan akan gula, jadi persiapkan diri Anda dan simpan banyak
camilan manis yang sehat dan mudah didapat. Pastikan Anda mendapatkan banyak serat untuk
mencegah kembung dan memastikan keteraturan usus (gals, kami merekomendasikan 25 gram serat
sehari). Makanan fermentasi juga dapat membantu meningkatkan kesehatan usus, keteraturan usus dan
keseimbangan cairan, jadi pertimbangkan untuk memasukkan kombucha, kefir, yogurt, atau cuka sari
apel mentah ke dalam menu harian Anda.

Makan lebih:

Serat - buah dan sayuran segar, biji-bijian, biji-bijian, kacang-kacangan, kacang-kacangan (makanan asli
selalu lebih disukai daripada suplemen serat).

Makanan manis yang sehat - cokelat hitam, segar, buah-buahan musiman, yogurt Yunani, kurma, keripik
apel… atau lihat salah satu resep hari kerja yang disetujui RD di Weekday Weekend.

Fase Luteal (hari 14-28):

Fase ini dimulai tepat setelah ovulasi. Kadar estrogen dan progesteron meningkat yang mempersiapkan
sel telur untuk implantasi. Telur yang tidak dibuahi akan melewati rahim sampai lapisan rahim lepas
dan… voila, Anda mengalami menstruasi dan menemukan diri Anda kembali pada hari pertama fase
folikuler.

Ladies, ini adalah waktu untuk benar-benar meningkatkan permainan Anda dalam persiapan untuk
kunjungan bulanan Anda di Red Roof Inn. Penelitian mengungkapkan wanita yang mengalami rasa sakit
yang lebih besar selama menstruasi memiliki tingkat prostaglandin yang lebih tinggi (bahan kimia yang
dilepaskan untuk merangsang kontraksi dan kerusakan lapisan rahim). Produksi prostaglandin ini
berhubungan langsung dengan jumlah asam lemak omega-3 dalam tubuh seseorang — dengan kata lain,
semakin banyak makanan kaya omega-3 yang Anda makan (bersamaan dengan penurunan makanan
kaya omega-6) secara teoritis akan menurunkan produksi prostaglandin. , pada gilirannya, meningkatkan
kram menstruasi. Anda mungkin ingin mempertimbangkan untuk mengonsumsi suplemen minyak ikan
jika Anda terus-menerus melawan kram yang berhubungan dengan PMS (minum setidaknya 1500 mg
DHA / EPA per hari).

Makan lebih:

Asam lemak omega-3 - minyak kelapa, minyak zaitun, mentega yang diberi makan rumput dan daging
sapi, salmon, sayuran berdaun hijau, alpukat, kenari

Makan sedikit:

Asam lemak omega-6 - minyak nabati, makanan olahan, mayones, saus salad