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The idea of cycle syncing has been gaining popularity. But what is it exactly? It simply means tailoring your lifestyle to your menstrual cycle. This approach recognizes that our bodies go through major hormonal changes throughout the month. By aligning our habits with these changes, we can boost our well-being.
One key aspect of cycle syncing is dietary awareness. Our energy levels and moods shift throughout the menstrual cycle. And our nutritional focus should, too.
And today, we are focusing on the follicular phase. So let’s dive into the best follicular phase foods. We’ll also explore how optimizing what you eat can support your body’s natural rhythms.
Key takeaways
- The follicular phase is the first half of your cycle. It’s marked by rising levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estrogen.
- Rising estrogen levels during your follicular phase can lead to increased energy, improved mood, and lesser food cravings.
- Syncing your diet with your cycle may support hormone balance. It can also boost energy, reduce cravings, and improve your mood. But more research needs to be done to fully understand all the benefits.
- During your follicular phase, focus on estrogen-balancing foods. These include plant-based foods, high-fiber foods, cruciferous vegetables, flax seeds, soy, omega-3 fatty acids, healthy fats, and anti-inflammatory foods.
- Eat whole grains, complex carbs, and lean protein for energy.
- Limit or avoid refined carbs, alcohol, excessive caffeine, added sugars, processed foods, and conventional meat and dairy.
What’s going on in the body during the follicular phase?
The follicular phase marks the first half of your menstrual cycle. It starts from your period and goes until you ovulate. But for the sake of this article, we are making a distinction between your period and the follicular phase. We are looking at the follicular phase as the phase after menstruation and up to ovulation.
In this phase, rising FSH levels spark the growth and maturing of follicles in the ovaries. This is in preparation for the release of an egg during ovulation.
As the follicles grow, your estrogen levels climb and you might feel a boost in energy. This can come along with an improved mood and more motivation. These positive shifts are often due to estrogen’s effect on neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
Wondering how to know if you’re in your follicular phase? Tracking your hormones can be super helpful. This is easy to do with the Inito Fertility Monitor. Using a single test strip, Inito tests all your key sex hormones – LH, estrogen, PdG (urine metabolite of progesterone), and FSH. This allows you to track your fertile window and also confirm ovulation. This way you’ll know exactly which phase of your cycle you’re in!
Knowing what phase you’re experiencing helps you set yourself up for success by cycle syncing. And a major part of cycle syncing is eating specific foods at different times in your cycle.
Why is it important to eat according to your cycle?
Our bodies are carefully designed to function in harmony with our hormonal rhythms.
But, the modern lifestyle easily disrupts these natural cycles. This can result in imbalances and maybe even health concerns.
Hormonal shifts can have a serious impact on various aspects of our physiology such as mood, appetite, energy levels, and even cognitive function.
So, by aligning your dietary choices with your cycle, you may be able to:
- Support hormonal balance: By giving your body the nutrients it needs, you can help support healthy hormone production. This reduces the risk of hormonal imbalances.
- Optimize energy: When you choose foods that provide sustained energy, you can combat fatigue. This improves your overall energy throughout the menstrual cycle.
- Reduce cravings: When you understand your cycle’s appetite patterns, you can make more conscious food choices. This is key to minimizing unhealthy cravings that can affect your hormones and reproductive health.
- Improve mood: With the right nutrients, your body can support hormonal balance and neurotransmitter function. This, in turn, helps improve your mood. On top of that, it may reduce the impact that hormonal changes have on your well-being.
You can also monitor your progress with the Inito app. This helps you track your signs and symptoms and you may be able to notice trends in your mood and energy levels!
Know more: Best Foods to Eat During the Luteal Phase
However, it is important to note that the scientific research on the topic of cycle syncing is limited. Though the concept is gaining popularity, most of the existing evidence is anecdotal. So, more research needs to be done.
What foods should you eat in the follicular phase?
