Book Review: The Moon Cycle Cookbook

Did you know that during your menstrual phase (days 1 through 3-7), eating complex carbohydrates will help manage mood swings because carbs replenish our serotonin and dopamine, both of which decrease during this phase because of a decline in Iron and B12? Did you even know that your cycle starts with your menstrual phase? As young people who menstruate, rather than being educated about our cycles, we’re taught to hate “the curse” and we’re put on synthetic hormones that completely eliminate the cycle and therefore remove the daily rhythms that define our bodies on so many levels. That, my friends, is a whole other blog (slash very long book) topic, but suffice it to say, your average menstruating person at any age wouldn’t be able to tell you what their body is doing during their follicular phase, or even when their follicular phase is. The Moon Cycle Cookbook: A Holistic Nutrition Guide for a Well-Balanced Menstrual Cycle by Devon Lofton and Jenna Radomski comes to the rescue with not only concise, beautifully written information about each phase of our cycles, but also what and how to eat to feed and nourish our bodies during each phase.

The book is organized by the four phases, each of which is associated with a season, starting with the menstrual phase (winter, obvs). For each phase, the authors include some basic facts, a summary of what’s happening inside of your body, how your lifestyle is affected, what to pay attention to, an extra tidbit unique to the phase (eg. for Follicular - “How Environmental Toxins Affect your Estrogen Level”), foods for nourishment, and then a bunch of recipes for every meal (including dessert)!

Author Devon Lofton is the founder of Moon Cycle Bakery - a baked goods delivery service that specializes in “making delicious treats with hormone-supportive ingredients that are designed to nourish women from the inside out.” Devon’s co-author, Jenna Radmoski, is a nutritionist who clearly knows her stuff. Together, the women have created a warm and inviting book that, addition to accessible and delicious recipes, offer rituals such as “befriend plants,” and “do a candlelit meditation” for each of the phases.

The Moon Cycle Cookbook gives you the tools to both educate and pamper yourself - both of which are a right. I strongly recommend and if you pick it up, I’d love to hear what you think!

xoxo Nicole