Fatigue, tremors, mood swings, and excruciating cramps are common during your period, but you might be surprised to learn that what you eat can affect how you feel during your period. It turns out that getting the right nutrition, especially in those 5 days, can combat muscle aches, uncomfortable bloating, headaches, and irregular digestion. Although it seems totally legitimate to binge eat, you should take the hard way and make wiser choices. To help guide you along the way, here's a list of what to eat during your period and foods to avoid during your period.
- Can certain foods relieve symptoms?
- Foods to Avoid
- food to eat
- Remedies for menstrual cramps
- When to see a doctor
Can certain foods relieve symptoms?
Food plays a huge role when it comes to your period and maintaining your hormones. To relieve menstrual cramps, it isbetter eat foodThey do not raise blood sugar levels, as they cause an imbalance in hormones, which leads to severe cramps. Therefore, it is highly recommended to eat healthy, nutritious, home-cooked meals during your period.
Foods to Avoid
There are many foods that cause inflammation, so it's best to avoid them as much as possible. Fried, highly processed, sugary, and baked foods should be avoided.
1. Avoid: Alcohol
Stay a virgin when it comes to alcohol during your period (yes, even if you've had a really rough day). While alcohol can temporarily reduce cramps, there are too many negative effects to ignore, despite the temporary relief it can give you. This can cause your periods to become irregular and also increase estrogen levels in your body, making your period symptoms worse. Estrogen is one of the two main female sex hormones and is responsible for keeping a girl's menstrual cycle regular. It also keeps cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check and is therefore extremely important for a problem-free period. Just one more consequence if you are not convinced: its diuretic nature increases the levels of water retention. What this means is that there is an excessive buildup of fluid in your body, making you appear more bloated.
Advice:Try a watery lassi or some coconut water, they will keep you hydrated and are recommended foods for the season.
2. Avoid: Caffeinated drinks
Turn down the volume on coffee, one of the main drinks to avoid during your period. This really helps because caffeine is a stimulant, which leads to a fluctuation in your hormones, and this is something you should definitely avoid during your period. Increases blood pressure and heart rate, leading to attacks of tension and anxiety and, in turn, worseningSymptoms of PMS🇧🇷 Caffeine also decreases your body's ability to absorb iron, which affects your energy levels and can increase PMS symptoms.
Advice:Have green tea, tomato and carrot juice, or any kind of soup. These are some of the foods you should eat during your period to avoid cramps.
3. Avoid: Processed foods
Frozen foods, fast foods, bacon, pickles, canned soups, papad, etc. come with unknown ingredients and preservatives that are not theThe best foods during your period.🇧🇷 They can interfere with hormones and amplify the discomfort of PMS. Processed foods are also a great source of sodium, which is a major cause of bloating and fluid retention, and are best avoided during and for a few days before your period. Since we are constantly exposed to a wide variety of foods, it is difficult to determine if a particular food is processed or not. But to make it easier, here's a great tip: always read the ingredients on the package; if more than five ingredients are mentioned, it would be best to avoid buying it, as it is more likely to be processed.
Advice:Eat home-cooked meals, lots of salads and vegetables, and foods that warm the heart and stomach, like khichadi and porridge.
4. Avoid: High-fat foods
Fatty foods influence hormones, cause cramps, and can give you gas. Since the skin is already sensitive these days, the wrong food choices during menstruation can exacerbate this problem and make it even more dry and dehydrated. Also, foods high in saturated fats increase the production of a specific chemical called prostaglandin, which is known to relieve menstrual pain. Ideally, avoid fatty meats, hamburgers and cream-based desserts.
Advice:here it iswhat to eat during menstruationinstead, whole wheat bread, dal chawal, porridge, salmon and lean meats etc.
5. Avoid: Dairy
This may surprise you, but dairy products like milk, cream, and cheese are some of the foods to avoid during your period. They are rich in arachidonic acid, which can act as a trigger forperiod pains🇧🇷 Also, thanks to the inclusion of artificial hormones in milk, dairy products are touted as one of the main causes of hormonal adult acne in women. Therefore, if you are suffering from conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, etc., we recommend that you discuss dairy consumption with your doctor.
Advice:opt forButtermilkand toned milk, both are recommended period foods.
6. Avoid: Fried foods
It goes without saying that most fried foods like French fries, French fries, crackers, etc. contain trans fat or hydrogenated vegetable oil. All of this can increase estrogen levels and make mood swings worse. Also, fried foods also worsen acne problem and skin inflammation in women, so it is better to avoid them.
Advice:Do you want to know what to eat during menstruation? Choose baked snacks, crunchy vegetables like carrot or cucumber sticks.
7. Avoid: Refined Grains
Just as processed foods lose much of their nutritional value, so do refined grains. In the process of refining the grains, they lose many of their nutrients and vitamins, causing them to interfere with blood sugar levels and increase cravings. Bread, pizza, cereals and tortillas should be avoided as they cause bloating and constipation.
Advice:Instead, choose whole grains that have a low GI index and will not only keep your digestive system going, but also keep those hunger pangs at bay. The GI, or glycemic index, is a rating given to all carbohydrate-containing foods, based on how quickly a particular food can affect your blood sugar levels when eaten on its own. Homemade chapatis and brown rice are some of the best foods to eat during your period to prevent cramps.
