Why Eat Fruit During Your Period
For many of us, it is easy to fall into the trap of eating carb-rich comfort food during our period. While indulging in our cravings like pizza, pie, and mac-n-cheese might seem like a good idea at the time, it can often have negative consequences. For instance, some experience bloating, diarrhea, constipation, lethargy and cramping on an average day but during our period these discomforts can intensify.
But the fact of the matter is, that sometimes we need to feel our best even when our hormones are raging because as powerful individuals we have important things to do. For most of us, life doesnt stop just because were bleeding.
Thats why its important to fuel your body with healthy foods during your period and fruit is one of the best options. Now, were not saying that you should only eat fruits on your period. Of course not. Thats ridiculous. What we are trying to say is that if you need to feel like your most optimal self, you should reach for light healthy foods that will give you the nutrition you need to think clear thoughts and feel good physically.
In this post, we are sharing the 5 best fruits to eat during your period + a delicious smoothie recipe that serves as a healthy breakfast or snack to keep you on the right track.
Eating During Your Period
Water intake could decrease the duration of menstrual bleeding, the amount of pain relievers consumed, and the severity of pelvic pain among the young women suffering from primary dysmenorrhea ,” said Huntriss. However, drinking alcohol can dehydrate you, as it increases urine output, and could worsen symptoms, such as low mood, headaches and bloating, according to Huntriss.
Including sources of omega-3 fats in your diet, such as oily fish, may also help relieve period pain, according to one small study. Zinc, which is found in meat, shellfish, dairy and bread, may also reduce pain.
People “who lose a lot of blood during their monthly period are at higher risk of iron deficiency anaemia,” says the NHS website. Women aged 19 to 50 need more iron from their diet than any other gender or age group: 14.8mg per day, on average. However, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey found over a quarter of these women had iron intakes below the lower reference nutrient intake , or the minimum requirement. It also found over half of girls aged 11 to 18 had iron intakes below the LRNI. Iron deficiency anaemia and low iron stores were evident in nine percent of the girls and five percent of the women.
Foods To Eat During Periods
Lets be honest- even without symptoms, periods arent easy on anyone. Sudden cravings are also often accompanied by an increase in hunger, and that should not be ignored. However, eating right can not only help you satiate your hunger and curb cravings but can also make you feel much better! Below is a list of foods to eat during your period.
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Why Am I Craving Chocolate
Eating chocolate releases endorphins and serotonin, which regulate your mood and balance neuromediators, encouraging relaxation. After getting used to this positive reaction to chocolate, your body starts to crave it. It intensifies during your period because of hormonal shifts and the loss of blood and nutrients.
Consider swapping that chocolate bar with a serving of sliced fruit. If that doesnt seem realistic, then opt for dark chocolate with less sugar when you really want to indulge.
Which Foods To Eat And Avoid During Your Period
Its hard to predict exactly how youll feel during your period. While some people barely have any symptoms, others struggle to get out of bed thanks to cramping, headaches, pain, and nausea. Today, Flo reveals the top foods to eat during your period to alleviate swelling, bloating, mood swings, and much more.
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Protein For Period Cravings
Protein has the benefit of keeping your blood sugar stable, which can help ward off those period cravings and keep your energy up.
Grass-fed meats, pasture-raised eggs and chicken, organ meats, bone broth, wild fish, sprouted nuts and seeds and beans are food sources of protein.
| Chicken | |
| Lentils | 18g / 1/2 cup |
One trick I love is to have a chocolate protein powder smoothie blended with spinach, fresh flax seeds and raw pumpkin seeds. The chocolate is satisfying and the protein keeps me fueled! Here is the protein powder I use.
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I Cant Tell If I Have Cramps Or Need To Poop Is That Normal
Totally normal. Remember, uterine and bowel contractions are caused by prostaglandins, making it hard to tell the difference between the two.
Plus, cramps are often accompanied by a feeling of pressure in the pelvis, low back, and even the butt.
Pelvic muscles and how things are situated inside make some people more likely to push a tampon out during a bowel movement. Straining to pass a hard bowel movement can also dislodge your tampon.
Poop happens. You cant change your anatomy.
However, the following options might help:
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Tip : Consider Doing Some Very Light Exercise For Lower Back Pain
This is especially useful if you experience lower back pain during your period. Look into relaxing yoga poses to relieve menstrual cramps and relax the body.
Any type of exercise, no matter if its restorative yoga or cardio, will help you produce endorphins and help you feel better. The key is to listen to your body and decide what type of exercise will benefit you most.
