During the luteal phase progesterone and estrogen both rise and fall, which can make it a bit of a hormonal roller coaster. This is the time when PMS is most likely to strike, so you’ll want to be extra mindful with your diet to avoid those mood swings and uncomfortable physical symptoms. ✨ What to Eat ✨
Focus on hormone balancing foods like dark leafy greens, healthy fats from seeds and fish, and flavonoid rich berries. Magnesium-rich foods such as spinach, dark chocolate, sunflower and sesame seeds (which is why we included it in our seed cycling protocol) can help balance hormones and fight off fatigue during this time of hormonal fluctuation. Incorporating complex carbs like sweet potatoes, lentils, and oats can also be helpful in staving of cravings and sweet tooth flare ups. This is also a time when you should avoid alcohol, not only because it will make you feel more sluggish and low-energy, but because of the havoc it wreaks on your hormones. Studies have shown that alcohol consumption increases the effect of PMS symptoms, which you definitely don’t want when you’re already feeling low. Same goes for junk food, so try to think about your cravings as cues for what your body needs, rather than mindlessly indulging and feeling worse afterwards.