🩸 Days 1–5
Menstrual
Warm, mineral-rich, cooked, grounding
Cooking Principles Everything cooked (no raw) · Warming but not heating · Mineral-replenishing · Iron-rich + Vit C pairing · Bone broth daily · Sesame and coconut oil for Vata grounding
🌱 Days 6–13
Follicular
Build oestrogen, support thyroid, lighter prep
Cooking Principles Raw or lightly cooked is fine now · Fermented foods welcome · Brazil nuts daily (selenium + oestrogen) · Cruciferous veg for oestrogen clearance · Seed cycling: ground flax + pumpkin daily
✨ Days 14–16
Ovulation
Cool and clear the oestrogen surge
Cooking Principles Cooling and hydrating · High fibre for liver oestrogen clearance · Fermented foods for gut clearance · Cucumber, coconut, mint, coriander, fennel · Increase water + electrolytes
🌕 Days 17–23
Early Luteal
Support progesterone, start managing heat
Cooking Principles Seed cycling switch to sunflower + sesame · Tryptophan-rich for serotonin banking · Caffeine after noon is out · Begin avoiding your heating Ayurvedic list · Switch to cooling spices
🔥 Days 24–30
Late Luteal
Soothe, ground, support serotonin — heat is peaking
Cooking Principles No spicy, no ginger excess, no garlic heavy · Skip tropical fruit (warming) · Complex carbs at dinner for serotonin · Pitta-pacifying spices: turmeric, coriander, fennel, cardamom · Bone broth for glycine + sleep