Functional Foods for Hormonal Health
There’s something powerful about paying attention. A shift in your sleep, a change in appetite, a irregularities in your cycle—these patterns aren’t random. They’re signals that your body is recalibrating. And often, the most impactful way to respond begins with intentional, everyday nourishment.
This week at Health Youniversity, we sat down with Gita Vellanki, founder of Neeshi, to explore how food can play a meaningful role in hormone-related transitions. Through her personal experience and exploration of food-based practices, Gita shares how nutritional approaches may help ease PMS, support fertility, and provide relief during perimenopause. Her story offers a grounded reminder: food isn’t just fuel—it’s a foundation for long-term rhythm and resilience.
Understanding Hormonal Shifts
Hormonal health issues first present in subtle ways that become more disruptive if ignored. These shifts are shaped by age, stress, environment, and nutrition, and they frequently surface well before any clinical diagnosis is made. Noticing them early allows for proactive care, not reactionary fixes.
Here’s how these transitions often show up:
Adolescence and Early Menstruation: Periods may be long, heavy, or painful. Acne breakouts, cramping, and mood fluctuations are signs that help is needed despite being told “it’s normal”..
Fertility and Preconception: Hormonal fluctuations influence cycle consistency and impede reproductive health. We recommend nutrition-forward strategies to restore your fertile health..
Perimenopause and Menopause: Hot flashes, disrupted sleep, fatigue, cravings, or hair thinning are signs that can be mitigated and reversed.
Functional Foods and Hormonal Resilience
Hormones don't operate in isolation—they’re part of a complex web involving metabolism, detoxification, inflammation, and tissue repair. Functional foods help support this network by providing key nutrients that allow the body to stay in sync.
Ingredients like flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and cacao contain fiber, healthy fats, and plant compounds that impact how hormones are produced and processed. Instead of chasing symptoms, these foods nourish systems that influence hormone signaling, elimination, and recovery, making them valuable allies during times of change.
Importance of Nutrition as a Ritual
Consistency matters. Your body’s internal processes rely on a dependable supply of nutrients to maintain rhythm and respond to stressors. That’s why the small, repeated choices you make each day often have the best impact.
Even something as simple as a spoonful of Neeshi’s nutrient-rich spread or a scoop of supportive ingredients can send signals of stability to your system. Over time, these steady inputs help reinforce patterns that allow your body to function with greater ease, especially during hormonally active phases of life.
Natural Alternatives to Conventional Treatments
Painful periods, mood shifts, fatigue, and sleep disturbances are commonly addressed with hormonal medications or symptom-based therapies. While these can be necessary in some cases, they’re not the only path.
Food-based strategies offer a gentler way to work with your biology, helping the body restore rhythm through nourishment rather than overriding it. This approach is especially relevant for those navigating cyclical changes, fertility concerns, or preparing for a healthy, easy perimenopause. Functional nutrition invites the body to recalibrate, using what it already knows how to do, given the right conditions.
Neeshi: A Food-Based Approach to Hormonal Support
Neeshi is one example of how functional ingredients can be used to create daily support for hormonal transitions. Originally developed by Gita to help her daughter, Neeshi contains a blend of thoughtfully chosen foods designed to offer broad, nutrient-dense support for women in various life stages.
While it’s not a substitute for medical treatment, products like Neeshi may help address nutritional gaps that quietly contribute to hormonal discomfort. It’s less about chasing quick results and more about establishing a rhythm that feels sustainable.
Key Ingredients & Benefits
Almonds: Rich in vitamin E, healthy fats, and protein—these support blood sugar balance, skin health, and hormone synthesis.
Pumpkin Seeds: A natural source of zinc and magnesium, known to aid in progesterone production, reduce inflammation, and ease PMS-related changes.
Flax Seeds: Contain lignans and omega-3s, which may help modulate estrogen levels, regulate cycles, and support digestion.
Cacao: Offers magnesium and antioxidants that can help with cramping, energy, and mood regulation.
Coconut Sugar: A lower-glycemic sweetener that delivers natural sweetness without major blood sugar swings.
Maca Root: Traditionally used to support energy and hormonal rhythm, particularly in perimenopausal and menstrual cycles.
Gooseberry (Amla): High in vitamin C and antioxidants, it supports stress response and adrenal health, which are two important pillars of hormone function.
Chia Seeds (in the protein blend): Provide fiber, plant protein, and omega-3s to support digestion, hydration, and nutrient absorption.
Check out all of our episodes on the following platforms:
Detox to De-Stress: View the FREE Masterclass on the importance of detoxification to prepare for a healthy pregnancy: https://susanfox1.easywebinar.live/gentle-detox
Know the status of your fertility health. Take our FREE Fertility Quiz now: https://healthyouniversity.co/fertility-quiz
Boost Employee Productivity by Investing in their Fertility Health. Check out our Corporate Wellness program and know the benefits it can bring to your company:https://www.healthyouniversity.co/corporate-wellness
Gita Vellanki is the founder of Neeshi, a women’s wellness brand offering real food-based support for hormonal health from menstruation through menopause. With a holistic approach rooted in nourishment and daily rhythm, she helps women feel more balanced by addressing the root of hormonal symptoms naturally and consistently.
Scheduling Link: https://calendar.app.google/UPLp9PYvM6yWkPcX9
Website: http://www.neeshi.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopneeshi
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/shopneeshi
Medical Disclaimer:
By listening to the Health Youniversity podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition for yourself or others. Consult your healthcare provider for any medical issues you may have. This entire disclaimer also pertains to any guests or contributors to any Health Youniversity podcast.
