Eating With the Seasons – and Your Own Season

Foraging for wild garlic amidst the most beautiful lush ancient woodland

This weekend, standing amongst a carpet of wild garlic with a large shopping bag on my arm, I was feeling nature, and being reminded of change and the seasons. The ancient woods were full of spring, and I could feel this - the lighter air, the freshness, and a garlicky smell.

I always feel more alive when I'm truly in nature, and always have an outpouring of emotions and reflections. So, I was reminded again that our bodies have seasons too and we move through monthly cycles and life stages because we are so connected with cycles. But in reality we are so disconnected, we still eat, move and push ourselves as if we’re meant to be in permanent summer. So, I am writing this because I want us all to remember about eating with the outer seasons, and also honouring the season you are in right now.

Why Eating With the Seasons Makes Sense for Women

Eating with the seasons is not a new thing, it is how humans have eaten for most of history. Seasonal produce is usually fresher, more flavourful and often more nutrient‑dense because it is picked closer to ripe and hasn’t travelled as far or sat in storage for months. For women, especially those dealing with hormonal shifts, PMS or menopause, this way of eating can be a quiet but powerful form of support.

When you eat seasonally:

• You naturally bring in more variety of plant foods, which helps to feed the gut microbiome and support immunity and inflammation.

• You align your plate with what the environment is offering, for example lighter, greener foods in spring and summer, more roots and grounding dishes in autumn and winter.

• You have a built‑in rhythm that stops your diet feeling stagnant or overly rigid.

Instead of one “perfect” way of eating all year, you have a living, breathing approach that changes as you do.

Wild Garlic – A Spring Reminder to Honour Your Season

Wild garlic (ramsons) appears for just a short window in spring. This weekend when I was out foraging, I felt like the woods were quietly whispering positivity and energy into me. I actually felt like I was coming alive.

What is wild garlic? It's actually part of the allicin family and so is a milder cousin of regular garlic with somewhat similar properties -

• Sulphur compounds that support detoxification pathways.

• Antioxidants and chlorophyll, which help protect cells from everyday stress and may gently support immunity.

• A fresh, green flavour that transforms simple meals into something more lively.

This weekend, I’ve been washing, drying and storing as well as cooking up various things:

• A simple pesto (wild garlic, olive oil, lemon, pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast with a pinch of salt).

• Eggs, green eggs for breakfast or eggs drizzled with an olive oil diluted pesto.

• Chutney, a green chilli desi (Indian) style chutney but with loads of wild garlic.

• Stirring through my lentils and cauliflower curry, right at the end of cooking.

• Hummus, blended with wild garlic.

• Guacamole, blended with wild garlic.

• Chopping and freezing, so I have a lovely stock of this seasonal goodness in my freezer.

Obviously, you don’t have to forage to benefit from spring foods, but wild garlic is a lovely example of what seasonal eating can be - freshness, lightness and living with the season you are in.

How Seasonal Eating Supports Hormones and Immunity

Your hormones, immune system and gut are constantly talking to each other. Seasonal eating supports this conversation in a few ways:

• More micronutrients at the right time: Spring vegetables and fruits often provide vitamin C, folate, magnesium and antioxidants that support immune cells, hormone metabolism and energy.

• Better gut support: Different seasonal plant fibres help feed diverse gut bacteria. A healthy microbiome is closely linked to hormone balance, mood, inflammation and immunity.

• Reduce inflammation: Antioxidant‑rich seasonal foods – greens, herbs, berries, help to counter free radicals and support the body’s natural repair processes.

• More stable blood sugar: When seasonal whole foods make up more of your plate, it can be easier to keep blood sugar steady, which is crucial for managing cravings, mood swings and fatigue.

For women experiencing PMS, or going through perimenopause or menopause, these small, everyday supports are often more sustainable than dramatic, short‑term fixes.

