Just as the Earth moves through her seasonal changes each year, menstruating women experience inner seasonal changes due to fluctuating hormones.

Here is an overview of the monthly Menstrual Cycle:

Follicular Phase: “Internal Spring” (about 7 days)

Hormonal Shifts:  This phase occurs right after menstruation. At this time, 15-20 eggs mature in the ovaries and each egg exists within its own follicle. The follicles produce estrogen, which is a necessary hormone for the occurrence of ovulation. The Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) causes these follicles with eggs to grow and compete with each other for the dominate follicle to get large enough for the egg to bust through.

Effects on Mood and Energy:  As all hormone levels were low at menstruation, the rising in FSH and estrogen now create an energetic feeling in your body. This new energy masks the energy of spring, where there is a sense of new beginnings with fresh energy and focus. Mentally,...

During the Follicular Phase a.k.a. “inner spring,” in our Menstrual Cycle, our bodies are maturing eggs in the ovaries in preparation for ovulation.

At this time, it is important to eat foods that are high in vitamins A and C, which will help with healthy egg maturation. Vitamin C helps build cervical fluid, which should increase during your Follicular phase leading up to ovulation, where it is most bountiful. Cervical fluid is necessary for creating ideal environments for fertility and conception.

My Abundant Vegetable Soup is loaded with healthy vegetables providing the necessary vitamins to aid your hormones at this time of your cycle. Made in a crock-pot, the steps are as simple as chopping the veggies and plugging in the crock-pot (and some waiting time, of course  ). This soup is ideal for the winter, as colder outer temperatures cause the need for warming foods to provide internal heat. There is a bit of spice in this soup from the black pepper and...

It’s that time of year again: the nights are longer, the weather has a bite, and the leaves are absent from their trees.

“The best thing about winter is when it’s over,” is what I heard a woman say on the radio today. Many of us have a harder time with this time of year. Thanksgiving is over and instead of resting before the next upcoming holidays, we need to maintain a productive work flow at our careers, shop for presents, plan holiday meals, budget our finances, and plan for travels. Overwhelming right? No wonder we feel this season is challenging. As we juggle our schedules in wintry weather conditions, stress levels can increase and our immune systems may be jeopardized.

This winter, prepare yourself with these three tools to harmonize with the seasonal changes and keep your immune system strong, your body warm and relaxed, and your mood upbeat.

1. Vitamin D.

Current studies show that 42% of Americans have low Vitamin D levels. Majority of us work...

We are entering the holiday season and with it comes family bonding time, delicious foods with seasonal spices, and celebration. But there can also be added stress from traveling, cooking for large parties, as well as intestinal stress from digesting rich holiday foods. I have come up with a simple guide to help you navigate your way through the holiday table. 

5 Tips for Keeping Your Hormones Happy this Holiday Season

1. Fill Your Plate with Vegetables– The mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin breads may be hard to resist, but if you fill your plate mostly with vegetables, you can still have those foods too, and just eat less of them. This will also help prevent overeating, as when you fill up with foods that are micro-nutrient dense, your body will be nourished at the cellular level, as opposed to eating foods with empty calories. Micronutrients are needed for healthy hormone production. 

2. Support Digestion– know you have a sensitivity to gluten?...