Keep in mind that there is no golden rule to follow that will make all period symptoms disappear. And should you end up eating a pack of chocolate chip cookies instead of apples and almonds, thats okay! The important thing is to focus on you and your needs, and if a chocolate chip cookie is what you need, then eat it.
Remember, this is about supporting your body. It will not make your periods completely painless but it will reduce some of the pains and discomfort. Love your body and your body will love you back!
Also, spice up your meals with turmeric, cardamom, cilantro, cumin, or ginger for anti-inflammatory benefits.
Healthy Diets And Your Menstrual Cycle
Your menstrual period comes to visit about once a month. Its not the most enjoyable of physiological functions, but its necessary for normal reproductive health. You might find that your cravings for certain foods increase for a few days before your period begins. The most common culprits are sweets and salty foods. The problem is that indulging too heavily might increase your caloric intake and the excess sodium can make fluid retentiona common symptom of premenstrual syndrome worse.
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Tracy Lockwood Beckerman Rd
It’s better to plan ahead than have these cravings sneak up on you when you are not prepared
So what’s the best way to satisfy these cravings? Beckerman says preparation is key. “That way, you are ready to feed your body with wholesome nutrients coming from antioxidant rich dark chocolate, seasonal fruit, or homemade muffins. It’s better to plan ahead than have these cravings sneak up on you when you are not prepared.”
Consuming A Healthy Diet And Avoiding Certain Food Items Go A Long Way In Managing Cramps And Other Symptoms During Your Period
Periods arent easy. They can cause pain and severe discomfort in many women. Which is why it is important to eat healthily when menstruating. Agrees Dr Rohini Patil, nutritionist and founder of Nutracy Lifestyle, who says, menstruation doesnt hurt itself, but the cramps or other symptoms may be uncomfortable. During this time, girls should take extra care of their diet and sanitation.
This is primarily because an improper diet can result in pain, headache, nausea, diarrhea among many other symptoms. Ahead, the nutritionist has shared a few food items women should eat and also steer away from during period. Take a look and say hello to healthy periods!
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The Best Foods To Eat When Youre On Your Period
Youre a grown-ass woman whos been getting her period for a long-ass time. And yet Every month youre thrown off guard with cramps, bloating, fatigue, cravings and a generally sour mood . Next month, reach for one of these nine foods, which have been proven to ease some of the not-so-pleasant side effects of being a lady.
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Foods That Help With Cramps
Do you experience intense period cramping? Cramps are not only painful but also usually associated with fatigue and interfere with your ability to move around and go through your daily routines. If regular medication isnt enough to help ease your symptoms, you may want to try modifying your diet. What foods might help to ease period cramps and which are best to avoid during your period? Flo compiled a list of foods to eat and foods to avoid if you are experiencing severe cramping.
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Ramp Up Your Vitamin D Intake
As Im sure you will now be aware, there are a number of vitamins and minerals that can help with period symptoms and vitamin D is just another of these. Research has shown that vitamin D may reduce the severity of period pain and so again you may find it beneficial to increase your intake. Some foods with vitamin D include the following:
- Vegan options tofu
- Other yogurts
Luteal Phase Aka No Thanks
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So things are going great when before you know it you are in the luteal phase. This phase happens when the mature egg that was released during the ovulation phase does not get fertilized. As a result, hormone levels decline and we have to experience the very pleasant and oh so lovely premenstrual symptoms, which include but are not limited to cramps, headaches, bloating, aches and pains, mood swings and fatigue. So what can you do nutritionally to deal with the discomforts of the luteal phase?
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Final Thoughts Regarding The Foods To Eat During The Period Days
Women are the bringers of new life into the world, and the menstrual period are a part of that process. If you have a daughter, whos of an age where shes menstruating or about to start and struggling for Dysmenorrhea, share this information with her or with your niece and girlfriends.
P.S. Like and share this post with your peers to spread the love.
Bonus: Foods To Avoid
Now when thinking about foods to avoid during your period or not good foods to eat on your period there are quite a few. A couple at the top of the list are foods that are heavy in salt, high in sugar, and spicy foods. Its also good to avoid caffeine and alcohol during your cycle. Lastly, red meat and dairy products can also hinder and cause your pms symptoms to become aggravated. A good number of the foods listed above can cause water retention and bloat. As well, as they will provide you with spikes and crashes in your energy levels. These are things we likely already experience with our periods and dont need more of this! So, try to avoid these foods when possible when on your cycle.
I hope this post has been helpful for you and that youll add a couple of these to your next grocery shop to try during your next cycle. Are there any foods I havent listed here that you find helpful during your menstrual cycle? Let me know in the comments below.