Eating With the Seasons and Your Monthly Cycle

Your menstrual cycle has its own “seasons”:

• Inner winter (menstruation): A time for rest, warmth and comfort. Gentle, nourishing meals – stews, soups, and iron‑rich foods can be helpful.

• Inner spring (follicular phase): Energy and hormones start to rise. Many women feel more able to tolerate lighter, fresher foods and more raw elements.

• Inner summer (ovulation): Often a peak in sociability and outward energy. Colourful salads, berries and exciting meals can feel appealing.

• Inner autumn (luteal phase): A time to turn inward, ground and stabilise. This is when protein, fibre, healthy fats and magnesium‑rich foods can really support mood and blood sugar.

  
  

So how do you bring your outer season in line with your inner. With the season currently being spring and if you're in your inner spring, you will want wants similar things - more green, more herbs, more crunch. You can keep your base seasonal – for example, wild garlic, asparagus, peas, spring greens, and then adjust the amount of grounding foods depending on where you are in your cycle.

If you are in inner winter or inner autumn, you might pair those greens with:

• Lentils or chickpeas, for example a lentil soup with spring greens

• Root vegetables, imagine them paired with a spinach and rocket salad

• Whole grains and healthy fats, I can see a buckwheat risotto with asparagus and a wild garlic pumpkin seed pesto

If you are in inner spring or summer, you might emphasise lighter preparations and more raw or lightly cooked elements.

Eating With the Seasons in Perimenopause and Menopause

Beyond the monthly cycle, women also move through a life cycle:

• Menarche and early years as inner spring

• Reproductive years as inner summer

• Perimenopause as inner autumn

• Postmenopause as a winter into a new kind of spring

Perimenopause may feel like your whole body is malfunctioning but it is a transition. Hormones fluctuate, sleep may change, mood and energy can feel unpredictable. During this season, your body often needs:

• More stability – especially around blood sugar and nervous‑system support.

• Deeper nourishment – enough protein, healthy fats, and whole plant foods.

• Less pushing, more listening – with movement, work and expectations.

Seasonal eating can help you respond to your season. In spring, for example, you might:

• Use seasonal greens, herbs and vegetables to bring in micronutrients and antioxidants.

• Pair them with satisfying proteins (fish, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu) and complex carbohydrates (quinoa, brown rice, root vegetables).

• Add herbs like wild garlic, parsley and mint to support digestion and add flavour without relying solely on sugar or salt.

  
  

In postmenopause, the focus often shifts to:

• Protecting bones, heart and brain.

• Prioritising protein, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin K.

• Keeping digestion, inflammation and blood sugar in a calm, steady place with plenty of seasonal plants and quality fats.

You may not be able to control the season of life you are in, but you can choose to eat in a way that honours it.

Simple Ways to Start Eating in Season – and in Your Season

You don't need to change everything to synch up the outer seasons to your own. Here are a few simple ideas:

• Add one seasonal vegetable or herb to one meal a day. In spring, this might be wild garlic pesto, a handful of spinach, some asparagus or peas.

• Notice your inner season. Are you in inner winter, spring, summer or autumn of your cycle, or in perimenopause/menopause? Use that to understand if you need more grounding or more lightness.

• Create one “seasonal anchor meal” per week. For example, a spring bowl with greens, herbs, beans or fish, and a wholegrain base that you can vary across a few days.

• Check in with your body, not just your head. Ask yourself whether this way of eating make you feel calmer, clearer and more supported, or more wired and depleted.

Eating with the seasons, and your own season, is not about being perfect. It is about working with your body, trusting that it has its own rhythm, and supporting it with the sort of food that matches where you are right now. So, if you're struggling with PMS, perimenopause, menopause or simply feeling “out of sync”, seasonal eating can be a nice way to acknowledge the season you are in and how you are going to support it.

If you would like personalised help working out what this could look like for your hormones, digestion, immune system or midlife health, you can book a 30-minute call or join our upcoming Menopause Mindfulness Yoga & Nutrition workshop, on Saturday 6th of June, where Maria and myself will explore this in more detail.