Undernourishment in Women (Yes, Even Those of Us "Eating Healthy")

This month I want to talk about something that came up in a recent episode of a podcast I love called Medicine Stories. Hosted by Amber Magnolia Hill, this episode featured guest Ashley Wulkan, a mother, herbalist, nutritionist, and mineral balancing practitioner. The episode was called "The Epidemic of Women Undernourishing", and the moment I heard the title, I knew I had to share it with you.

Here's the core idea: so many women today are undernourishing without even realizing it, to the point that our basic biological needs simply aren't being met. We're exhausted, anxious, chasing down symptom after symptom, spending time, money, and energy on hormone testing, microbiome panels, and supplement protocols, while unknowingly not taking in enough calories or micronutrients for our bodies to function properly in the first place.

If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. And if you're someone navigating fertility challenges, this matters even more than you might think, because your body simply will not prioritize reproduction if it's not convinced it has enough fuel to keep you alive and well first.

It's Not Just You, It's All of Us

One of the things I appreciated about this conversation is that it doesn't put the blame on individual women for "doing it wrong." Our culture is awash in contradictory health information, food fear, and warped wellness ideologies. As women, we are consistently trained to take up less space, chase impossible beauty standards, and put everyone else’s needs before ours. There is so much confusion around food and our bodies, and this goes back generations. We inherit nourishment beliefs and practices the same way we inherit our mineral and nutrient stores.

In other words: if you grew up with a parent who feared carbs, skipped breakfast, or treated fat as the enemy, you likely absorbed some of that, even unconsciously. None of this is a personal failing. It's a cultural inheritance. The good news is that we can work to unlearn these things and learn how to properly nourish ourselves. 

My Take: A Few Non-Negotiables for Nourishment

1. Thirty grams of protein, first thing in the morning.Your first meal sets the tone for your blood sugar, your hormones, and honestly, your mood for the rest of the day. Aim for around 30 grams of protein within the first hour or so of waking. Think eggs, Greek yogurt, a protein smoothie with collagen, or even leftover meat from dinner. This gives your body the essential amino acids it needs to build hormones, repair tissue, and stabilize your energy before the day even gets going. If these needs are not met first thing, you will chase that nutrition for the rest of the day and often end up making poor choices to satisfy your nutrient needs quickly. 

2. Carbs are not the enemy.I know, for so many of us, "carbs" has become a scary word. But your body, especially your reproductive system and brain, runs on glucose. The key is choosing complex carbohydrates: sweet potatoes, oats, fruit, winter squash, whole grains, beans, rather than cutting carbs out altogether. Restricting carbs too aggressively is one of the fastest ways to send your nervous system into "we are in danger" mode, which is the opposite of what we want when we're trying to support hormone balance and fertility.

3. Don't be afraid of fat.Fat is foundational for hormone production, especially good fats such as olive oil, avocado, butter, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, and egg yolks. A diet that's too low in fat is a diet that's too low in the raw materials your body needs to make estrogen, progesterone, and everything in between.

4. Let's talk about intermittent fasting.I see this trend everywhere, and I want to gently push back on part of it. Yes, not eating after 7pm is beneficial for your digestion and sleep; that's a reasonable boundary. But here's where I want you to pause: please don't extend that fasting window all the way until noon the next day.

For a lot of women, especially those dealing with fertility concerns, stress, or hormone imbalances, that long stretch without food, sometimes 16+ hours, can be a real source of stress on the body. It can spike cortisol, disrupt blood sugar, and signal to your system that resources are scarce. 

So: stop eating after 7pm if that works for you, but break your fast in the morning, ideally with 30 grams of protein, as we discussed above. Your body needs that early fuel far more than it needs a longer fast.

The Bigger Picture

What I love about this conversation is that it's an invitation to stop adding more to your plate, literally and figuratively. You don't always need another supplement, another protocol, or another restriction. Sometimes the most radical thing you can do for your fertility and your overall health is simply to eat enough, consistently, with real food that includes protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats.

Check out the full episode here.

If this resonates with you and you want to go deeper into how nourishment, nervous system regulation, and fertility all connect, this is exactly the kind of thing we dig into inside Wild Rose Woman. Learn more here or connect with me for 1:1 coaching.