Winter Wellness for Women — How to Nourish Our Body & Hormones in the Cold Months
Winter settles in gingerly, but my body always feels it first.
The way the mornings come slower, the air tightens my children’s skin and mine, and our hunger shift toward warmth — soups, spices, something grounding. My hormones feel more delicate in these months, my energy pulls inward (and my children outward in the cold for winter fun), and even my thoughts change pace, as if the season itself is God’s tender reminder to pay attention.
It’s not weakness.
It’s design.
God created winter as a season of rebuilding — giving us heavier foods, earlier evenings, warm drinks, rest, and the kind of peace our bodies forget to ask for during the year. When I lean into it instead of fighting it, everything steadies: my hormones, my mood, my sleep, my patience.
This guide is simply that —
how to nourish a woman’s body the way God intended us to use this season for:
with warmth, simple foods, minerals we burn through faster in the cold, movement, Scripture, and rhythms that bring the body back into balance.
Winter isn’t something to get through.
It’s something to receive.
What Winter Physically Demands From a Woman’s Body
Winter doesn’t change who we are, but it changes what our body needs to stay balanced.
The drop in light, the cold air, the earlier evenings… they all pull on different parts of a woman’s physiology.
You can feel it even before you name it.
Hormones become more sensitive
Less sunlight means lower serotonin and a natural dip in progesterone support.
Many women feel it as:
– shorter patience
– heavier moods
– disrupted cycles
– fatigue that comes too early in the day
It’s not “in your head.”
It’s biology responding to the season God placed here for rest.
Mineral stores deplete faster
Cold weather demands more from the nervous system and thyroid.
We burn through:
– magnesium (for mood + sleep)
– iodine and selenium (thyroid support)
– sodium + potassium (hydration + energy)
– iron (circulation + warmth + hormones)
If you feel colder than others, more tired, or more stressed — it’s often minerals, not weakness.
Our metabolism shifts toward warmth
Your body naturally wants:
– warm breakfasts
– heavier meals
– fats that steady hormones
– root vegetables
– broths
– slow-cooked foods
This isn’t “comfort eating.”
It’s the body doing exactly what God designed: staying warm and stable.
The skin tightens and dries
Cold air pulls moisture and nutrients from the skin faster.
This affects:
– barrier repair
– eczema flare-ups
– hormonal breakouts
– overall glow
Hydrating from the inside — minerals, fats, warm liquids — matters more now than any cream.
Mood responds to the light
Less daylight affects:
– serotonin
– vitamin D
– circadian rhythm
Which explains why winter can feel heavier mentally, even if life itself hasn’t changed.
Your body simply works harder to stay balanced.
Women need more grounding, not more productivity
Winter isn’t a test of how much we can push through.
It’s a reminder that our bodies need:
– slowness
– warmth
– steady nourishment
– deeper sleep
– early light
– tender moments with God
This is not indulgence.
It’s alignment with design.
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The Winter Healing Kitchen
Winter asks for a different kind of nourishment — deeper, warmer, slower.
Not because we’re craving comfort, but because our metabolism, hormones, and mineral stores genuinely need more support in the cold months.
Nothing extravagant.
Just foods that steady the body the way God intended this season to provide.
Warm Breakfasts (Your Hormones Need This Most)
A warm (and healthy) breakfast stabilizes blood sugar, cortisol, and mood for the entire day.
Simple winter options:
steel-cut oats with cinnamon, nutmeg, apple, or pear
eggs with spinach, mushrooms, or tomatoes
root-veg hash cooked in coconut oil or ghee
porridge with chia, flax, walnuts, and a drizzle of honey
fermented sourdough toast with avocado + poached egg
warm quinoa bowl with coconut milk + berries
flavorful sago that warms hearts and bodies
Cold breakfasts (smoothies, yogurt bowls) overstress the body in winter.
Warmth soothes your hormones.
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Soups, Stews & Slow Pots — Minerals + Warmth
These give your body everything it burns through faster in winter:
minerals, hydration, collagen, salt, and steady energy.
Staples for winter:
chicken bone broth
beef broth with garlic + thyme
lentil soups
chicken + veg stew
coconut milk curries
potato + leek soup
pumpkin or kabocha squash soup
white bean + rosemary soup
all sorts of gratins
shepherd’s pie
Warm liquids calm the nervous system and support digestion — winter absolutely needs this.
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Healthy Winter Fats — Hormones Thrive Here
Fats keep hormones stable and keep you warm.
Choose fats that God made, not industrial ones:
you can read our guide The Fat War: How Seed Oils Became Their Weapon, it’ll guide you on what to use and how
ghee
butter
coconut oil
olive oil
tallow
salmon fat
egg yolks
These nourish progesterone, support the thyroid, hydrate the skin, and keep cycles more regular through winter.
This is a free resource — you’ll need to add it to your cart and check out, but will not be charged for it.
Proteins That Steady Mood & Energy
Women often under-eat protein — winter makes the deficit obvious.
Include:
salmon
sardines
mackerel
chicken
beef
lamb
eggs
lentils + beans (paired with fat)
Protein keeps cortisol stable and reduces winter brain fog.
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Winter Minerals — Where to Get Them Naturally
Your body uses more minerals in winter to stay warm and regulated.
Magnesium: pumpkin seeds, cacao, almonds, leafy greens
Potassium: potatoes, squash, avocado, banana
Sodium: quality salt, broths, olives
Iron: beef, lamb, lentils, spinach (with vitamin C)
Iodine + Selenium: salmon, sardines, eggs
A mineral-rich diet is the foundation for all winter hormone balance.
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Teas That Support Women in Winter
Warm drinks calm the nervous system and boost minerals.
