Getting iron, protein, and iodine are important on the first 10 days of your cycle

The time of the month can be a blur of mood swings, cramps and a lot of Cheetos and ice cream. And while we ladies should give in once in a while (we deserve it) there are certain things that we can add or remove from our diets, given the phase we are in our cycles. 

Understanding this took me some time to figure out, and I didn’t realize for myself how beneficial cycle tracking and eating according to what I need would be for my body.

Days 1 to 10 are the days when your uterus sheds its lining and is the start of a woman’s menses. Cramping, bloating, and pain can plague some women. At this time, it’s important to replace the iron being lost. 

For Koreans, ‘birthday soup’ (as many of us have seen in Kdramas) is a stew made of seaweed and beef. This is exactly what a woman needs to replace the vitamins and minerals that are lost. Seaweed replaces iodine, while beef has a lot of heme iron. 

Focus on nourishing foods at this time, and stick to a lower carb intake. This is because when estrogen levels are low, the body has more difficulty metabolizing carbohydrates. Bone broth, red meat, and seeds are beneficial for this time. If you are avoiding meat, protein-rich plant sources like tofu are a great alternative. 

Getting iron, protein, and iodine are important at this time, to keep your body strong. Increasing your protein intake also works to curb unhealthy salty cravings, which will only add to your bloat. If you are eating red meat, this is a great time to enjoy it. Otherwise, here are some plant-based options that work just as well. 

• Edamame
• Tofu
• Lentils
• Beets
• Alugbati (Malabar spinach) 
• Bone broth: Make your own by buying collagen-rich ox feet and ox knees from your local butcher. Boil this for 10-12 hours to get a rich broth.

My Tofu Jjigae recipe, which is flavored with a lot of seaweed also works well during this phase. Adding dried fish to this not only adds flavor, but also increases the protein content of the meal.

Tofu Jjigae

Ingredients

Soup base
¼ cup dried seaweed
2 tbsp gochugaru (can add gochujang for a stronger taste)
8pc dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp Kikkoman or gluten-free tamari sauce
1 tsp fish sauce or vegan fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
4 cups water
1 tbsp doenjang (fermented soy bean paste) or miso paste if gluten-free
Additional 6-8 pc dried fish if using

1 pack sundubu (soft tofu)
2 cups assorted mushrooms
1 cup alugbati
1 cup kangkong
1 green onion stalk 

Procedure

1. In a soup pot on low heat, add the cooking oil, garlic, gochujaru, Kikkoman or tamari, and sesame oil and create a paste.
2. Add the tofu and cover in the paste.
3. Add the water, seaweed, and mushrooms. Boil on low for 20 minutes.
4. Carefully add the sliced soft tofu.
5. Add the alugbati, kangkong, and leeks.
6. Boil for an additional 5 minutes.
7. Add salt to taste, and a drizzle of sesame oil before serving.