The Ultimate Guide to Eating, Living, and Thriving with Your Moon Cycle

Living in Rhythm: How Your Body Works in Every Phase

Your body isn’t random—it’s rhythmic.

Each phase of your moon cycle brings real shifts in hormones, mood, energy, and cravings.This series breaks it down simply—so you can understand what’s happening and support your body with food, lifestyle, and flow.
Because when you know your rhythm, you thrive with it.

Sync with your phases. Feed your body. Own your rhythm.

Most of us were taught to ignore our cycles. Power through. Pretend our bodies don’t shift week to week.
Spoiler: they do. And your period is just one chapter in a much bigger, much more magical story.

Your menstrual cycle isn’t a once-a-month event—it’s a four-phase rhythm that touches everything: your mood, energy, sleep, libido, creativity, appetite, and metabolism.
When you learn to move with it instead of against it, you unlock a new level of ease, flow, and inner power.

This is your guide to finally understanding your rhythm—and using it to thrive.

At Moon Affair, we call it your Inner Moon Map.

🌒 Follicular Phase

(Days 6–14, from end of period to ovulation)

What’s happening:
Like the first green shoots pushing through the earth.
Estrogen and FSH begin to rise, building energy, lifting mood, and sparking creativity.
Testosterone also makes a brief, energizing appearance right before ovulation—giving you a natural glow-up.

TCM insight:
The Liver is the star of this phase, ensuring the smooth flow of Qi and Blood throughout the body.
(In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qi is your life force—the energy that animates every function in your body.)
After menstruation, the body focuses on replenishing Blood and Yin, restoring vitality and hydration.
This phase is like spring within your body—Yang energy is beginning to rise, but it’s still fresh, light, and full of potential.
Light, fresh foods and movement nourish this upward, expansive energy.

Nourish with:

• Cooling foods: cucumber, celery, watermelon

• Blood-building greens: spinach, sprouts, beets

• Gentle detoxifiers: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage

• Brightening fruits: citrus, berries, fermented foods like kimchi and pickles

• Seed cycling: flax and pumpkin seeds (phase one)

• Light proteins: tofu, eggs, white fish

• Refreshing grains: quinoa, wild rice, chilled brown rice salads with lemon and herbs

• Treat yourself: coconut yogurt parfaits with berries, rice paper veggie rolls with peanut sauce, dark chocolate–dipped berries, spicy mango slices, or a glass of organic rosé.

Lifestyle support:

• Cardio, strength training, outdoor workouts

• Goal-setting, brainstorming, planning

• Refresh your space, start new projects

• Ideal time for collaboration and socializing

Take a moment this moon cycle to notice how this building energy feels in your own body.
As your energy reaches its peak, your body prepares to bloom into the fullness of ovulation.

🌕 Ovulation Phase

(Around Days 14–16)

What’s happening:
Like a flower in full bloom—radiant, magnetic, alive.
Estrogen surges to its highest point, triggering the LH spike that leads to ovulation.
Testosterone peaks too, amplifying your libido, confidence, and natural magnetism.
After the egg is released, progesterone begins to rise, preparing your body for the next phase.

TCM insight:
This is a peak of Yang energy—the vibrant, outward force that fuels activity, connection, and creation.
The Heart (governing joy and communication) and the Liver (ensuring smooth energy flow) work together to help you express yourself fully.
Internal heat naturally rises during this time, so cooling, hydrating foods help maintain balance and support clear, radiant energy.

Nourish with:

• Hydrate and cool: cucumber, mint, coconut water, watermelon

• Sweeten up: mango, berries, cherries, peaches

• Fresh salads with herbs: basil, cilantro, mint

• Light proteins: oysters, crab, shrimp, tofu, mung beans

• Boost zinc: oysters, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds

• Refreshing grains: quinoa, brown rice with lemon and herbs

• Treat yourself: light piña colada, acai bowl with fresh berries and hemp seeds, Chilled herbal mocktails with mint, hibiscus, or citrus

Lifestyle support:

• High-energy workouts, group fitness, dancing

• Presentations, launches, social events

• Speak your truth, show up fully, enjoy connection

• Best time for intimacy, creativity, and bold, magnetic moves

• Optional treats: mango and coconut milk chia pudding, shrimp ceviche with avocado and lime, berry and basil sorbet, or a cheeky glass of sparkling rosé or spicy watermelon margarita.