Best teas for winter wellness:
ginger + lemon
cinnamon bark
chamomile
rooibos + honey
peppermint (great for digestion)
nettle (mineral-rich)
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The Bible’s Winter Foods (Still Perfect Today)
Scripture is full of foods that support warmth + strength:
dates
figs
honey
milk
spices (cinnamon, cloves, coriander)
sourdough-type breads
broths
fish
God gave these long before “winter wellness” became a term.
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The Heart of the Winter Kitchen
Winter cooking isn’t complicated —
it’s slow heat, grounding foods, and ingredients that steady our body from the inside out.
This is how winter nourishes — by His design.
Hormones in Winter — What to Support & How
Winter shifts a woman’s hormones more than any other season.
Less sunlight, colder temperatures, earlier evenings — they all pull on the nervous system and change how our body regulates itself.
Here’s what matters most, and how to support it simply and naturally.
Progesterone: the “calm + steady” hormone
Winter often exposes low progesterone:
– mood dips
– shorter patience
– anxiety before bed
– PMS-like symptoms
– disrupted sleep
Why:
Less light → more stress hormones → progesterone gets “borrowed” to cope.
Support with:
food: warm breakfasts, magnesium-rich foods, quality fats (ghee, coconut oil, butter) — mentioned above
early bedtime
avoiding cold breakfasts
lowering caffeine in the second half of the cycle
stop using endocrine/hormone disruptors products (household and beauty artifacts, unnaturally scented candles etc.)
Progesterone thrives in warmth, nourishment, and rest — everything winter naturally offers.
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Estrogen: energy, glow, mood
Low winter estrogen often feels like:
– dull skin
– low motivation
– colder body
– less patience
– heavier mood
Support with:
fermented foods (sourdough, kefir you tolerate, pickled veg)
root vegetables
salmon + sardines
beans + lentils
cooked leafy greens
movement (yoga, walking, stretching)
Estrogen needs minerals and blood flow — warm meals support both.
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Thyroid: warmth, metabolism, cycles
The thyroid works harder in winter to keep you warm.
When it struggles, you feel:
– cold hands + feet
– slow digestion
– fatigue
– hair shedding
– heavier emotions
Support with:
iodine + selenium (salmon, sardines, eggs)
bone broth
potatoes + salt
warm soups
reducing raw, cold foods
keeping the neck warm outside
A nourished thyroid means a calmer winter body.
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Cortisol: stress + energy rhythm
Low light disrupts cortisol timing.
You may wake tired, then get a burst of energy late at night.
Support with:
warm breakfast within an hour of waking
natural light in the morning
a walk, even short
magnesium
turning lights low after sunset
no heavy tasks late in the day
Cortisol is not the enemy — it just needs rhythm.
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Insulin: blood sugar + mood stability
Women become more sensitive to blood sugar swings in winter.
This shows up as:
– mood crashes
– hunger all afternoon
– anxiety after coffee
– poor sleep
Support with:
protein + fat at every meal
warm complex carbs (potatoes, squash, sourdough)
avoiding sugary snacks on an empty stomach
cinnamon in food + drinks
Warm meals stabilize insulin far better than cold ones.
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Why Hormones Need Winter’s Pace
Winter isn’t the season to push harder — it’s the season to support what is already working inside you.
God wove a slower rhythm into these months:
light that fades early, foods that cook long, evenings meant for rest.
Our bodies were designed to listen.
When we honor this, hormones fall back into place with surprising ease.
Winter Wellness Through Scripture
Winter may feel demanding on a woman’s body, but Scripture never treats the cold months as a mistake or an interruption. Every season is purposeful — a pattern God Himself set into motion.
“To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1
Winter is not a disruption.
It carries purpose — nourishment, rebuilding, slowing, rest.
“He gives snow like wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes.” — Psalm 147:16
God compares snow to wool — insulation, protection, covering.
Winter is meant to hold, not harm.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10
Stillness is not passivity.
It calms the nervous system — the very thing winter requires for hormonal balance.
“And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.’” — Genesis 1:29
The warming foods we lean on in winter — roots, lentils, spices, fruits, herbs —
were given from the beginning.
“The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.” — Psalm 28:7
When winter feels heavy, strength is not found in pushing harder.
It is found in who carries us.
“You have set all the borders of the earth;
You have made summer and winter.” — Psalm 74:17
Winter is not an accident of nature — God formed it intentionally.
Photos: Found via Pinterest, sources on clickthrough; we always aim to credit photos; if one needs crediting or removal, please contact us with the source.
A Simple Winter Morning to Evening Routine
Morning
warm breakfast
sunlight on the face
mineral-rich drink (salt + lemon or herbal tea)
protein early in the day
Afternoon
grounding (walk, fresh air, porch step)
warm drink after lunch
protein + mineral snack
keep the home warm + lights natural
Evening
dim lighting
warm meal
low-screen wind-down
magnesium (spray, lotion, or food source)
scripture spoken aloud
warmth before bed (socks, shower, tea)
Small rhythms equal big balance.
In a nutshell…
Winter isn’t here to drain us — it’s here to rebuild us.
When we nourish ourselves the way God designed this season to allow, the body steadies, hormones soften, and the heart settles back into peace.
Warm foods, simple rituals, slow evenings, minerals, Scripture…
none of it is complicated, yet all of it strengthens us.
This is how winter becomes gentle.
This is how a woman thrives through the cold months —
not by pushing harder, but by receiving what God placed in this season for her.
If you’ve found something that helps you feel stronger or more balanced in the colder months, you’re welcome to share it in the comments. It may help another mother reading.
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Winter (& Holidays)
A simple, faith-rooted guide to nourishing your body and hormones in the cold months. Warm foods, essential minerals, sunlight, grounding, and winter rhythms that support women naturally — all aligned with God’s design for rest, strength, and nourishment in this season.