Cycle Syncing?!?!- Luteal Phase

Hey there! We are back for the final blog in the series of cycle syncing. We are tackling the second half of your cycle: the luteal phase.

The average length of the luteal phase is 12-14 days. You can expect this phase from about Day 15- Day 28.

Let’s bring back the hormone diagram one more time to see what is going on from a hormonal standpoint during this phase of the cycle.

As you can see, progesterone levels begin to rise drastically. This hormone is responsible for preparing the uterine walls for implantation of a fertilized embryo. Estrogen levels decrease (and then increase and decrease again) during this phase as well.

The luteal phase can be categorized with symptoms associated with PMS such as: mood changes, tender breasts, changes in appetite, acne breakouts and bloating (Cleveland Clinic, 2022).

Additionally, women tend to experience higher levels of fatigue during the luteal phase (Li et al., 2020). A study done by Li, Lloyd and Graham (2020) found that women without generalized anxiety disorder experienced levels of fatigue in the mid-luteal phase that equated to women with GAD during the mid-luteal phase. (This isn’t actually trying to say anything about anxiety right now; it is just showing how fatigue increases during this phase of the cycle!)

Most of these symptoms are experiences in the mid to late-luteal phase… so about the week leading up to menstruation. Ugh. It seems like there is always something... right?!?

Let’s talk about our 3 categories (nutrition, exercise and mindfulness) and how to minimize pain and maximize wellness during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

Nutrition:

One review I found was really informative about energy intake (calories) across the span of a menstrual cycle. Rogan & Black (2022) explained how energy intake seemed to increase during the mid-luteal through the late-luteal phase of the cycle.

This means that women are eating more calories during the time of PMS (late-luteal phase).

***Quick note! I know a lot of people associate PMS with a negative connotation, but let’s just use it to refer to the group of symptoms experienced. Our bodies are doing a beautiful thing and instead of calling ourselves crazy or moody, recognize that hormones have a huge effect on us physically and mentally***

Nutrition wise, this moves me to say that we should be focusing on our protein intake to produce satiety. A lot of women feel bloated before their periods, and this inflammation only further aggravates our cramps. When we get a craving and eat a bunch of junk food it only further aggravates our gut (I’m not saying to never eat comfort food.. but hear me out). Another key point is that these foods have less nutritional value with higher calorie intake.

So, here’s what I would say to focus on during this phase:

Protein!! (Same description as follicular phase protein intake)

-       Important for hormone balance, lean mass, essential amino acids for physiological functioning,

-       ***Tip for knowing how much protein you need

-        Take your weight in pounds, divide it by 2.2 to get to kg. This is how much protein you need each day to maintain muscle mass. !**** If you want to grow in muscle mass, multiply your number by 1.5.

-       Example: 120 lb/2.2= 54.54 kg  54.54 g of protein to maintain OR 54.54 x 1.5= 81.8 g of protein to build lean muscle mass

-       Animal proteins are the most bioavailable, nutrient dense options. Be sure to choose grass fed, antibiotic free meats with minimal processing.

o   Beef, beef liver!! (there are supplements for this, I can share some good brands if you want me to), chicken, turkey, salmon.

-       Eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, soybeans and lentils

Complex Carbs and Vegetables

These carbs and fibrous vegetables will help you feel fuller for longer and have less of an effect on your blood sugar levels than eating those quick sugar snacks.

-       Sweet potatoes

-       Rice

-       Onions, peppers, eggplant, mushroom

-       Leafy greens (spinach, lettuce, microgreens etc.)

Vitamin D and K2

These two go together! They seem to help lower PMS symptoms, assist with balancing hormones and promote regular timed cycles (Bahrami et al., 2018).

-       Get that morning sun to increase your vitamin D production (almost 85% of the population is deficient at some point, so take that supplement if you don’t get your sun time in)

-       Vitamin K2 is found in animal meats and cheeses

Zinc and Magnesium

Zinc and magnesium levels fluctuate during the menstrual cycle but are lowest in concentration during the luteal phase (Das and Chowdhury, 1997).  Healthline describes that zinc and magnesium are important for brain health, vitamin D absorption, reducing anxiety, immunity, blood sugar regulation and sleep quality.

I personally take supplements to ensure I get enough of these minerals. I have included a link to zinc and magnesium supplements here.

Foods rich in magnesium and zinc include:

-       Shellfish

-       Organ meats (i.e. beef liver)

-       Eggs

-       Beans

-       Cocoa (fun fact: if you crave chocolate… you’re likely deficient in magnesium!)

Exercise:

The first week of your luteal phase your estrogen levels are rising, and your energy levels are pretty similar to that of your late follicular phase. Your workout routine may look like your late follicular phase.

During your late luteal phase, focus on lower impact exercise. Lower intensity cardio workouts and moderate intensity strength training is best during this phase, while also remembering to emphasize recovery.

Unfortunately, there is still minimal research specifically focusing on exercise through the menstrual cycle, but research shows that when estrogen levels are low, our muscles are more susceptible to injury (McNulty et al., 2020). So, we want lower impact, less intense exercise since we’ve also learned that we are better able to build muscle during the follicular phase when compared to the luteal phase (Kissow et al., 2022).

