Luteal Phase Support: My Top 10
During the Luteal phase, your hormones experience many shifts. At the beginning of this phase, right after ovulation, some of your hormones reach an all-time high. We often feel energized & vibrant during this part of the phase. As you enter the second half of the Luteal phase, it is normal to experience a drop in energy as your hormones decrease until they reach an all-time low & you begin to bleed, finally entering your Menstrual phase. In order to set yourself up for an enjoyable Luteal phase, it is absolutely vital to slow down & listen to your body during this phase!
Below are 10 of my favorite ways to support myself during this phase. Please note, this is not medical advice & I would need to see you in my one-on-one coaching practice to make recommendations specifically for you!
Morning Sunshine: Getting sun on your face (and in your eyes) first thing in the morning is amazing for your circadian rhythm, cortisol & vitamin D levels. All of these play a big role in how severe your PMS symptoms will be! I try to sit outside or walk around the block for at least 5 minutes before starting work every morning.
Loose-Leaf Tea: I specifically love red raspberry leaf, ginger, oat straw & nettle during this phase. Red raspberry leaf for uterine health & strength, ginger to decrease inflammation & water retention, oat straw to support my mood & nettle for a whole bunch of important minerals! I have been loving mixing the blends from Symbi (code: AUDREY10), especially their Menstrual, Liver, Anxiety & Hydration blends! This is the French press I use to make my tea — it has truly been a game changer for making loose-leaf tea easily!
Supplemental Mood Support: St. Johns Wart is my absolute favorite herbal mood support. It is extremely potent & I see QUICK results, however it’s important to note that it is not safe for everyone. It is not safe for those on SSRIs, or for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Because I am hoping to get pregnant in the near future, I stopped taking St. Johns Wart and have been using Radiant Mood Support instead and am loving it! It is not as powerful as St. Johns Wart, but I have still found that taking it (along with a deep breathing exercise) has been very helpful when my anxiety rears its head!
Whole food vitamin C: Vitamin C is amazing for SO many functions in the body. It gets a lot of attention for immune support, but what a lot of people don’t know is that it helps boost progesterone production as well. Progesterone is the calming hormone that helps relieve PMS (or will help carry your baby if pregnant), after ovulation. I love increasing my vitamin C intake with plenty of citrus fruits, red peppers, kiwi & by supplementing with Camu Camu or Acerola!
Sweet Potatoes: A great source of B6, vitamin A & fiber, sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods to mindfully incorporate during my Luteal Phase. B6 helps with mood, vitamin A helps balance estrogen & fiber helps keep your bowels regular, which plays a big role in getting rid of excess hormones after ovulation!
Flax Heatpad: The heatpad from Somedays (code: _HEALTHYHONEY) has truly become my most used health & wellness tool. I honestly heat it up almost every night because it is soooo comforting, but I especially love it during my Luteal & Menstrual phases when I start to cramp. A warm womb is KEY to comfort during these phases.
Pain Relief Tincture: Although it tastes terrible, I LOVE this tincture as a natural alternative to Advil for period cramps. It works SO well, but you do have to use it somewhat frequently if your cramps are bad!
Castor Oil Packs: I love doing castor oil packs (code: _HEALTHYHONEY10) on my liver and/or my uterus regularly from ovulation until my bleed begins. It helps your liver detox excess hormones and can decrease inflammation in your uterus! I see a big difference in my period pain when I am consistent with this during my Luteal phase. Please note, you should not do castor oil packs during your Menstrual phase or if there is potential you are pregnant!
Epsom Salt Baths: I am a big fan of Epsom salt baths during both my Luteal & Menstrual phases to help me relax, get extra minerals into my system & for pain relief. I love to do a mix of both Epsom salts & Dead Sea salts!
Magnesium Supplementation: Certain types of magnesium has been shown to help regulate mood & decrease inflammation related to period pain. I have many magnesium supplements I love, but some of my favorites are Magnesium Breakthrough & Magnesi-Om.
This blog post contains affiliate links, and I earn a small commission when you use the link to shop, at no additional cost to you.
Thank you for your support!