The follicular phase is known for its rising estrogen. Along with that may come increased energy and reduced food cravings and intake (when compared with the luteal phase). The most noticeable decrease is in the days leading up to and including ovulation.
This makes your follicular phase a great time to prioritize nutrient-rich foods. Doing so can set you up for healthy eating habits, which is great for hormone balance and energy levels.
Focus on estrogen-balancing foods
Estrogen is the dominant hormone during your follicular phase. Research shows that estrogen may play a role in regulating your appetite. It does this by influencing the release of hormones that control hunger and satiety.
Studies have found that estrogen increases the release of cholecystokinin (CCK). This hormone signals feelings of fullness and decreases meal size. Estrogen also plays a role in reducing the secretion of ghrelin (hormone that stimulates appetite).
But that’s not all. You may also feel a natural decrease in food cravings during your follicular phase.
All of these things make this part of your cycle a great time to develop healthy eating choices and habits.
Estrogen is linked to an increase in energy. So, choose foods that help maintain a balance in estrogen and support your energy levels.
Here’s how you can do that.
Plant-based foods
Incorporate plenty of plant-based foods into your diet. Research has found that plant-based diets help balance estrogen and also boost the production of the “good” estrogen. This estrogen (2-hydroxy-estrone) has the potential to be anti-carcinogenic.
High-fiber foods
Fruits, leafy greens, and whole grains are high-fiber foods. These can help get rid of excess estrogen in the body via fecal excretion.
Cruciferous vegetables
Vegetables in this category include cauliflower, kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. These cruciferous vegetables have compounds that may help support your body’s metabolism of estrogen.
Flax seeds
These seeds are rich in lignans, which are phytoestrogens that may help balance estrogen and support overall hormonal health.
Soy
Soy products like tofu, edamame, and soy milk contain isoflavones, which is another type of phytoestrogen.
Also focus on –
Omega-3 fatty acids
Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel), chia seeds, and walnuts are great sources of these healthy fats that may help reduce inflammation and support hormonal balance.
Anti-inflammatory foods
Anti-inflammatory foods are shown to support overall health and reduce inflammation. They include:
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Green tea
- Berries
- Nuts
- Olive oil
Probiotics
Probiotic-rich foods support a healthy gut microbiome. This plays a key role in hormone production and metabolism.
Great sources of probiotics are fermented foods:
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Fermented vegetables
The Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet is known for its abundance of fruits, vegetables, grains, olive oil, and low-fat protein. And it can be a great dietary framework for supporting hormones during the follicular phase, particularly estrogen.
High-quality carbs
Opt for complex carbs to provide energy throughout the day. These are ones without adding sugar such as:
- Whole wheat bread
- Whole wheat pasta
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Brown rice
- Millet
- Rye
- Barley
Lean protein
Lean protein supports muscle mass and provides sustained energy. Here are some great sources of low-fat protein:
- Poultry
- Fish
- Eggs
- Tofu
- Beans
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
Seed cycling
Seed cycling is eating specific seeds during different phases of your menstrual cycle. The reason behind this is to support your hormone balance (primarily estrogen and progesterone).
Here’s how to seed cycle during your follicular phase:
- One tablespoon of ground flax seeds
- One tablespoon of ground pumpkin seeds
Know more: Seed Cycling: What It Is, Benefits & How it Impacts Fertility – Inito
What foods should you avoid during the follicular phase?
To keep stable energy levels, minimize hormonal imbalance, and support reproductive health, you should limit or avoid the following foods.
Refined carbohydrates
White bread, white rice, sugary cereals, and other refined carbs are to be avoided. They lead to quick blood sugar spikes and crashes, which affect your energy levels and mood.
Alcohol
Excessive alcohol can disrupt hormonal balance and affect your liver function.
Caffeine
Moderate caffeine consumption is fine for most. But when it gets excessive, it can lead to anxiety, insomnia, and high stress levels.
