What To Eat During Your Period & Some We Should Avoid
Many women suffer from uncomfortable symptoms during our menstruation cycle. The good news is that there are several foods we can eat to lessen or eliminate those annoying and painful effects.
With the good comes the bad; some foods can make PMS and menstrual symptoms worse! Symptoms include:
- Abdominal Cramps
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Bloating
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Mood Swings
Let’s talk about what we should eat!
Foods To Eat During Your Period
Fruit
Water-rich fruits like watermelon are excellent for keeping hydrated during your period. Sweet fruit can also curb those sugar cravings, keeping us away from refined sugar.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like kale and spinach are loaded with iron and magnesium. It’s pretty standard for women to experience a drop in their iron levels during their period, especially if the flow is heavy. A decrease in iron can lead to body pain, dizziness, and fatigue.
Fish
Fish is naturally rich in protein, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. We already know why iron is beneficial, so let’s touch on the Omega-3s. A study showed that women who took omega-3 supplements had decreased menstrual pain.
Another study shows that Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce feelings of depression, making it an excellent choice for women who have mood swings during their period.
Dark Chocolate
It seems there IS a reason so many women crave chocolatey snacks throughout their menstrual cycle. Dark chocolate provides a delicious dose of magnesium and iron. A study shows that magnesium can reduce the severity of PMS symptoms.
A 100-gram dark chocolate bar contains over half of the RDI for iron and magnesium.
Ginger
Eat Asian-inspired dishes that include ginger, snack on crystallized ginger, or enjoy a cup of ginger tea to help soothe achy muscles due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger is well-known for providing nausea relief.
Don’t forget to stay hydrated!
While water isn’t a food, it is essential to stay hydrated during our period. It can reduce our chances of becoming dehydrated, suffering from headaches, and typical PMS and menstruation symptoms. Drinking enough water will stop our bodies from retaining water and bloating.
Foods To Avoid
Don’t blame the messenger. There are some foods women should avoid during their period.
- Salt
- Refined Sugars
- Coffee
- Alcohol
- Red Meat
- Intolerable Foods
If you’re unsure if foods are triggering symptoms or are simply difficult for you to tolerate, it’s a good idea to keep a food journal. A food journal might seem like a hassle. Still, jotting down the different foods you eat consistently on a daily basis will help identify trigger foods. It can also identify foods that seem beneficial for you and your period.
Our period is enough to handle on its own. Having tasty treats to help relieve some of the pressure seems like a solution with a bonus. If you struggle with severe menstruation symptoms on a regular basis, please reach out to a doctor to see if there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.