3 free, happy hormone habits
Where we live in Southwestern Ontario it's like the world came back to life this week.! We've been having unseasonably warm weather (28C! ☀️) and while a cold snap is expected early next week, we're soaking it up while we can. Flowers are blooming, the buds on the trees are starting to burst open, and P is enjoying eating wild violets wherever he sees them. In the past couple of days we've spotted a snake, a great horned owelette, toads, frogs, toad spawn, and more species of birds than I could name.
With all of the activity we've seen ducks, sparrows, and toads getting up to, P is getting a real education on the nature of things! 🤣 Answering his questions in an honest, age-appropriate way is one of the ways we cultivate a body + sex positive culture in our home (I may need to order this book).
I'm writing to you on the cusp of bleeding. Our fridge and freezer are stocked with braised brisket, pulled pork, bone broth, lentil ragu, bolognese sauce, chocolate peanut butter fudge, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha. I'm hoping to make a batch of muffins, liver pate, and hummus over the weekend so that we're fully stocked for the week ahead.
Which brings me to my first free, happy hormones habit:
1. Eat once, cook twice.
Whenever you can, make meals, snacks, condiments, etc. where it's easy to double or even triple the recipe so that you can freeze (or somehow preserve) the leftovers to eat while you're bleeding or whenever else you might be busy or low on energy. Being able to rest more when your period comes and continue nourishing yourself when life is especially full will have a positive knock-on effect for the rest of your cycle.
2. Get morning sunlight into those eyeballs.
Getting natural sunlight (ie. not filtered by windows or glasses) into our eyes in the morning helps to balance your circadian rhythm AND the hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle. This can help you get better quality sleep, which has a positive knock-on effect to pretty much everything and can also reduce the physical symptoms that make come up throughout your cycle.
The general recommendation is to aim for at least 20 minutes before 10am, but even drinking a cup of tea on your front stoop will help. And these UV rays are present even when it's cloudy (although they won't be as strong), so it's helpful to do in any weather.
Also, low levels of Vitamin D are associated with PMS so if you can get outside for at least 30 minutes everyday, you'll be helping to boost your levels and reduce those pesky pre-menstrual symptoms.
For bonus points, reduce your use of artificial light (including screens) in the evening which will help support your body's natural release of melatonin and the balancing of your circadian rhythm.
3. Eat for balanced blood sugar.
Eating for balanced blood sugar is the quickest and simplest way I know to get heaps of energy back. When we don’t eat enough, don’t eat often enough, or eat meals that are out of proportion (so to speak), we end up on a blood sugar rollercoaster.
This can quickly lead to fatigue, dizziness, brain fog, irritability, and a whole host of other short-term symptoms and long-term health conditions. While every body is different, here are some general rules that can help keep your blood sugar smooth and steady:️
✨ eat within one hour (preferably 30 minutes) of getting up
✨ ️focus on meals being one quarter protein, one quarter complex carbs, and half non-starchy fruits and/or veggies (yes, even at breakfast), and add at least two tablespoons of healthy fats to each meal
✨ ️carry nutrient dense, protein rich snacks with you so you don’t risk getting too hungry
✨ ️drink at least 2L of water per day
The Plate Method offers a great visual for understanding what a blood sugar balancing meal looks like. And if this feels overwhelming, start with breakfast because it will have the biggest knock-on effect to your energy levels for the rest of the day.
While these habits are all free, I know that implementing lifestyle changes is not always easy. My suggestion is always to start small. I trust that you'll intuitively know which of these tips will have the biggest impact for you right now. What small step can you take towards implementing this new habit?
I find it helpful to put up a post-it note reminder near where I'll be actioning that habit (ie. in the kitchen for number 3) and if necessary, to anchor the habit to something I already do every day (ie. going outside as soon as I've made my post-breakfast coffee).
Keep your small step going for a week and then see if you feel ready to take another small step.
The goal here is to make lifelong, sustainable changes... this is a marathon, not a spring. Your hormones and energy levels will thank you!
Any questions? Leave a comment below. I'd be happy to answer them.
This article was originally sent to my email list on April 15, 2023. If you would like to receive my weekly missives, full of real life cyclic parenting stories and easy-to-implement tips and practices, you can sign up here.
