During menstruation, your body has a hard time. Pain and cramps, mood swings and poor health can unsettle you. Fortunately, symptoms can be alleviated with proper nutrition.
During menstruation, changes occur in a woman’s body that are not visible from the outside. These changes occur inside the uterus. During menstruation, the uterus rejects the unfertilized egg and endometrium, for this it contracts. Due to muscle contractions, a woman experiences pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen.
In addition, due to bloody discharge, there may be weakness and dizziness, nausea, and tenderness of the mammary glands. Appetite increases, cravings for sweets more often. The condition of the skin worsens, inflammation, acne, and swelling appear. Fluctuating hormones cause sudden mood swings, daytime sleepiness, and difficulty falling asleep at night due to cramps. Irritability and depression appear.
Proper nutrition helps reduce pain and makes you feel better. With the help of a special diet, you can help your body survive menstruation easier and quickly return to an active life.
Healthy foods during menstruation
Since during this period many people experience weakness and malaise, and their appetite also increases, you should not adhere to strict diets. Meals should be fractional, it is better to eat little and often, and include healthy snacks. The body needs to receive enough beneficial microelements and vitamins to cope with cramps. It is better to choose food rich in nutrients, giving preference to complex carbohydrates, fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as herbal teas.
Fresh fruit
Since during menstrual periods you want to eat more sweets and crave carbohydrates, fruits will help cope with this desire. They contain natural sugars – fructose, which is better absorbed by the body and ensures a more uniform flow of glucose into the blood.
In addition to sugar, watermelon and melon contain a lot of water, they will help restore water balance. Bananas improve digestion and relieve pain due to their vitamin B6 content, and they also improve your mood. Apples are rich in iron and magnesium, but they should be consumed with caution, as they can cause bloating and flatulence if overeaten.
Products with iron
During menstruation, the body loses a lot of blood, and with it iron. It is necessary for the blood to be enriched with oxygen. Its deficiency increases the headaches, drowsiness and mood swings that many women experience.
Fast-absorbing iron is found in meats, including chicken, turkey and beef. Greens contain a lot of iron, which is absorbed due to the vitamin C content. It is especially abundant in spinach, sorrel, kale and nettle. Tofu contains high amounts of protein, iron, as well as calcium and magnesium.
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Products with vitamin C
Consuming thousands of mg of this vitamin per day helps reduce pain during menstruation, and it is also effective in treating endometriosis. It helps the body better absorb iron and also has a restorative effect. During menstruation, the body may be weakened and more susceptible to viruses and colds, so include foods with ascorbic acid in the menu.
These include oranges and tangerines, tomatoes, currants, cranberries, rose hips, sweet peppers, broccoli and strawberry. Citrus juice will also help cope with nausea and support your energy level.
Omega-3 products
With regular consumption of foods containing omega-3 acids, women experience menstruation more easily and suffer less pain. Our body cannot produce this substance on its own. At the same time, omega-3 is important for the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system, brain and nervous system.
It helps reduce pain and cramps, as it regulates the amount of prostaglandins, which cause the muscles of the uterus to contract. Normalizes hormonal levels and helps smooth out mood swings. Makes it easier to fall asleep, making your mood more calm. Omega-3 is needed for the absorption of magnesium and iron, which are necessary for the female body during menstruation.
Include fatty fish in your menu, such as wild salmon, scallops or mackerel. Add avocado, seaweed, walnuts and flaxseed oil.
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Zinc products
This trace element is important for normalizing the menstrual cycle. It is useful for dysmenorrhea and PCOS. Reduces the level of prostaglandins, thereby reducing pain during menstruation. Useful in the treatment and prevention of endometriosis. Normalizes the amount of testosterone, which is important for preventing acne. Lowers cortisol levels and helps reduce stress and anxiety. Essential for healthy skin, normal hair growth and strong nails.
Zinc is found in beef, legumes, shellfish, shrimp, crab, and pumpkin seeds. Present in almonds, unsalted pistachios, walnuts. Found in cheese, eggs, whole grain bread, dark chocolate.