Your luteal phase may look like this training wise: ***this is just an example!***

Mid luteal phase:

Day 15: weightlifting- lower body (moderate weight)

Day 16: moderate intensity interval workout (interval jog) + stretch

Day 17: recovery day- 45 min walk

Day 18: weightlifting- full body (moderate weight)

Day 19: pilates + walk in sun

Day 20: bike ride

Day 21: weightlifting- lower body (moderate weight)

Late luteal phase (you may be experiencing PMS this week):

Day 22: recovery day- 45 min walk

Day 23: swim and stretch

Day 24: moderate intensity cardio (jog)

Day 25: pilates + walk outside

Day 26: 20 min stair climber + stretch

Day 27: recovery day- 45 min walk

Day 28: regular yoga flow + stretch

Mindfulness/ Meditation:

Studies have shown that mindfulness can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, chronic pain etc. (Bluth et al., 2015)… but let’s take it one step further and apply this to reducing the symptoms women experience in heightened levels in the luteal phase.

-       Connecting stress to physical pain:

o   One mindfulness practice to focus on is bringing attention to any ways that stress is manifesting in physical forms of pain. I often get shoulder pain as a physical symptom of my stress… I keep my shoulders shrugged up from being mentally stressed and it leads to physical pain.

o   When I can slow down and bring attention to this, I stretch out my shoulders more often and actually reduce my pain. Just taking the time to stop and check in with myself makes all the difference when I start to feel myself tensing up.

-       Belly breathing and Square breathing:

o   Place your hands on your stomach. Inhale for 3 breaths and feel your stomach expand. If it is not expanding, you aren’t really getting a good deep breath. In order for your diaphragm to expand and effective gas exchange to occur, your stomach will expand and your lungs will fill up with air

o   Inhale for 3, pause for 3, exhale for 3, pause for 3.

-       Journaling

o   I still like to start my day reading from my Bible, journaling and brain-dumping. Whether it be 2 sentences of 2 pages, getting in the flow of journaling is shown to decrease stress and help us materialize thoughts and ideas (Smyth et al., 2018).

o   Just get it down on paper! Talk about what you’re excited for, what you’re worried about, what you’re grateful for

-       Self-Affirmations!

I’ll say it again! These are important all the time… so say them until you start to believe them!

§  “I am beautiful”

§  “I am capable”

§  “I am loved”

§  “I am strong”

Take care of yourself! Do what works best for you and incorporate new things where you can. Remember to be kind to yourself and to find something to be grateful for even when we aren’t feeling our best.

What did you find helpful? What do you want more information on? Let me know!

16 Foods Rich in Minerals. (2020, July 15). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-with-minerals#5.-Eggs 

Bahrami, A., Avan, A., Sadeghnia, H. R., Esmaeili, H., Tayefi, M., Ghasemi, F., Nejati Salehkhani, F., Arabpour-Dahoue, M., Rastgar-Moghadam, A., Ferns, G. A., Bahrami-Taghanaki, H., & Ghayour-Mobarhan, M. (2018). High dose vitamin D supplementation can improve menstrual problems, dysmenorrhea, and premenstrual syndrome in adolescents. Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology, 34(8), 659–663. https://doi.org/10.1080/09513590.2017.1423466

Bluth, K., Gaylord, S., Nguyen, K., Bunevicius, A., & Girdler, S. (2015). Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction as a Promising Intervention for Amelioration of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Symptoms. Mindfulness, 6(6), 1292–1302. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-015-0397-4

Das, K., & Chowdhury, A. R. (1997). Metallic ion concentration during menstrual cycle in normally menstruating women. Indian journal of medical sciences, 51(2), 52–54.

Deuster, P. A., Dolev, E., Bernier, L. L., & Trostmann, U. H. (1987). Magnesium and zinc status during the menstrual cycle. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 157(4 Pt 1), 964–968. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9378(87)80096-0

Calcium-Magnesium-Zinc: Benefits, Side Effects, and Dosage. (n.d.). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/calcium-magnesium-zinc#benefits-uses

Kissow J, Jacobsen KJ, Gunnarsson TP, Jessen S, Hostrup M. Effects of Follicular and Luteal Phase-Based Menstrual Cycle Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Mass. Sports Med. 2022 Dec;52(12):2813-2819. doi: 10.1007/s40279-022-01679-y. Epub 2022 Apr 26. PMID: 35471634.

Li, S. H., Lloyd, A. R., & Graham, B. M. (2020). Physical and mental fatigue across the menstrual cycle in women with and without generalised anxiety disorder. Hormones and behavior, 118, 104667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104667

USDA. (n.d.). FoodData Central. Fdc.nal.usda.gov. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173424/nutrients

McNulty, K. L., Elliott-Sale, K. J., Dolan, E., Swinton, P. A., Ansdell, P., Goodall, S., Thomas, K., & Hicks, K. M. (2020). The Effects of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Exercise Performance in Eumenorrheic Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 50(10), 1813–1827. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01319-3

Nevada Center for Reproductive Medicine. (n.d.). Phases of Menstrual Cycle.