Women’s health expert Christiane Northrup, MD, recommends a hormone-balancing diet that includes lean protein at every meal and limiting grains—even whole grains—if you’re dealing with a gluten sensitivity.

High-glycemic foods can trigger hormonal spikes, so Dr. Northrup advocates eating smaller portions of foods like basmati rice, kidney beans, potatoes, and bananas.

Instead, she recommends low-glycemic options such as chickpeas, black beans, leafy vegetables, wild rice, and pears. (Obviously, anyone with a gluten sensitivity should avoid gluten or limit it to tolerable amounts.)

Dr. Northrup also offers these tips:

• Eat at least three meals a day—never skip breakfast or lunch to “save” calories for dinner.
• Eat a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables every day—the more colorful the better.
• Eat healthy fats daily, such as eggs, flaxseeds, soybeans, walnuts, and wild, coldwater fish.