Added sugars
Sugars found in sugary drinks, candy, and processed foods can negatively affect hormones and inflammation.
Processed foods
These are high in unhealthy fats, sodium, and added sugar. All of these can have a negative impact on your health.
Conventional meat and dairy
Some studies show that eating high amounts of conventional meat and dairy may increase estrogen.
Who benefits from eating according to their cycle?
Cycle syncing can be beneficial for anyone. But it may be especially helpful if you are managing:
Hormonal imbalances
Do you have a condition such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid issues, or other hormonal imbalances? You may find that aligning your diet with your cycle can improve your overall health.
Weight issues
Being either overweight or underweight can mess with your hormone balance and affect ovulation. Cycle syncing may help address those issues by showing you an easy way to make healthier dietary choices.
Stress problems
Stress can wreak havoc on your hormones. When you align your diet with your cycle, you give your body the nutrients it needs to support stress management.
Know more: Can You Have a Miscarriage from Stress?
Chronic fatigue
Do you feel tired all the time? Cycle syncing your foods can help ensure you’re giving your body the best fuel to support energy levels throughout the day.
Trying to conceive
If you’re TTC, cycle syncing may help boost fertility. It does so by supporting hormonal balance and creating a healthy environment for conception.
Know more: Diet & Fertility: Eat Your Way to Better Baby Odds!
In conclusion
Cycle syncing doesn’t have to mean sticking to a strict diet or making drastic changes to your existing habits. It’s first about developing a greater awareness of your body’s natural rhythms. And then, making mindful choices that support you.
By:
- Incorporating whole foods
- Prioritizing nutrient-rich options
- Minimizing processed foods,
you can nourish your body throughout your cycle and lay the groundwork for optimal health and vitality.
FAQs
How you feel during each menstrual phase fluctuates due to the changing levels of hormones. Each woman’s cycle phases may look a bit different, but here’s a general overview of how you may feel during each.
- Menstrual phase
- Physical: Cramps, bloating, fatigue, backaches, breast tenderness, headaches
- Emotional: Irritable, mood swings, sad, anxious, low energy
- Follicular phase
- Physical: Increased energy, improved food, increased libido
- Emotional: Confident, social, productive
- Ovulatory phase
- Physical: Mild cramping or spotting, increased energy and libido
- Emotional: Confident, attractive, social
- Luteal phase
- Physical: Bloating, breast tenderness, fatigue, acne, food cravings
- Emotional: Irritable, mood swings, anxious, sad
The best foods to eat during this phase include estrogen-balancing foods like:
- Plant-based foods
- High-fiber foods
- Healthy fats
- High-quality carbs
- Low-fat protein
During your luteal phase, you want to focus on foods that are high in lean protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamin B-6, magnesium, and serotonin.
These nutrients help keep your progesterone balanced and help reduce PMS symptoms.
Know more: Best Foods to Eat During the Luteal Phase
Some women may experience hunger during ovulation and others may not. It’s more likely you won’t feel hungrier during ovulation. Right before ovulation, you have a peak in estrogen which can suppress your appetite.
But, the rise in progesterone that happens right after ovulation may boost your hunger and cravings.
You may feel hungrier during your period, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to eat more. Focus more on prioritizing iron-rich foods like lean red meat, spinach, and lentils.
Opt for whole, unprocessed foods during this time that provide you with essential nutrients. This will help with energy.
While it’s okay to indulge in some of your period cravings, try to avoid overeating. Instead, practice mindful eating and listen to your body’s cues.
There may be slight changes in your resting metabolic rate throughout your menstrual cycle phases. But these usually aren’t enough to impact your calorie burn much.
You may simply feel more hungry during your menstrual bleeding due to hormonal fluctuations.
Not necessarily. Listen to what your body needs. If it wants more food, give it some. But don’t force extra calories if your body isn’t asking for them.
Focus your attention on eating foods that replenish what you lose during the menstruation phase. This includes eating foods high in iron and vitamin C.
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