8. Avoid: Foods high in salt
Canned soups, bacon, and French fries are foods to avoid during menstruation as they are high in salt. EITHERhormonesresponsible for menstruation already causes water retention and a diet high in salt will cause a feeling of gas and bloating. If you're someone who feels particularly sluggish, lazy and generally uncomfortable during your period, then you really should take a good look at how much salt you're consuming.
Advice:Instead, opt for plain yoghurt with chawal, or mix it into a salad. Be mindful of what you're eating and eat in moderation, especially when you're on your period.
food to eat
If you have severe cramps, it's best to eat foods rich in iron, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber. These foods help relieve cramps, reduce fatigue, and make you feel stronger.
1. Coma: Chocolate
Raise your hand if you thought twice when you saw this. Doesn't that make the struggle of getting your periods worth it? You can eat (dark) chocolate without feeling guilty!Chocolate negroit's great because it contains lower sugar levels and is also rich in magnesium, a mineral that regulates your serotonin levels and prevents you from terrorizing your family and friends with your mood swings.
2. Eat: Bananas
If you're looking for a healthy pick-me-up, you might want to stop as soon as you see bananas on your kitchen table, as they contain high levels of potassium and vitamins B6. They're great if you just need a little push to get out of bed and start your day. These components benefit your mental health and regulate bowel movements and decrease the amount of water you retain, making you feel less bloated.take a bananaand start chewing. If you don't mind the taste, mix it up as part of a smoothie.
3. Eat: Salmon
If you're someone who's used to the feeling of little knives piercing your stomach, effectively summed up in the word "cramps," try eating a salmon bagel for breakfast to ease those monthly aches and pains. Salmon contains large amounts ofOmega-3 fatty acids, a substance that helps relax the body's muscles, is practically a gift for reducing cramps. If you're a vegetarian or just don't like fish, other foods that contain a large amount of omega 3s are flaxseeds and soybeans.
4. Eat: yogurt
We know we said dairy-free, but this is the only exception, so why not celebrate with a parfait? Yogurt is rich in calcium, so it can help solve the problem of calcium levels when you have your period. It was said thatmaintain a good calcium balanceIt can significantly reduce PMS symptoms such as bloating and moodiness. If you follow the dairy rule, a good alternative to yogurt is almonds or lentils.
5. Eat: Whole Grains
Whole grains are a safety net to make sure you don't fall into the dark hole of binge eating. If you're guilty of gorging yourself on large amounts of food during your period, any form of whole grains makes a great snack: they keep you satiated and satisfied for a long time, making it less likely that you'll find yourself three-quarters of the way through a bucket of chocolate ice cream at 2 am. They also contain vitamins B and E, which fight the fatigue and depression you often experience with your period. Grab a bowl of oatmeal or some pasta if you're looking for long-term sustenance.
6. Eat: watermelon
As soon as you're tempted to combine brownies, sundaes, and anything else remotely sweet you can find in the fridge into one huge mountain of sugar, stop and grab some watermelon instead. We understand that this seems like an almost impossible task, but start by trying.WatermelonIt is full of nutrients and vitamins that help reduce feelings of tiredness and weakness and also help reduce stomach bloating.
7. Eat: kale
Your body's iron levels drop when you're menstruating, so you'll crave iron-rich foods. Instead of ordering burgers and fries and calling them "comfort food," opt for leafy greens like kale, spinach, Swiss chard, and more to add iron to your body.
8. Eat: Oranges
Did you know that maintaining optimal levels of calcium in the body can reduce the feeling of anxiety and depression that is common during menstruation? Calcium combined withvitamin DIt can prevent PMS symptoms and relieve cramps and pain. Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes contain calcium and vitamins.
Remedies for menstrual cramps
While some foods can ease period pain and others can cause discomfort, you should also try other things that will make those few days of the month more bearable.
I do exercise:
Light cardio, walking and yoga can alleviate cramps and pain, according to some researchers. Be careful and don't put too much pressure on your body.
ii) Hot compresses:
One of the most popularmedicine for crampsHot compresses relieve muscle cramps and common pain during menstruation.
iii) Over-the-counter medications:
Over-the-counter medications can help relieve pain and make your period smoother. However, we recommend that you do not ignore severe menstrual pain and consult a specialist if necessary.
When to see a doctor
If despite following all these things you do not notice an improvement in menstruation or cramps, it is better that you consult a doctor. If you have irregular periods, spotting or bleeding between periods, heavy bleeding, or pain that doesn't go away without taking some pain relievers, you should see a doctor right away, as this could be indicative of other underlying issues.
Frequently asked questions about what to eat and avoid during menstruation
1) Can I drink milk during menstruation?
A.Milk is a healthy drink that helps maintain a balanced diet. However, eating too much cheese and dairy can also cause bloating, gas, and diarrhea. To be safe, it's best to avoid milk for a few days.
2) Are there foods that make menstruation heavier?
A.Yes, certain foods can hinder menstrual flow, such as coffee, dairy, and beets.
3) Is it safe to eat eggs during menstruation?
A.The eggs are loaded withessential nutrients and vitaminssuch as vitamin D, B6 and E, all proven to reduce PMS symptoms. It can also help regulate fluctuating hormones.
4) Can I eat raw fruit during menstruation?
A.Yes, raw fruits and vegetables are easily absorbed by the body and can therefore be consumed.