The Balancing Act: Supporting Your Cycle

Nourishment and Balance: How to Support Your Hormones and Menstrual Cycle Naturally 🤎

As women, our bodies go through a range of natural changes during the menstrual cycle, which can sometimes bring about discomfort, shifts in mood, or low energy. Hormones play a vital role in how we feel physically and emotionally, and supporting them can make a big difference in how balanced and well we feel throughout the month. Fortunately, there are gentle ways to care for your body and maintain that hormonal balance, and ceremonial cacao is a wonderful companion in this journey.

Nourishment from Within
During menstruation, your body requires extra care, especially when it comes to nourishment. Women lose approximately 40-60 ml of blood during their period, meaning you also lose essential nutrients like iron. Iron is crucial for energy production, oxygen transport, and building immunity, which is why it’s important to replenish these stores. Consuming iron-rich foods such as leafy greens, beans, and high-quality animal proteins can help restore energy levels during your period.

Magnesium is another key mineral, essential for relaxing muscles and easing cramps. Healthy fats from foods like avocado and flaxseeds support hormone production, while whole grains and vegetables offer steady energy. Thankfully, ceremonial cacao also provides a natural source of magnesium and iron, offering a nourishing way to support your body from the inside out, especially during your cycle. It’s like a warm hug for your body, giving you the nutrients you need to feel restored and balanced.

The Balancing Act
Hormonal fluctuations are a natural part of life, often bringing with them symptoms like cramps, mood swings, and bloating. To navigate these changes more smoothly, it’s helpful to focus on balancing the body with essential minerals and stress management practices. Ceremonial cacao is rich in magnesium, which helps relax the muscles and soothe cramps, while zinc supports the nervous system, stabilizing mood and mental function. These minerals work together to make cacao a gentle ally in keeping your body in balance during your cycle.

Managing Stress and Supporting Balance
Stress has a significant impact on hormone health, particularly through the elevation of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. When cortisol levels rise, it can leave you feeling out of sync, tired, and emotionally depleted. That’s why it’s essential to incorporate gentle practices like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing into your routine to help manage stress. Taking mindful moments throughout the day can ground and recenter you. Adding ceremonial cacao to your self-care rituals can enhance these practices. It contains compounds that promote feelings of calm, making it an excellent choice for moments when you need to unwind and bring a sense of peace back into your day.

Mood-Boosting Magic
The days leading up to your period can often bring emotional sensitivity or feelings of sadness. These mood shifts, although normal, can feel overwhelming. Ceremonial cacao contains natural mood-boosters like PEA (phenylethylamine) and anandamide, which gently lift your spirits and soothe emotional tension. The warmth and comfort of sipping on cacao can create a feeling of bliss and ease, helping you navigate the emotional ups and downs with more grace.

Sustaining Your Energy + Cravings
The fatigue and hormonal changes we experience throughout our cycle can lead to cravings, particularly for sugary foods. These cravings are common and understandable, but rather than reaching for processed treats, ceremonial cacao is a wholesome and nutrient-dense alternative. The rich chocolatey aroma satisfies cravings while delivering essential nutrients, making it a healthier choice during this time. Cacao’s also provides a gentle boost offering sustained focus and calm energy without the jittery effects of caffeine or the crash from sugary snacks.

Prioritising Rest for Hormonal Health
Getting enough restful sleep is essential for hormone balance.
During sleep, your body restores itself and regulates key hormones like melatonin and cortisol. Prioritising rest by creating a calming bedtime routine can signal to your body that it’s time to wind down.Whether it’s reading, journaling, or simply having a moment of quiet, these small habits make a big difference in reducing stress and promoting overall well-being.

Incorporating a low-dose night time cacao into your evening routine may even support your sleep. This could be due to the tryptophan and serotonergic properties of cacao that engage more of our rest and digest state (lE our parasympathetic nervous system branch). It could also be due to anandamide, supporting a more blissful & euphoric state, alongside of cacao's abundant source of magnesium on the nervous system, muscle tissue, cardiac tissue & the brain, helping you to soften into a state of tranquil.

Taking care of your hormone health doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By making small, nurturing changes to your daily routine—like nourishing your body with nutrient-rich foods, managing stress mindfully, and getting enough rest—you can support your body in feeling more balanced and at ease. 

So to the ladies in our community, if you’re going to do anything during your next cycle, and for any reason - let it be what you’ve learnt from this blog and love yourself that little bit more 🤍