Days 16 - 19: What’s happening with my hormones?

The estrogen peak has come and gone and you are now entering The Hormone Shift of your cycle where it's all about the ultimate calming hormone, progesterone. This anti-inflammatory hormone helps to manage the gut microbiome, balance estrogen levels, regulate mood, sleep, energy and even body fluids. Its levels increase in the second half of the menstrual cycle, and as it falls, it triggers the menstrual flow.

Ideal Emotional State:

This is the time when all of your hormones shift and dip .You will feel very much like you do the first week of your cycle, with one major exception: instead of making estrogen, you make progesterone. You may have felt supercharged during  ovulation in the last phase, but as you enter this phase you may experience a dip in energy and mental clarity. It's time to pivot and gear down from those tasks requiring energy and brain power. It's a good time to maintain, stay calm but focused, without adding additional stress to your life.

Ideal Nutrition:

After coming off this hormonal surge, we fall back onto low-carbohydrate/high-fat foods to power up your cells and fuel your mitochondria. Focus on healthy fats like avocados and flaxseed oil, consume grass-fed organic proteins and save the fruit and starches like sweet potatoes for the next phase of your cycle.