Pumpkin is not only great for fall vibes, but it's great for balancing your hormones! It's a nutrient-dense food and packed with fiber and antioxidants, so it provides your body with everything it needs to function properly throughout the day. This breakfast is also high in protein and filling so you'll have the energy to get through the day!
Ingredients for your follicular phase: rolled oats, chia seeds, and Greek yogurt. During the follicular phase, your metabolism naturally slows down, so you want to eat foods that aid liver detoxification to ensure estrogen buildup doesn't occur in the gut.
Oats are high in fiber which makes it wonderful for our body during the follicular phase. Fiber is key to helping our body flush out excess estrogen while our body ramps up production at this time of the cycle. The specific type of fiber it contains is called beta-glucan, which acts as a prebiotic for beneficial bacteria in our gut microbiome. And because a healthy gut is able to best regulate hormone production, this is very important! Rolled oats are also typically gluten-free by nature, so for those of us that are gluten sensitive - this is a great breakfast to have.
Chia seeds are rich in omega-3s and are also high in fiber, two important nutrients for the follicular phase. Fiber helps our body flush out excess estrogen and maintain a healthy digestive tract, while omega-3s are important for healthy ovulation. High FSH levels can lead to menstrual problems including PCOS, and omega-3s are shown to reduce FSH levels.
Greek yogurt is high in protein and full of probiotics which aid gut health! And a healthy gut = healthy hormone levels!
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
Serves: 2 Active Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 4+ hours
Ingredients
1/2 can pumpkin purée
1 cup sprouted oats
1/4 cup almond milk (or any milk)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Top with Greek yogurt, or yogurt of choice
Optional: pumpkin seeds to serve
Process
To make the base, in a medium bowl, thoroughly mix together all ingredients except for the Greek yogurt.
Fill two large Mason jars with the oats, and then top with the yogurt. You can either mix the yogurt into the oats or layer it on top.
Put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Top with the pumpkin seeds before serving.