Talk Soon!
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What To Eat For Your Cycle
The first five days or so of our menstrual cycle marks the time where blood loss occurs, therefore putting us more at risk for lower iron levels, says Kristen. It is crucial for young girls in particular, even more so if you are vegetarian or vegan, to get enough iron rich foods into your diet or supplement if needs be. It is important to ensure your intake of Vitamin C is sufficient too as this enables iron to be absorbed into the body more easily.
Listen to your body and do gentle exercise such as walking and yoga, rather than pushing yourself too hard, especially if youre suffering from cramps. However, if your symptoms are minimal, your hormones right now could actually mean you boss it in the gym. Oestrogen promotes endurance performance, therefore your body will be performing at its peak, and you might find you are more tolerant to pain so those HIIT classes or bootcamp could feel that bit easier, says PureGym fitness coach, Monika Chmielewska.
Iron rich foods: red meat, spinach, dark leafy greens, legumes and fortified milksVitamin C: oranges, red and green peppers, pineapple, strawberries, chilli peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, mango
Monica suggests taking advantage of this energy boost by focusing on total-body strength training and says nows also a great time to attempt a PB.
Good carbs: Oats, brown rice, fruits, fibrous veggies, lentils and strawberriesProtein rich: Eggs, yoghurt, fish and seafood, soya, pistachio nuts, chicken and turkey
What To Eat During Your Period And What Foods To Avoid
Our experts share what to eat during your period to help combat pain, cramps, and bloating.
Do you find yourself feeling run down, tired and experience period cramps during your menstrual cycle? Well youre not alone with Womens Health Concern reporting 80% of women will suffer with their periods at one point during their lifetime. Whilst painkillers usually help, theres actually more natural steps you can take to help aid your body through the process, with your diet an important factor to consider.
As Mina Khan, nutritionist and founder of Formulate Health explains: Its really important to make good nutritional choices during your period. The body is already going through a lot and losing vital nutrients such as iron, so during this time its crucial that you keep an eye on your intake of a variety of key vitamins and minerals.
Weve done the research and compiled a list of the period-friendly foods you need to know about
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How Does Eating Citrus Affect Your Period
As mentioned, water with a twist of lemon increases your vitamin C intake and helps you stay hydrated. Fresh-squeezed juices and blended smoothies are awesome foods to eat on your period as long as you minimize the sugar content. Fruit contains plenty of natural sugars, so theres no need to add more.
Colorful Fruits And Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can support hormonal health. They are also a good source of fiber, which plays an important role in digestive health and the gut microbiome is closely linked to estrogen levels in women. The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in hormone balance including removing excess hormones from the body, regulating estrogen levels and more, says Greaves. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts may be particularly beneficial.
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Avoid: Foods Produced With Pesticides
SDI Productions/Getty Images
Buying organic foods as often as possible is ideal for both environmental and health reasons, not the least of which is that pesticides are proven hormone disruptors. This study explains that estrogenic pesticides found in common produce can increase estrogen in the bodyâwhich in turn is linked to heavier blood flow and debilitating cramps.
Tip : Track Your Menstrual Cycle
Tracking your menstrual cycle will help you plan out your month so you know when and how to support your mind and body. For instance, make room for some quiet me-time and days to slow down before the first day of your period.
And make sure you have the grocery shopping for healthy, healing foods done before the period cramps, moodiness or cravings hit you.
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What Are Good Foods To Eat While On Your Period
According to sciencealert.com, many women often crave and reach for sweets, carbs and fats while menstruating this means that they usually consume things like candy, chocolate, pizza, deep fried foods, etc. during this time. While many may think that this is the best comfort food during period, it is actually not.
While they may taste good at the moment, they are quite unhealthy, may increase cramps, and more often than not the person consuming them often feels guilty for eating them. Here are some healthier food alternatives that you should consider adding to your diet the next time you are wondering as to what to eat on your period
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What To Eat On Your Period For Energy
Eat ENOUGH food!
This one is simple. You need to be eating enough food. Our hormones change throughout our period. Estrogen is at its lowest, which is an appetite suppressant. So, if that is low, our appetite is likely to be higher. Make sense? Plus, your body is building a home for a potential child and then healing it.- that takes energy, it doesnt just happen from thin air.
The metabolic rate . This is due to multiple reasons, but one is that estrogen is rising. You might notice that after your period you might not have that same ravenous appetite.
My point here is: eat. And eat enough. If we dont were likely to swing from one end of the hunger scale to the other end of the hunger scale and back and forth and back and forth. And, well, that doesnt feel super great does it? And you body cant function optimally there, either.
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