"Shall I have breakfast because I have lunch in three hours… And we are going to this pizza restaurant so maybe better I skip breakfast. Or maybe I can have some protein as I need protein for my recovery. Maybe I can have cheese on toast? Or no. I’m going for pizza so I shouldn’t eat bread again…But brown bread should be okay no? ”

Does this sound familiar?

Confused about what to eat when you’re recovering from HA?

I have been there and yes, day-to-day eating becomes a stressful task. Between what we think we should eat because of what we think we know and what our body actually needs, there is very often a gap.

And if your digestion is sensitive on top of it with IBS, bloating, discomfort, the whole thing becomes even more difficult. Food stops being nourishment and becomes negotiation. This is the opposite of what your body needs during HA recovery. What it needs is warmth, steadiness, rhythm, and trust. Which is why Ayurveda feels like such a relief. It gives us a way of eating that is rooted in simplicity, kindness and deep understanding of what the body is actually trying to do.

In this newsletter, I would like to share the beauty and simplicity of an Ayurvedic way of eating. It helped me understand my body in a deeper, kinder way and to finally feel nourished. My hope is that you can taste a little bit of this wonderful science and feel your own body exhale in relief.

Let’s start from the beginning: why nourishing your body is not optional in HA recovery.

When your cycle was present and then disappears for three or more months, this is called secondary amenorrhea. It means your body once had the resources to menstruate but no longer feels stable, fed or safe enough to continue. This can be due to stress, low energy intake, intense exercise, emotional strain or a combination of all of these. In short, your body shifts into protection mode. It turns down reproductive hormones because it senses scarcity.

Ayurveda describes this same state as a disturbance in Vata, the dosha that governs movement, the nervous system, circulation and the downward flow needed for menstruation. When Vata rises too high, through irregular eating, cold foods, skipping meals, exhaustion, emotional worry, the menstrual flow can stop. It is not a failure of the body. It is a natural response to feeling depleted.

Both Western physiology and Ayurveda say the same thing in different languages: when your body is not nourished enough, when digestion is weak, when stress is high, the reproductive system pauses. And it will remain paused until it receives the message that resources are abundant again.

This is why nourishing yourself consistently is not just “good advice.” It is the core of recovery. And yes, it can feel unbelievably repetitive when you’re in the middle of it, the constant messages of “you need to eat more,” “you’re not eating enough,” “just eat more.” People say it as if it were the easiest thing in the world. But when you’ve spent years monitoring every bite, second-guessing yourself and internalising the idea that less food equals more control, suddenly doing the opposite feels like stepping into the unknown.

For most women with HA, it isn’t a simple “eat more calories” equation. If it were, recovery would be quick and straightforward. But the truth is, we live in a culture that has shaped us to be careful, to stay small, to apologise for our appetite, to always be aware of our body in a way that quietly drains our confidence. Eating freely goes against almost everything we’ve been taught. And when your identity has been tied to being “disciplined” or “healthy,” loosening your grip can feel like losing a part of yourself.

So nourishment becomes an emotional journey, not just a physical one. It’s the slow unlearning of beliefs that no longer serve you. It’s the gentle work of teaching your nervous system that receiving is safe. That rest is safe. That softness is not laziness. That letting go of control is not failure. When you begin to eat consistently, more regularly, more generously, more kindly, you’re not just feeding your body; you’re rewriting an entire script within yourself.

And the most beautiful part is that your body feels this shift so quickly. Stable, warm meals lower cortisol. Balanced, grounding foods calm Vata and soften the mind. Regular nourishment signals to your hypothalamus, “I am safe again.” This is what brings your hormones back online. This is what melts the anxious thoughts around food. This is what slowly rebuilds your period.

Ayurveda brings this nourishment back to basics: warm food, regular meals, gentle digestion, enough fats, stable blood sugar, grounding spices, and eating in a way that calms rather than agitates the nervous system. It is simple but it is powerful.

What Does Nourishing in an Ayurvedic Way Really Look Like?

This is not about strict meal plans or rigid schedules. This is about meals that say to your body: “You are fed. You are safe. You don’t need to go into survival mode.”

Ayurveda sees nourishment as warm, regular, grounded, easy to digest and supportive of Agni (digestive fire).

So, cold smoothies, skipping meals, “saving calories,” fasting or chaos around eating, these all increase Vata and send the opposite message to your body.

So what does this look like in real life?

In the morning, think warm, soft, steady, as simple as it is. A bowl of porridge cooked with milk or water, a spoon of ghee, cinnamon, and some cooked fruit. Or a small savory dish like upma with vegetables. Or a khichdi-style breakfast. Those are Indians recipes, very easy to make and DELICIOUS! Something that grounds you rather than spikes or scatters your energy. Even eggs cooked in ghee with soft bread or rice can be incredibly nourishing if they feel good in your body.

The goal is not perfection. The goal is to tell your system, “Food is here. You don’t need to be on alert.”

In the evening, keep the same intention. A simple vegetable khichdi, a dal with rice, a warm blended soup made from carrots, pumpkin, or beetroot. Rice noodles with ginger and sesame. Foods that are easy to digest, warm in temperature, and steadying for the nervous system. Ayurveda teaches that dinner should feel like a soft landing after your day, not another stressor.

Also, Ayurveda suggests spices that warm and kindle digestion: ginger, cinnamon, cumin, fennel, cardamom, black pepper.

You can use them in food or as warm teas. These spices help Agni and help you feel grounded, not rushed or depleted.

And herbal teas like warm ginger or fennel after meals can be a small comfort but a big signal to your body.

Throughout the day, the rhythm matters too. Eating at regular times helps calm Vata and stabilizes digestion. Warm drinks support digestion more than iced ones. Gentle movement, yoga, walking, stretching is more supportive than pushing yourself into intensity. Sleep at a similar time each night gives your hormones a chance to communicate clearly again.

None of these are rules. They are invitations. Small ways of telling your body that it is safe to soften, safe to receive, safe to rebuild.

Because HA recovery is not only about calories. It is about safety. Your body menstruates when it feels supported enough to do so. Every warm meal, every consistent breakfast, every moment you choose nourishment over fear is a signal to your system: you can trust me. I am here. I am feeding you.

It may take time. But your body is listening. It responds to kindness.

Being based in India for several months before getting my period back really helped me soften into the changes I needed, especially around food habits and daily rhythms. And the Panchakarma (the Ayurvedic detox) gave my gut a complete reset. It helped me absorb and digest food so much better, which was a huge part of why my body could finally feel safe again.

A lot of you ask me: “How many calories should I eat?”
And of course, yes, the amount matters, especially if your body has been undernourished for a long time. There must be enough food.

But it’s not the most important thing.

If Ayurveda teaches us anything, it’s this: nourishment is not just about food. It’s your relationship with yourself, the softness you bring, the safety you create, the way you respond to your body rather than control it.

I know how delicate HA recovery can feel, not just physically, but emotionally. There is frustration, impatience, fear, and sometimes grief. But there is also incredible opportunity. Your body is asking you to soften, to feed yourself, to come back home. Ayurveda provides a pathway that doesn’t demand perfection, just presence, warmth, and compassion.

Every warm meal is a message. Every step toward nourishment is a signal of safety. And every time you choose to feed yourself with kindness rather than confusion, your body hears you.

You are not broken. Your cycle is not lost. You are rebuilding the foundation for it to return, one gentle meal at a time.

With love,

Audrey