This vibrant, layered salad is not only bursting with bold, zesty Thai flavors, but it's also a win for your gut and hormone health. Packed with fiber-rich veggies like cabbage and carrots to support digestion, and topped with a creamy, hormone-supportive peanut dressing full of healthy fats to help balance blood sugar and keep your energy steady. Add in a quality protein like grilled chicken or edamame, and you've got a nourishing, on-the-go meal that feeds your body and your hormones. Bonus: fermented ingredients like a splash of rice vinegar or a side of kimchi can give your gut a little extra love.
Ingredients:
- 1 Sweet Potato (medium, cubed)
- 2 tsps Avocado Oil
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
- 1/4 cup Quinoa (dry, rinsed)
- 1/4 cup organic peanut butter without sugar added - read those labels!
- 3 tbsps Water
- 2 tbsps Lime Juice
- 2 tbsps Tamari
- 1 cup Purple Cabbage (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 Cucumber (medium, diced)
- 1/3 cup Frozen Edamame (thawed)
- 1/2 cup Chickpeas (cooked)
- 1 Carrot (medium, peeled, grated
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the sweet potato to the baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until fork tender.
- Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to the package directions.
- Add the peanut butter, water, lime juice, and tamari to a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake the jar until well combined.
- Layer the ingredients in a mason jar in the following order: peanut dressing, cabbage, quinoa, sweet potato, cucumber, edamame, chickpeas, and carrot. When ready to eat, shake well and dump into a bowl. Enjoy!
Let’s be honest—period week can feel like a rollercoaster. Between mood swings, cramps, and bloating, it’s easy to grab comfort foods that feel good in the moment but make things worse later. Over the years, I’ve learned that making simple swaps in my diet during that time of the month can make a huge difference in how I feel. Here’s a breakdown of the foods I avoid and what I eat instead to fuel my body and feel my best.
I know, I know… giving up coffee feels impossible when you’re already dragging. But caffeine spikes cortisol, which can increase inflammation and make cramps even worse. Plus, it messes with blood sugar, leaving you feeling drained after the initial energy boost. Instead, I reach for ginger tea or raspberry leaf tea—both of which work wonders for reducing inflammation and supporting uterine health. Bonus? They’re super soothing and help with relaxation, which my body desperately needs during that time.
White bread, pastries, and other refined carbs spike insulin, which can lead to bloating, mood swings, and even more cravings. Instead, I opt for complex, fiber-rich carbs like sweet potatoes and quinoa to keep my blood sugar stable. These options provide slow-releasing energy and help keep my mood and digestion balanced. Plus, they’re packed with vitamins that support hormone health.
As tempting as chips and packaged snacks are, they’re loaded with sodium and preservatives that can make bloating so much worse. Instead, I reach for avocados and nuts—both rich in healthy fats that support hormone production and help keep inflammation in check. Avocados, in particular, are loaded with potassium, which helps balance sodium levels and reduce water retention.
Sugar is one of the worst culprits when it comes to period symptoms. It depletes magnesium, making cramps worse and leading to energy crashes. To satisfy my sweet tooth without the sugar spike, I go for dark chocolate (70% or higher) and berries. Dark chocolate provides magnesium and antioxidants, while berries give me a sweet boost with fiber and vitamins. Win-win!
When I nourish my body with the right foods during my period, I feel more balanced, my energy stays stable, and my cramps are way more manageable. Making these simple swaps has helped me feel more in control of my cycle—and trust me, it’s worth it! Give these swaps a try next time, and see how much better you feel!
Want recipes to support your cycle? Click here!
This recipe isn’t just tasty; it’s packed with ingredients that love your body back. The healthy fats from tahini and hemp seeds support heart health by helping manage cholesterol levels, while the oats add fiber for an extra heart-friendly boost. It also delivers key minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium from oats and tahini, which are essential for keeping your bones strong and healthy. And when it comes to energy and metabolism? The B-vitamins in the oats and hemp seeds, along with a solid dose of protein, help fuel your body and support everything from daily energy to tissue repair. So yes, this snack checks all the boxes—nourishing, satisfying, and totally hormone-supportive.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups Oats (rolled)
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- 2 tbsps Hemp Seeds
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 cup Tahini
- 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions:
- Add the oats, shredded coconut, hemp seeds, and salt to a food processor. Blend until it starts to combine and form small, crumbly pieces.
- Add the tahini, maple syrup, and vanilla and blend again until the mixture is combined.
- Use a 1-inch (2.5 cm) cookie scoop or a teaspoon to scoop out the mixture and roll it into balls. Continue until all of the mixture has been used.
- Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to allow them to set. Enjoy!
You’ve got your greens.
Your protein shake game is strong.
You never miss a workout.
But if you’re running on cortisol, iced coffee, and a prayer… your hormones might be waving a white flag.
Here’s the thing: doing “healthy” things doesn’t automatically mean your body is thriving. Chronic stress, skipping meals, and pushing your body too hard in the name of wellness can actually have the opposite effect. If you’re constantly feeling anxious, dealing with PMS like clockwork, or running on fumes no matter how much sleep you think you're getting—your hormones are likely out of balance.
Let’s break it down:
💥 Blood Sugar Crashes – When you skip meals (especially breakfast) or rely too heavily on caffeine, your blood sugar becomes a rollercoaster. This puts stress on your adrenals and keeps your body in “fight or flight” mode, aka the land of cortisol overload.
💥 Overtraining – Exercising too intensely, especially during certain phases of your cycle, can drain your energy and leave your body feeling more depleted than energized.
💥 Under-eating – If your meals are missing key components—like enough protein, healthy fats, and fiber—your body isn’t getting the fuel it needs to function, balance hormones, and recover.
So what can you do to start feeling like yourself again?
✨ Eat balanced meals – Every time you eat, aim for a combo of protein + fiber + healthy fats. This keeps your blood sugar steady and gives your body the nutrients it needs.
✨ Sync your workouts to your cycle – You don’t need to crush a high-intensity workout every day. Some days, your body might need a walk or gentle movement instead.
✨ Stop skipping breakfast – Seriously. Your hormones need nourishment early in the day to help regulate your mood, metabolism, and energy.
You deserve to feel good—not just survive on willpower and protein powder.
Want some easy, hormone-supporting meals to help you get started? Grab them here!
This recipe is a win for your hormones + gut because it's packed with protein (thanks to the protein powder + almond butter), which helps your body build hormones, repair tissues, and keep your energy steady.
Strawberries have fiber and antioxidants to keep your digestion happy and your blood sugar balanced—two big wins for hormone health. Plus, the antioxidants in berries help your cells handle stress (especially helpful when estrogen levels are low).
You’ll also get a dose of Vitamin C, calcium, and iron to support your immune system, bones, and oxygen flow.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Vanilla Protein Powder
- 1 1/2 cups Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt
- 1 cup Strawberries (chopped, divided)
- 1 tbsp Almond Butter (divided)
Instructions:
- Mix the protein powder into the coconut yogurt.
- Place half the coconut yogurt in a glass jar or bowl. Top with half the strawberries and half the almond butter. Add the remaining coconut yogurt, strawberries, and almond butter. Enjoy!