Take a moment this moon cycle to notice how this vibrant, expansive energy feels in your own body.
Let yourself bloom, unapologetically.

🌖 Luteal Phase

(Days 17–28, post-ovulation to pre-bleed)

What’s happening:
Like the golden hues of leaves turning inward—your "inner autumn."
Progesterone becomes the dominant hormone, thickening the uterine lining and shifting your body into a more introspective, slower state.
Estrogen dips slightly after ovulation, rises again mid-phase, then both estrogen and progesterone drop before your bleed begins.
If no pregnancy occurs, this hormonal withdrawal triggers premenstrual symptoms like mood shifts, cravings, fatigue, and sensitivity.

TCM insight:
This is your inner autumn, a return to Yin energy—cooling, inward, and reflective.
The Spleen (managing digestion, energy, and groundedness) and the Liver (governing emotional flow and detoxification) need extra support now.
Nourishing foods, emotional balance, and gentle rituals help smooth the transition into your bleed.

Nourish with:

• Root vegetables: sweet potatoes, carrots, beets

• Warming grains and comfort foods: oats, brown rice, quinoa

• Omega-3-rich foods: wild salmon, walnuts, flax seeds

• Magnesium-rich foods: cooked leafy greens, dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds

• Digestive support foods: ginger, fennel, cinnamon, and warming herbal teas

• Treat yourself: mushroom risotto, baked rosemary sweet potato fries, molten dark chocolate lava cake with vanilla coconut ice cream, spiced golden milk, or a cozy cinnamon-spiced apple crumble.

Lifestyle support:

• Shift to lower-impact movement: walking, Pilates, gentle yoga

• Wrap up projects, create structure, set healthy boundaries

• Prioritize rest, emotional support, and reflection

• Nest, journal, protect your peace as you prepare for your next cycle

Take a moment this moon cycle to notice how your energy softens and turns inward.
This is your time to slow down, nourish, and honor your changing rhythm.

🌑 Menstrual Phase

(Days 1–5, the bleeding phase)

What’s happening:
This is your inner winter—the quiet stillness of a snowy landscape.
Estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) begins to rise, gently preparing your next cycle.
The body is in a natural state of release and reset.
Prostaglandins, the compounds that help shed the uterine lining, can trigger inflammation, cramps, and fatigue if elevated.

TCM insight:
This is your deepest Yin state—cool, inward, and still.
Blood and Kidney Essence are being rebuilt after the exertion of the previous month.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, menstruation is seen as a vital "cleansing" window where slowing down, conserving energy, and deeply nourishing the body is essential.
The craving for warm, comforting foods reflects this innate need for restoration and rebuilding.

Nourish with:

• Mineral-rich stews, soups, bone broth, and miso soup with seaweed

• Iron-rebuilding foods: lentils, beets, seaweed, dates, black sesame

• Cooked leafy greens: spinach, kale, Swiss chard

• Roasted root vegetables: sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips

• Warming spices: cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, cardamom

• Comforting grains: brown rice, oats, quinoa

• Hearty one-pot meals: chickpea stews, lentil curries, congee with ginger

• Treat yourself: slow-braised short ribs or mushroom stew, molten dark chocolate fondue with strawberries, spiced oat milk chai with coconut cream, baked cinnamon-maple apples with a dollop of vanilla coconut yogurt, or a warm berry compote over oats.

Lifestyle support:

• Gentle movement: stretching, walking, restorative yoga

• Keep warm, especially your belly, lower back, and feet

• Journaling, inward reflection, deep rest

• Minimal obligations, permission to slow down and unplug

Let this be a sacred pause, not a productivity test.
Take a moment this moon cycle to notice how this still, inward energy feels in your own body—and honor it fully.

🌀 You’re Not Meant to Be the Same Every Day

When you understand your cycle, you stop seeing yourself as inconsistent—and start seeing yourself as intelligent.
Your body shifts for a reason. It’s preparing you, clearing space, energizing you, slowing you down, and asking you to listen.

Moon Affair is here to help you live in alignment with that rhythm. We believe your cycle isn’t a curse—it’s a compass. And when you know how to read it, you thrive.

Start syncing with your cycle today:

• Track where you are in your cycle right now

• Adjust your meals, movement, and mindset with each phase

• Follow @mymoonaffair for more education and daily tips

Coming next: Your Sex Drive is Cyclical Too - Your libido isn’t broken—it’s brilliant.

Your rhythm is wisdom. Own it. Explore it. Thrive with it.