Follicular Phase Cycle day 1-14
During the follicular phase, temperatures should average 97.2 to allow for follicular development and increasing Estrogen levels. If temperatures are too high, cervical discharge will dry up and egg quality can be expected to be poor with the eggs having a more dense and impenetrable nova. Higher follicular temperatures also correlate with elevated FSH levels. When we can lower the basal temperatures, we usually see an improvement in cervical discharge, FSH levels and egg quality.
During this phase of the cycle eat foods from the yin category and avoid foods from the yang category. Yin and Yang are opposite of each other. Yin is cold/cool and Yang is hot/warm.
Foods that support healthy Follicular Phase Temperatures:
fruit, Tofu, Edamame, seaweeds, Black Beans, Millet, Barley, Wheat, Rice, Mung Beans, Blueberry, Cucumber, Kudzu, Bananas, Spirulina, Hisbiscus Mint Tea, bland foods.
YIN DEFICIENCY
MAIN MANIFESTATIONS OF YIN DEFICIENCY:
General symptoms include low-grade fever or a feeling of heat in the afternoon, a dry throat at night, night sweats, emaciation, a floating-empty pulse and a red, peeled and dry tongue. Other symptoms will depend upon which organ is mostly involved.
USEFUL FOODS:
Millet, barley, wheat germ, wheat, rice, seaweed, micro-algae, tofu, black beans, kidney beans, adzuki beans, mung beans and their sprouts, beets, string beans, kuzu, potatoes, whole salt, spirulina, chlorella, wild blue green algae, lettuce, kamut, lily root, cucumber, soybean milk, spinach, tomato, radish and mushroom
Persimmon, grapes, blackberries, raspberries, mulberries, watermelon, plums, pears, strawberries, lemons and pineapple, kiwi and banana (use banana with caution in case of Spleen Qi Deficiency with Dampness).
Crab, clam, mussels, sardines, sea cucumber, beef, dairy products, yogurt, cheese, abalone, oyster, duck, chicken eggs, duck eggs, ham and pork.
FOODS TO AVOID:
Alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, shrimp, excessive and poor quality meat.
