Luteal phase buddha bowl: gut-health friendly
If you are in your luteal phase and need some luteal phase dinner recipe inspiration, look no further than this buddha bowl! Filled with foods for gut health and some tasty Miso dressing, you’re not going to want to skip this one!
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice and should not be taken as such. I am not a doctor and do not claim to be as these are solely based on my experiences. Please consult your family doctor before considering any recommendations listed in this post. Thanks!
What is the luteal phase?
The luteal phase is the 2nd phase in your menstrual cycle and starts the day after ovulation and ends on the first day of your next period. At this time, Progesterone takes the lead over estrogen which can leave us feeling tired.
During the luteal phase, our bodies are more subjected to illness. Since most of our immunity is located in the gut, it’s important to eat foods for gut health!
why gut health is important during this phase
The luteal phase is known to be the host of the PMS week experiencing things like:
PMS symptoms are largely due to an imbalance of estrogen or progesterone in the body. Both of which can cause digestive upset in the late luteal and menstrual phase.
Do you know those “period poops” you get right when you get your period? You aren’t imagining things – it is due to the sudden drop in progesterone. In the luteal phase, progesterone is high and can slow down transit time. When those levels finally drop it has the opposite effect.
foods that support your gut and hormones
While it takes more than food to balance hormone levels and your gut microbiome. Choosing foods for gut health is a great start to healing. Some foods that I included in this recipe to help heal your gut are:
brown rice/sweet potatoes
Have you noticed your cravings are higher right before your period? This is due to higher progesterone levels also increasing hunger/cravings. To keep the cravings under control (of course it is off to indulge, in fact, I encourage you to) including complex carbs will help.
Brown rice and sweet potatoes include fiber to keep you feeling satiated for longer.
eggs
HEALTHY FATS! Your body becomes fat-adaptive in the luteal phase meaning it uses fat for energy, not carbs. Additionally, our insulin sensitivity is lower than in the follicular phase giving us those cravings for sugar. Protein will help balance those blood sugar levels to keep us going throughout this phase.
full-fat cheese
Dairy is a controversial one as dairy can cause inflammation for some. However, if you can tolerate dairy I fully support your eating full-fat cheese or milk that is sustainably sourced. Again, fat is the key energy source here and helps with blood sugar balance keeping the cravings at bay.
easy to digest veggies
Progesterone is known to slow down the digestive process. A lot of veggies and fruits have a ton of fiber in them which I LOVE. However, during this phase, it may be harder for your body to break down and absorb all those amazing nutrients.
Pick veggies that are easy to break down and/or cook before eating. bonus points if you cook them in bone broth!
one broth
one broth is full of glycine to help with inflammation and improve your gut lining. additionally, bone broth has Gelatin that helps you digest food by increasing hormones and gastric juices in your gut.
The recipe!
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Luteal phase buddha bowl: gut-health friendly!
looking for a quick and easy recipe for your luteal phase? Look no further than this gut healthy friendly buddha bowl filled with nutrients to support gut health and your hormones.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup whole-grain rice
1 cup bone broth
2 free run eggs
1 sweet potatoe
1/2 avocado
1–2 tbsp avocado oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp ginger miso dressing
1 cube of feta cheese
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350 F
chop the sweet potato and toss in avocado oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Bake for 20-30 mintues.
in a saucepan bring 1 cup water and 1 cup bone broth to a boil, put rice in, and simmer for 15 minutes (or as the package suggests)
in a frying pan heated to medium heat, crack 2 eggs and cover to cook
chop lettuce and avocado for plating
assembly
in a pretty bowl (so you can take a picture and tag me on Instagram) place the rice, lettuce, eggs, avocado, and sweet potato.
Crumble feta cheese and drizzle miso dressing on top and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: luteal phase dinner
Keywords: luteal phase dinner recipes, foods for gut health
equipment you will need
this luteal phase dinner recipe is pretty simple in terms of equipment and you most likely have these things already! However, if you don’t – go grab these:
rice cooker
Frying Pan
Baking sheets
Chef Knife
making your own bone broth
I personally love to make everything from scratch when I can because it just feels better. Also, you don’t get all the added preservatives store-bought items to include! So, if you have some chicken carcass hanging around, here’s how you can make your own broth from scratch!
Minimalist baker – How to make your own bone broth
Don’t forget to make a lot so you can freeze it for later!
Making it vegan
This luteal phase dinner recipe is also very simple to make vegan! All you’re going to do is swap out the following ingredients:
Bone broth > Vegetable broth
Egg > Tofu or tempeh
*omit the cheese or use a cheese substitute*
Vuala! Vegan luteal phase buddha bowl:)
Wrapping this up
To wrap this up I want to thank you for reading my article, I hope you found useful tid bits about gut health and why you should be paying attention to your digestive system!
Our hormones and gut are interconnected and when your gut is unhappy, your hormones will be as well. Making nourishing foods and moving your body in accordance with your cycle will leave your body happy and healthy:)
If you need help along your gut-healing journey, apply to my coaching program! I help girlies like you find peace with their bodies and hormones xx
until next time
Hailee xx
