Updates from Leah Negrin

This nourishing recipe combines sweet potatoes, lentils, and cabbage to deliver a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy benefits. Packed with dietary fiber, it supports healthy digestion and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels, while extra virgin olive oil adds inflammation-fighting monounsaturated fats for optimal heart health. Sweet potatoes shine in the luteal phase, helping to support progesterone, stabilize mood, and balance blood sugar, while lentils are ideal in the follicular and menstrual phases, replenishing iron stores, supporting ovulation, and promoting balanced estrogen. Together, these ingredients create a nutrient-dense, cycle-supportive dish that fuels your body from the inside out.

But also? Stress matters. A lot more than most of us realize.

If you’ve been feeling off—extra tired, more irritable than usual, struggling with bloating, breakouts, cravings, anxiety, or sleep—it’s easy to start thinking something is wrong with you. Or maybe you've even had someone suggest you're “just too stressed” like that somehow explains everything.

Here’s the thing: stress isn’t just in your head. It’s not something you can push through, ignore, or solve with a bubble bath. When your body is under chronic stress, your hormones feel it. Every system in your body—from your cycle to your digestion to your mood—can be thrown off when stress becomes the default setting.

And if it’s been running the show for a while? Your hormones may need help recalibrating.

When we’re in that constant state of fight-or-flight (hello, modern mom life), our body starts prioritizing survival over everything else. That can lead to lower progesterone, irregular cycles, disrupted cortisol rhythms, gut imbalances, and a whole cascade of symptoms that make you feel not like yourself.

But here’s the good news: you’re not stuck like this.

Your body wants to feel better. It wants to be in balance. It just needs the right kind of support—and that doesn’t mean doing more. It often means doing less, but more intentionally. Creating rhythms that support your nervous system. Eating in a way that stabilizes your blood sugar. Learning how to move with your cycle instead of against it. Resting on purpose.

You’re not broken. Your body is communicating with you and stress is often one of its loudest messengers.

If you’re tired of feeling like you're doing everything "right" but still not getting results, it might be time to pause, reset, and look at the root. Your hormones don’t need perfection. They need consistency, care, and a plan that works with your body—not against it.

Because healing isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters. 💛

This recipe is packed with mixed greens, chickpeas, and colorful vegetables, offering a rich blend of vitamins and minerals to support overall wellness. The chickpeas, cucumbers, and carrots add a boost of fiber for better digestion and balanced blood sugar, while the chickpeas and tahini provide plant-based protein to fuel your body and support muscle health—all in a simple, satisfying meal.

Let’s be honest—none of us are dreaming of barely making it through pregnancy. You don’t want to just survive it, crawling from trimester to trimester, completely depleted. You want to feel good, supported, and strong—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

That kind of readiness doesn’t magically appear the day you see two pink lines. It starts now—before you’re pregnant.

And no, this isn’t about doing “too much” or being extra. It’s not about expensive supplements or perfect routines. Healing your hormones before pregnancy is about setting your body up to have your back when you need it most.

Think of it like this: if your body is a team, your hormones are your captains. When they’re well-fed, rested, and regulated, they communicate clearly. They help your cycle stay regular, your mood stay balanced, and your energy stay steady. They help you feel like yourself.

But if your hormones are already struggling—thanks to chronic stress, poor sleep, or years of birth control—then pregnancy can feel like adding a full-time job to an already maxed-out schedule. It’s harder to conceive, harder to enjoy the process, and harder to bounce back.

That’s why pre-pregnancy hormone support is such a game-changer.

It’s about choosing foods that support blood sugar and reduce inflammation. It’s about managing stress in ways that are actually sustainable. It’s about making small shifts now that help your future self say, “thank you.”

Pregnancy doesn’t have to wreck you. You deserve to feel strong walking into it—and cared for while you’re in it. Healing your hormones now isn’t selfish or unnecessary. It’s smart. It’s proactive. And honestly? It’s one of the kindest things you can do for your body.

So if motherhood is on your heart, start here: give your hormones the support they need today, so they can support you tomorrow.

You’ve got time. You’ve got tools. And you’ve got this.

This recipe offers a variety of health benefits thanks to its nutrient-rich ingredients. Organic peanut butter provides healthy fats that support heart health by promoting balanced cholesterol levels and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. The combination of carbohydrates and healthy fats delivers a steady source of energy, making it an excellent choice for a pre-workout snack or a mid-day boost. Additionally, the inclusion of dark chocolate chips adds antioxidants, which help fight oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, and support overall wellness.