Golden orange leaves slowly drift down on a gentle autumn breeze. The sun warms your skin, but there's a crisp feeling in the air. You smile to yourself as you breathe in the warm steam from a fresh cup of stinging nettle tea. You’re ready for the slowness that this season brings after a vibrant and busy summer.

The luteal phase is Autumn in a woman’s hormonal cycle. It’s a time to slow down and prepare for either a new life or a cleansing. After the vibrant growth of the follicular phase (spring) and exuberance of ovulation (summer), the follicular phase allows a woman to slow down and shift from creative mode to rest and maintenance, all to start a new cycle with life and vitality.

If you prioritize specific nutrients in the luteal phase, it can lead to easier periods. Because when you support healthy hormones, they work with your body instead of against it. So, let’s dive in to what nutrients your body needs during this phase and how to get them in with some simple meal ideas plus a few of my favorite recipes!

The Importance of Nutrition in the Luteal Phase

When you choose nutrient-dense foods that support progesterone production and balance estrogen levels, you can create a symphony of hormone harmony. Progesterone rises and falls as needed (or stays high if you’re pregnant) while estrogen quietly works in the background and doesn’t do more than required.

When estrogen becomes dominant, also known as estrogen dominance, you may experience nasty period symptoms like strong cravings, mood swings, fatigue, cramps, or Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). Likewise, if progesterone isn’t at a healthy level, you can’t sustain a pregnancy, you may experience low mood and irritability, low basal body temperature (BBT), or tail-end brown spotting after your period.

Now, it’s not just food that influences your hormone health. Stress, endocrine disruptors, environment, genetics, and sleep all play a role in your hormone health. But nutrition is at the core of your health, and as the saying goes, “you are what you eat”. So if you choose to fuel yourself with God’s whole foods that nourish and build the body, you’ll likely get a menstrual cycle that works in sync with the rest of your physiology.

Nutrients to Focus on During the Luteal Phase

Chances are, if you’re eating a balanced diet, you’re likely getting the micronutrients and macronutrients you need. All of which support your hormone health and aid in the proper balance of progesterone and estrogen.

Healthy fats:

Avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oils. Steer clear of seed oils or ultra-processed oils, which cause inflammation and estrogen dominance.

Complex Carbohydrates:

Focus on complex carbs to support your blood sugar balance and serotonin (the feel-good neurotransmitter). Think sweet potatoes and whole-grain sourdough breads, and ancient grains like quinoa. Carbs are not the enemy, they’re energy! So don’t be afraid to incorporate nutrient-dense carbs along with your fats. Can you say avocado toast?!

Protein:

Protein is essential at all times of the month, but as your endometrium thickens, that cell growth has to come from somewhere. Additionally, you need protein to balance your blood sugar and keep your mood steady. Balanced blood sugar enables you to think clearly and for your body to rest effectively, knowing that it's well supplied.

Micronutrients:

Micronutrients are just a fancy word for vitamins and minerals. They make up everything we eat, so if you eat a balanced diet, it’s not too hard to get the necessary nutrients. I also encourage a good prenatal vitamin like this one, because of the depleted soils most of our food is grown in.

Micronutrients to keep in mind are:

Magnesium: dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, avocado, and dark chocolate
B vitamins: meat, chicken, eggs, and fish
Vitamin C: peppers, oranges, onions, kiwi, broccoli, cabbage, and brussels sprouts
Zinc: Oysters, beef, chicken, liver, and eggs

My meal ideas below incorporate this whole list! I hope you’ll notice just how easy it can be to fit in nutrient-dense meal options.

Herbal Teas
I also like to add in some herbal teas that are especially nourishing during this time. Red raspberry leaf tea, chamomile, stinging nettle tea, and ginger are all great options. They are incredibly nutrient-dense as well as calming, which we all need in this stressful world.

What Your Cravings are Actually Telling You

There is a very common idea that cravings are normal, but usually, cravings are simply telling you what your body is lacking. For example, if you’re craving fried potato chips, you’re likely dehydrated and low in electrolytes. Or if you’re craving sweets, you probably haven’t eaten enough today and your blood sugar and insulin are screaming for a quick hit to balance out.

Cravings aren’t a bad thing if you use them as a tool to guide your food choices towards healthy options. Now, I’m not saying you can’t have potato chips and fried food, but before your reach for them, it’s worth investigating what your body my actually need vs. wanting the nutrient-less fried chicken at the local fast food place.

Meal Ideas for the Luteal Phase

I eat all of these ideas on a monthly basis, and yes, my four children and husband do as well! Nutrient-dense food isn’t just good for the cycling woman, but for everyone in the family. So there is no need to make yourself a separate meal. Everyone can (and should) benefit from these nutrient-dense meals.

