When we are experiencing spotting, there is almost always one thing that can help no matter what the root cause and that is improving progesterone levels!
Progesterone helps keep the uterine lining from shedding when it shouldn't, and these are my top tips to help support progesterone.
Dietary healthy fats are necessary for all aspects of your health, especially your hormones. Cholesterol is responsible for making thyroid hormones and synthesizing pregnenolone to make progesterone. Throw out the notion that eating low-fat is the healthiest option and instead add in more grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, and plant-based fats like coconut oil, olives, nuts and seeds, and avocado into your diet.
As we’ve seen, chronic stress and high cortisol inhibit progesterone production. Incorporating regular mindfulness practices throughout your day like meditation and breathwork are easy ways to alleviate stress in the moment and can be done wherever you are without additional tools.
Zinc works to increase your follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) that promotes ovulation, and in turn, progesterone production.
Even though you can get zinc in supplement form, increasing your intake of zinc-rich foods like oysters, Brazil nuts, beef, egg yolks, and liver can be a great way to get in more bioavailable zinc as well as other important nutrients in these foods. If you utilize supplements, start with 15-30mg/day with a meal - I like using Zinc Picolinate.
Also known as Vitex agnus-castus, chaste tree berry supplementation is something I recommend frequently for boosting progesterone production and keeping prolactin levels in check. I recommend starting with 20-40mg.