Luteal Phase: facts, recipes & self-care

If you are on the Full Moon cycle chances are you are on your Luteal phase now. I was chatting with a friend who purchased my meal plan in order to see if food exacerbates the already uncomfortable symptoms of this face. I find that my actual period is a much more comfortable time aside from the physical care I have to do. The luteal face is when the hormones hit hard and all sorts of hells are unleashed in our bodies. Especially if you have had reproductive physical issues, thyroid problems, hormonal unbalances, weight problems, etc, it may be a lot more challenging,

Important tip: keep track of your cycle. With practice you won´t even need to, you will be able to place yourself just by how you feel, but to begin is very useful to have a calendar or an app that can track and keep you aware of where you are at.

How do I normally know I am in the Luteal phase:

-My skin gets really dry and it breaks much easier.

-I get edgy and in angry moods (but that may change depending on your astrology. Perhaps you get nervous, anxious, etc) What I can normally brush easily, now enrages me.

-I need more sleep.

-I can´t tolerate much physical touch with others and I need more physical autonomy and space.

-My breasts start to hurt and they get way more sensitive.

-My hands get cold and my skin feels dry.

-And, more importantly, I get SUPER hungry. I normally fast with no problem for a portion of the day, but I know I have entered the Luteal phase because nothing seems enough and I could eat all day. This is why I am writing this, because on this period is important to plan and have food around that is nourishing and mineral-dense.

This is the trap, you get super hungry, have all sorts of sugar cravings, and need to eat more. But is the time when you need the healthiest possible foods in order to regain that hormonal balance. Remember that hormones are nothing but liquids made with minerals that come from the nutrients in our foods. Our bodies are constantly repeating this cycle by segregating this liquid and we need to make them and remake them all the time. This is why we get so hungry, here comes the wheel again, and the body asks for more to produce them. But if we don't eat the right foods, gradually we deplete the body of nutrients and the symptoms intensify. More pain, more hunger, more anger...Ugh, what a vicious cycle.

This is why you MUST cut yourself some slack and invest time and money in your body-mineral intake. Men have a 24-hour cycle, their testosterone levels go right up after sleep and they don´t need as many hormones to exist. We have a 28-day cycle (never that exact anyway) and so many more hormones in charge of so many things. This is why I keep talking about the roles of the feminine and the masculine, and why men must take responsibility of things when we are on the low part of the cycle. Especially when it comes to looking after the family, we cannot think/train/work the same every day of the month and even though men go through cycles too, theirs don't have the physical impact ours have, so understand, your man needs to man up and carry the weight sometimes. They were made for that, see their wide backs and strong arms? See our wide hips and strong legs to carry life? That comes with so many more body functions, it´s not even comparable. This is why I insist, that gender roles are important because they distill from the sexual organs we have and the challenges/virtue each carries.

If you want to learn the details of this phase, here is a link you can follow and educate yourself further.

Luteal Phase Of The Menstrual Cycle: Symptoms & Length (clevelandclinic.org )

So, how can I minimize the effects of this phase:

-Communication. Learn to educate those around you about your cycle and ask for help and understanding.

-Gentle exercise: whatever you feel is right for you, but movement can help move things along faster.

-Stillness and rest: I like to stay a little extra in bed, making conscious of the fact that I am resting and it makes me feel good and looked after.

-Meditation and affirmation: remind yourself that mood swings are not yours and that they will pass and you will feel "normal" again.

-Drink plenty of water and alkalinizing teas. Especially burdock and Sarsaparilla as they have almost all the minerals required for the body plus an extra healthy dose of iron.

-Do breath work, constantly, oxygenate your body and calm your mind.

-Have food sources around that are healthy and alkaline.

-Self-care routine. Start the habit of looking after yourself, hydrate your skin, have a facial (although I recommend natural oils. I use almond oil to hydrate my face and colloidal silver to prevent any bacteria from making it worse once the skin breaks)

-Go to the water, immerse and release. Ground barefooted on the Earth,

-Embrace all phases. You didn't come to this Earth to suffer these cycles in silence. You came to be a Fertile Goddess and bring life to this plane, make it visible, talk to other women, to your man, to your children.

So some ideas on what I like to eat/drink when I am feeling like this.

-Sugar-free chocolates (I make my own, you can learn or order from me!)

-Dates

-Nuts

-Fruit and Veg

-Cacao drinks

-Mushrooms and Seaweed which promote thyroid health. The thyroid regulates metabolism, body temperature and hormone production. Be friends with your thyroid!

I will continue to post recipes for you to have more and more inspiration. Today I am on this phase (hence the inspiration) and I went to do my usual training (but more relaxed than normal) and when I got home I was so in the mood for pancakes (carbohydrate craving, of course) so I made this simple yet delicious recipe. Hope you make them and in-joy giving yourself something delicious yet wholesome to nourish for your cells.

I made them savory as you will see in the recipes but my partner made me later a sweet version with the same mixture as there was mix leftover. I knew the sweet craving would come! Adapt this recipe to your liking but try to keep it alkaline!

Ingredients:

For the pancakes:

-Centeno/Spelt/Chickpea/Teff four (whichever you prefer or have) 3/4 cup

-A tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil

-1 teaspoon of salt

-1 teaspoon bicarbonate

-1 tablespoon of vinegar

-A cup of water

Process:

-Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend well. You may need to add more water, just have a good thick consistency but not too hard, like if they were regular pancakes. I like them sort of in between pancake and crepe!

-Place a pan on the fire, let it get really hot and season with a drop of oil, smearing it all over it with a tissue so the mix doesn't stick. (Don't use nonstick pans, they are truly evil)

-Make the pancakes.

For the topping

Ingredients:

-Red onion, sliced

-Mushrooms, sliced

-Tomato, diced

-Olives, chopped

-Seaweed, I used fucus, but you can use any or none

-Oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, cayenne

-Chopped parsley

-Olive oil

-Avocado