Here is a holistic (and vegan) guide to how to honor your full menstrual cycle, from the first day of your period until the luteal phase. Learn what herbs are good for period pain and what food to eat during your period. Take what resonates with you, and use these suggestions as a guide to returning home to yourself at any point of your moon cycle.

Menstruation

Menstruation lasts from the first day of your period until the day when you stop releasing blood. The first day of your period is also Day 1 of your entire cycle. During menstruation, you will have the least amount of energy, since all of your body’s resources are being dedicated to releasing the lining of your uterus.

Length: 3 to 7 days

Season: Winter

Moon cycle: New moon

What to eat: Warm, comforting foods like soups and stews. Avoid cold foods and drinks—let them warm up to room temperature first. Choose protein-rich plant sources, such as beans and legumes, squash, and dark leafy greens. Eat iron-rich foods like pumpkin seeds (soaked) to restore minerals.

Alkaline herbal support: Chamomile for period pain and flatulence. Dandelion root for hormone regulation and excessive bleeding.

What to do to honor menstruation:

Release emotions and habits that do not serve you, just like your body is physically releasing at this phase of your menstrual cycle.
Reflect on what your new cycle will look like: What do you want to manifest in your life moving forward?
Begin a daily meditation practice.
Get plenty of rest. Honor your body’s need for rest while it sheds your uterine lining, which uses a lot of your energy.
Free bleed for healthier menstruation. Women report that free-bleeding has helped shorten their period and reduce pain and cramps. Here’s how to free bleed: Do not wear any toxic menstrual products such as pads, tampons, or cups. Instead, wear a skirt, dress, or wrap that will allow you to freely bleed without obstruction or collecting the blood. Lay out a towel when sitting down or laying down around the house. You can also wear dark underwear, shorts, or pants dedicated to wearing while menstruating. If going out in public or if your period is too heavy for comfort, wear an organic cotton cloth pad.

Follicular

The follicular cycle also starts on the first day of menstruation, but it continues after you finish bleeding and ends on the first day of ovulation. This is when hormones are released that trigger the growth of follicles—fluid-filled sacs that contain an immature egg—in the ovaries. There is a surge in the estrogen hormone, which stops the production of follicles and allows them to mature. One of those mature follicles will become dominant and release an egg cell. Your resting body temperature (also called your basal body temperature) is lower during the follicular phase.

Length: 12 to 18 days

Season: Spring

Moon cycle: Waxing moon

What to eat: Continue to eat warmer foods, including adding spice like cayenne to help with digestion. Choose light, nutrient dense foods—such as avocados and cacao (buy ceremonial cacao here)—and water-rich fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants, such as berries, bell peppers, and sprouted foods.

Alkaline herbal support: Raspberry leaf for toning and strengthening your womb. Ginger root for restoring vitality and balance to your womb.

What to do to honor the follicular cycle:

Initiate new ideas.
Plant the seeds for the new cycle you want to manifest for yourself. What do you need to do to get there? Sign up for a class? Do a juice cleanse to clear your gut of toxins and emotional trauma? Join a women’s circle? Use your restored energy after menstruation to walk toward your higher self.
Do exercises: Try stretching and light calisthenics to strengthen and tone.
Establish a daily gratitude practice that will carry you, with grace, through your entire menstrual cycle.

Ovulation

Ovulation is when the egg that matured in the follicular stage is released from your ovary into the fallopian tube, waiting to be fertilized. Your resting body temperature (also called your basal body temperature) is higher during ovulation.

Length: 12 to 36 hours, but there is a 6-day window around that time of when you can actually get pregnant.

Season: Summer

Moon cycle: Full moon

Express yourself to the highest capacity while ovulating. (*Photo by Rishikesh*.)

What to eat: Eat light, fibrous foods. Fruits and fruit juices, smoothies, and coconut water can give your digestion a break to focus the body’s energy on either fertilizing the egg or using that yang (hot) energy to manifest your other creative goals. For greens, choose spring greens, arugula, and wild herbs.

Herbal support: Burdock root for increased iron. Damiana for nervous system support during periods of high creative and sexual energy.

What to do to honor ovulation:

Express yourself to the highest capacity! Fill the you-sized hole in this world with your authentic expression. This is a time when you are feeling most attractive and confident.
Be creative! If you are not planning to get pregnant during this time, use your high reproductive energy to fuel other creations, such as art, music, writing, and other forms of expression.
Dancing is one of the best ways to express yourself, connect to the divine, and release tension and excess energy from your body.
Connect with beloved friends and family. Now is a great time to be genorous, so exchange and share gifts, memories, and laughs with your favorite people.
Even if you are not planning to get pregnant, your sexual energy will be at a high. Explore thoughtful and sensual ways to connect with your partner and increase the intimacy in your relationship.
Right now, you are very magnetic, so new people and opportunities may be drawn to you. Open yourself up to all things new!
Take advantage of your increased energy and up your exercises to match, such as yoga, pilates, or swimming.

Luteal

The luteal phase starts the day after ovulation through the day before your period begins. If the egg is fertilized by sperm, it travels from your fallopian tube to the uterus to be implanted and grow into a baby. If not, the lining of the uterus, which has thickened to support the possible baby, prepares to shed. The follicle produces progesterone, which is a hormone that causes your body temperature to rise and the uterus lining to shed.

Length: 12 to 14 days

Season: Fall

Moon cycle: Waning moon

What to eat: Increase your calcium intake to prevent menstrual cramps with dark leafy greens, tahini, and seaweeds such as kelp and sea moss (you can purchase raw Jamaican sea moss or sea moss gels here). Increase healthy fat intake in preparation of menstruation, like avocados, coconut, and olive oil. Make sure you are eating fermented foods that keep your gut in check and support detox pathways, such as pickles, sauerkraut, and kimchi.

Herbal support: Nettle to help prevent cramping. Hops to help with tension and stress. (Shop herbal teas here.)

What to do to honor the luteal cycle:

Slow down. Honor your body’s need to rest more. Your mind may also be overdue for rest, so start prioritizing your self-care needs over other petty concerns.
This is when PMS can start to show up. Remember to breathe! If you haven’t yet, start a daily breathwork practice to help with stress, anxiety, and irritability.
You may be more sensitive during this time, so give yourself grace and say no when you need to.
Declutter and become more organized at home and in life.
You may find yourself going inward more and being more reflective—or even being more critical of yourself! Ignore those negative voices and speak life to yourself instead. Recite positive affirmations and mantras, write them on sticky notes around the house, or script positive intentions for your life in your journal.
This is also a period of heightened creativity. While resting at home or in nature, allow inspiration to take over and integrate your creativity into your self-care routine during this time.

Asé.

A Holistic Guide to Honoring Your Menstrual Cycle: The Best Food, Herbs, Exercises and Rituals for Your Period

Menstruation

Follicular

Ovulation

Luteal