Hormone hacks: how to cycle sync your food routine
Cycle syncing your food routine is the latest wellbeing trend to come to life, but for once it’s designed entirely with females in mind. Until now, women and men have been taught to live and eat the same way completely ignoring the starkly different hormonal experiences of the two genders. Cycle syncing is a new phenomena exploring the potential benefits of focusing on certain bountiful nutrients and foods in each cycle phase as part of the female journey towards a life of vitality. Here’s what every female should know.
Blood Sugar Management is a #1 priority
Mismanaged blood sugar is a critical cause of many hormonal concerns faced by women today. Why? When our blood sugar spikes or dives our liver works persistently to autocorrect the imbalance and bring the body back to calm and optimal functionality. While our bodies are naturally programmed to do this today’s modern society with processed, high sugar foods, an over-reliance on caffeine, fasting and other common diet trends is forcing our body into blood sugar management overdrive and consuming necessary energy resources required in order for our bodies' other inbuilt systems to function optimally. For example, our liver is responsible for keeping our blood sugar levels in check and it's also responsible for excreting any disruptive toxins in our system including excess estrogen. If our liver is preoccupied with stabilizing our blood sugar levels all the time its elimination capabilities can become inhibited which commonly results in estrogen related concerns such as PMS experiences of fatigue in our luteal phase.
The magnificent thing is you can learn to manage your blood sugar naturally allowing your body to focus its resources on other necessary processes and it starts with your food routine.
Blood Sugar Management Tips & Tricks
Eat breakfast within 90 minutes of waking to prevent blood sugar dives
Dilute 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and consume before your food
Always eat fibre, protein and healthful fat before your complex carbohydrates
Move your body for 3-10 minutes post meal to use any excess energy from your food
Always eat before caffeine, and even better.. add healthy fats or collagen to your caffeine
Gut Health Matters
In order for our hormones to remain in a calm, happy, optimal state our gut flora must also be in a thriving state. The quality of your gut microbiome directly influences your digestion, immunity, energy and mood, among other things. If our gut flora is out of balance our digestive process can become inhibited causing constipation - literally blocking our body from excreting disruptive chemicals and toxins, which then allows for the potential reabsorption of the very thing our body is trying to eliminate. Experts now define constipation as the lack of a bowel movement within 30 minutes of rising, less than 3 bowel movements a day, or the need for caffeine to prompt a bowel response. If this sounds like you don't worry, you’re not alone.. The good news though? Supporting a healthy gut flora and regular digestive response starts with the food you consume.
Healthy Gut & Digestion Tips & Tricks
Eat a bountiful amount of quality fibre (whole food vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and herbs, and whole grains like black rice or quinoa)
Eat your probiotics (fermented ginger, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, pure greek yoghurt)
Opt for anti-inflammatory foods (cinnamon, ginger, turmeric)
Prioritise omega-3 foods (salmon, mackerel, sardines, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts
Once we’ve implemented the basics of optimising your food routine to support hormonal harmony - aka blood sugar focused and good gut health food strategies - we can take a closer look at each cycle phase and needs.
The cycle explained
Most of us have grown up completely disconnected from our cycles with a very little understanding of what is going on inside of us each month. We tend to focus purely on one ‘period’ in time and simply accept any negative symptoms that arise as a ‘normal’ part of the female experience because, well.. we’ve been conditioned to believe this narrative. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be that way and it starts with connecting to what is cyclically happening inside you.
Follicular Phase:
Lasts for approximately 7-10 days. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is sent to your ovaries in preparation to release an egg in the next phase. This prompts a gradual rise in estrogen to thicken your uterine lining and to host the egg at ovulation.
Energy, mood and focus are typically high making it the ideal time to focus on brain intensive and creative projects, social outings and high intensity workouts. Compared to other phases our appetite is reduced and our digestion is in an optimal state making raw vegetable salads a great go-to at this time. It’s important to focus on quality fibre (broccoli, zucchini, artichoke), probiotics (kimchi, sauerkraut), protein (mung bean, cashews) and restorative micronutrients such as iron (flaxseed, pumpkin seed, green peas) which of course must always be paired with vitamin c (orange, lime, pomegranate) to boost absorption.
Ovulatory Phase:
Ovulation lasts for approximately 12-24 hours, with 1-2 bridging days either side. It starts with a rapid spike in FSH followed by an increase in luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulating the release of an egg. Estrogen continues to increase while testosterone rapidly spikes and drops at ovulation. Discharge will appear similar to clear egg-whites and will stretch - not break - when separated.
Energy, mood and confidence are at their peak making it the ideal time to try new things, overcome obstacles, tap into your creative and playful side, and optimise high impact and cardio endurance workouts. At this time we feel naturally aligned with our ‘highest’ and ‘most authentic self’. Focus on foods which support estrogen balance (brussel sprouts, broccoli, garlic, flaxseed), antioxidants (raspberries, strawberries, turmeric) and B Vitamins (banana, cantaloupe, pure greek yoghurt).
Luteal Phase:
Lasts for approximately 10-14 days. Progesterone begins to rise and will peak in this phase, estrogen will rise too. Towards the end of the phase if the egg has not been fertilised progesterone production ends and your period commences. Testosterone increases towards the end of the luteal phase too.
Energy levels decline and restorative, nourishing practices are key to maintaining hormonal harmony. A reduced social calendar and low intensity workouts towards menstruation are ideal. We burn 200-300 more calories in our luteal and menstrual phase so focusing on quality protein and healthful fat at every meal is key to avoid incessant sugar and processed carbohydrate cravings commonly present in this phase. Also, don’t be afraid to up your complex carbohydrates with your meals. Also opt for foods high in B Vitamins (navy beans, dates), magnesium (cashews, raw cacao) and calcium (chia, sesame seeds).
Menstrual Phase:
Lasts for approximately 3-7 days. The shedding of your uterine lining begins (aka your period). Estrogen will spike and dive, prompting the hypothalamus to prepare for another cycle of ovulation.
Communication between the left and right brain is heightened at this time making it a key time to take assessment and implement any necessary shifts. The sharpness, clarity and intuition experienced is often referred to as our ‘feminine power’ and is useful when big decisions and action beckon. Continue to enjoy low intensity movement such as restorative yoga, pilates and stretching at the beginning of your bleed, gently increasing your movement in alignment with how you feel as you edge towards the next phase.
We continue to burn more calories in this phase so focusing on quality protein and healthful fat at every meal is essential to keep cravings at bay. It’s especially important to focus on restorative micronutrients at this time such as iron (flaxseed, pumpkin seed, hemp seed), paired with vitamin c (blueberries, cranberries, watermelon) and zinc (oysters, red meat, pumpkin seeds).
Jen Reynoldson Founder of sync organics
About Jen
Australian born wellness enthusiast now based in Stockholm, is on a mission to disempower toxic diet culture and body standards and empower the female community via conscious, female focused absolutely delectable food. Born from her own female unwell-being experiences including Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA), severe iron deficiency anaemia, digestive issues and infertility, sync aspires to empower the female community with intelligently delicious wisdom she wishes she knew a decade before.
Sync stands for sync your nutrition cycle because we believe food should be at the forefront of the female wellbeing routine. As a female in pursuit of a life of vitality our food choices deeply matter so we created snacks designed to nourish your mind, body and soul.. and tantalise your tastebuds too.
Sync snacks are due to launch this summer and will be available for purchase online and via Stockholm’s leading wellness centres, pilates studios and more.