Don’t forget to add your seeds to all of these meals! Sesame and sunflower seeds are part of seed cycling, which is a very easy way to concentrate necessary nutrients in the luteal phase. Also, I want to share my dear friends blog, Orthodox True Femininity, where she shares even more wonderful recipes for the specific phases of the menstrual cycle.

Breakfast

Chia seed pudding with raw milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, vanilla, chopped nuts, fruit (also makes a great dessert if you add cocoa powder for more magnesium)

Smoothie bowl with nutty granola, berries, and coconut

Egg omelet with spinach, peppers, tomatoes, and nutritional yeast (or cheese if tolerated)

Sourdough pancakes with yogurt and fruit

Lunch

Sweet potato bowls with fried eggs and avocado aioli (recipe below)

Sardines on wholegrain sourdough toast

Leafy green salad with pecans, red onions, seasonal fruit, feta or goat cheese (if you can tolerate), lemon vinaigrette dressing

Avocado tuna lettuce wrap

Dinner

Sweet potato chilli (recipe below)

Oyster soup with crusty sourdough bread

Fish tacos with whole grain tortillas and cabbage, mango slaw

Cabbage stir fry with shrimp or any meat

Roasted chicken and quinoa salad, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion

Grilled chicken or fish with broccoli and brussels sprout salad (recipe below)

RECIPES:

Please keep in mind, I am not an “exact” measurement chef. I am providing how I cook with mostly accurate measurements. If you’ve been in the kitchen a long time, you know what I mean. If you’re new to cooking, please look up specific recipes from professional food bloggers.

Sweet Potato Bowls with a Fried Egg and Avocado Aioli

Serving size 1-2

1 large sweet potato (although I like to cook up whatever I have on hand for easy meals later in the week)

2-3 eggs

½ avocado

Home-made mayonnaise (or your choice brand)

S/P to taste

Garlic powder

Paprika

Turn on oven to 425

Peel and dice sweet potatoes into 1 inch cubes

Drizzle with a bit of olive oil or avocado oil

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, garlic powder, and paprika (I am not an exat measurer with spices so use your judgment)

Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, flip the potatoes over and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are soft and carmelized.

While the potatoes are baking, make your avocado aioli by mixing ¼ cup of mayonnaise with ¼ cup mashed avocados. Add s/p to taste and a squeeze of lemon juice. Thin with water so its “pourable”.

After the aioli is done, fry your eggs, to your desired taste.

When sweet potatoes are done, assemble in a bowl, put eggs on top, and pour on avocado aioli

Sweet Potato Chili

Serving size 4-6

2 lbs ground meat (beef/venison/pork)

4 cups beef stock

5 cups Sweet potato (roughly two large or three medium sweet potatoes)

1 red onion

4-5 cloves garlic

1.5 cups carrots

28 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

1-2 tsp chili powder

s/p to taste

In a large pot, saute ground meat, chopped onion, and garlic untill ground meat is cooked through.

While the meat is cooking, chop the sweet potatoes and carrots.

Once the meat is cooked, add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring to a boil. Simmer till sweet potatoes and carrots are soft, about 40 minutes.*

*You could also do all of this in an Instant Pot, which is my preferred method. Simply do the sauteing in your instant pot then combine all the ingredients in the pot. Cook on high for 15 minutes.

Broccoli and Brussel Sprout Salad

Serving size 4

For the dressing:

4 tablespoons of olive oil
Juice from 2 lemons (about 7 tablespoons)
Juice from 1/2 orange (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
1 clove finely minced garlic

For the salad:

20 Brussels sprouts
1 head broccoli
¼ roasted pecans
3 green onions or dried chives about ¼ cup
1/2 cup chopped apple
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Combine dressing ingredients in a mason jar, shake, and put to the side.

Shred or finely chop brussels and broccoli.

Put in a glass bowl.

Finely chop pecans and apple

Combine rest of ingredients in the bowl and pour dressing on for desired consistency

Fuel Your Body with Whole Foods to Help Period Symptoms

It’s time to take charge of your period health! And one simple way to do that is to give your body the fuel is needs to run well. This can go one step further for Christians, God gave us our bodies we are temples of the Holy Spirit. We only have one body and when we care for it properly, we are saying thank you to the loving God who created us.

Let me know if you incorporate any of these meals and if you feel better as a result. As always, if you found this article helpful, please share with friends and family. And if you like what you read, sign up for newsletters to stay in the loop with everything happening at The Sanctified Womb.

Improve Unwanted Period Symptoms, Naturally, With Nutrient-Dense Meal Ideas for Your Luteal Phase