What does it mean and look like to EAT WITH YOUR HORMONES (aka your cycle) as a woman?
Simply put, it all comes down to understanding ENERGY.
You know how the Earth seasons of Spring & Summer are fairly similar, while Fall & Winter are more alike?
Your menstrual cycle (during your reproductive years) mimics these similarities energetically within the “inner seasons" of each of your monthly-ish hormone cycles:
- Follicular Phase = Spring
- Ovulatory Phase = Summer
- Luteal Phase = Fall
- Bleeding = Winter
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (where the understanding of physical & food energetics was born), your inner Spring & Summer is the HOT PHASE of your cycle, whereas inner Fall & Winter is the COOL PHASE of your cycle.
Meaning that in order to energetically find balance, you want to consume more COOLING foods during the hot phase of your cycle (Spring & Summer) and more WARMING foods during the cool phase of your cycle (Fall & Winter).
This is both in TEMPERATURE (aka cooking method) and ENERGETICALLY (whether the food you’re eating has a warming or cooling quality).
This is why smoothies and raw salads (energetically cooling & cold in temperature) do NOT align with your inner Fall and Winter - when the body is calling for energetically WARMING foods.
Interested in cycling your food to feel more ALIGNED in your body?
During your inner Spring & Summer (post-bleeding through the ovulatory phase), try lightly sautéing or steaming your foods and leaning more on raw vegetables.
When you hit your inner Fall & Winter (post-ovulation through bleeding), avoid raw or cold foods and dive into soups, stews, curries and warm grain bowls!
Curious to learn more? Sign up for my newsletter or book a discovery session with me (email hello @ whitneymack.com) to get the support & knowledge you need!
Do you shift the way you eat based on what your female hormones are doing? Share your experience or questions in the comments!