Why You Crave More Before Your Period — and How Your Cycle Shapes Stress and Mood

Why do cravings hit harder in the days before your period?In this roundtable, psychiatrist Dr. Sara Cohen Fournier, naturopathic doctor Dr. Michal Waldfogel and nervous system educator Carina Raisman unpack how the cycle shapes the brain's reward system. Searchable terms: cravings before period, dopamine, addiction and the menstrual cycle, luteal phase, serotonin.The conversation goes far beyond cravings — into chronic stress, the nervous system, how serotonin is built in the gut, and what changes as estrogen declines in perimenopause.It's for any woman who's noticed her mood, energy and cravings shift across the month and wants to understand the biology underneath it.In this episode:Why estrogen amplifies the dopamine pathway before your periodThe "boss is not a bear" model of chronic stressHow serotonin is built — and why the gut mattersThe serotonin-melatonin link between mood and sleepWhy stress resilience and heart health shift in perimenopauseSmall, healthy sources of dopamine that help meet the cravingFull episode and more at nataliekakon.comA roundtable with Dr. Sara Cohen Fournier (psychiatrist), Dr. Michal Waldfogel (ND) and Carina Raisman (nervous system educator)_____GuestsDr. Sara Cohen Fournier, MDSara is a practicing psychiatrist whose work sits at the intersection of mental health, physiology, and lived experience. Dr. Michal Waldfogel, NDDr. Michal Pearl Waldfogel is a licensed naturopathic doctor with a deep background in education, facilitation, and community-building. Her work integrates mental health, addiction recovery, and integrative primary care, with particular care for those seeking to change their relationship with alcohol. Drawing on training in clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, and CranioSacral therapy, she collaborates closely with other providers to create personalized, systems-based care. She is especially passionate about increasing access to naturopathic medicine and addressing loneliness through community-centered models of healing.Learn more at phillynaturopathic.comCarina Raisman, BScCarina is a nervous system specialist, yoga therapist, and teacher of teachers. She is the founder of Yoga Resource and leads one of the most respected yoga therapy education programs, with a focus on regulation, embodiment, and sustainable care.Learn more at yogaresource.com