Products with vitamin D
In addition to being essential for calcium absorption and strong bones, it is also beneficial for the hormonal system. It belongs to the steroid hormones and affects the health of the thyroid gland and nervous system, regulates the production of sex hormones. With its deficiency, the functioning of the ovaries is disrupted, menstrual pain increases, mood deteriorates and the risk of developing polycystic ovary syndrome increases, and there may also be disruptions of the menstrual cycle or scanty discharge.
It is found in fatty fish, including tuna and wild salmon , sardines. It is also found in egg yolks, dairy products, wild mushrooms and oysters. Among plant foods, it can be found in avocado, spinach and parsley. Present in almond, rice and coconut milk.
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Products with magnesium
It is responsible for regulating the hormonal system and removes excess estrogen from the body. This is an important property because excess estrogen can lead to very heavy periods, as well as the appearance of cysts or fibroids. It also normalizes the functioning of the nervous system, helps cope with stress and anxiety, lowers cortisol levels, improves sleep and relieves spasms. With magnesium deficiency, menstrual pain increases and cravings for sweet foods increase.
Contained in avocado, zucchini, lettuce, asparagus, pumpkin seeds. Present in legumes, such as peas, chickpeas, lentils, beans. Found in dark chocolate, cocoa, and fatty fish, including salmon, as well as eggs.
Complex carbohydrates
At the beginning of menstruation, the body loses a lot of energy due to increased metabolism, which increases the feeling of hunger. To curb your appetite, you should give preference to slow carbohydrates. They provide long-lasting satiety and help maintain an even energy level. Add sugar-free porridge, whole grain pasta, grain bread, legumes, carrots, green vegetables to your menu.
Leafy vegetables and herbs
They help reduce pain and cramping at the beginning of the cycle. Due to their high fiber content, they cleanse the gastrointestinal tract of toxins and help regulate the digestive system. When the gastrointestinal tract malfunctions, the production of estrogen, which is produced in the intestines, is disrupted, and it is produced unevenly, either increasing or decreasing. This leads to spasms. To normalize its production, add spinach, sorrel, fresh parsley, broccoli to the menu.
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Dairy products
During menstruation, many beneficial substances are washed away, including calcium. This affects frequent mood swings, low energy levels and irritability, and causes painful cramps. To replenish calcium reserves, eat cottage cheese and unsalted cheeses. Kefir will help regulate the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. You can drink milk if you are not intolerant and it does not cause flatulence.
Herbal tea
Herbal teas contain beneficial substances that help relieve symptoms during menstruation. Chamomile tea has a calming effect, reduces stress and anxiety levels, which increase due to changes in hormones. Chamomile also has an anti-inflammatory effect and eliminates pain.
Ginger tea has an analgesic effect and relieves inflammation, relieves pain in the lower back and stomach. It helps normalize hormone levels and relieve symptoms. It is also effective against nausea. Ginger tea should be drunk in moderation, as if you consume more than 4 grams of ginger per day, it can have the opposite effect and lead to heartburn and abdominal pain.
Pure water
During menstruation, fluid retention and swelling occur, and to get rid of it, you need to drink more regular water. This will help restore water-salt balance, remove excess salt and toxins from the body, improve digestion and help with flatulence and bloating. Choose water without gas and without any additives.
What foods should be limited
It is enough to eat a healthy diet and limit the consumption of unhealthy foods to relieve symptoms. Avoiding coffee will help reduce breast tenderness and premenstrual syndrome, as well as reduce anxiety.
Before your period begins, your body weight may increase slightly as the body accumulates fluid and becomes swollen. To get rid of edema, you should eat less salty foods and fast food.
Since there may be bloating and flatulence at the beginning of your period, you should not eat foods that can increase gas formation. These include cauliflower, asparagus, and white cabbage. Their ability to cause flatulence decreases with heat treatment.
It is not recommended to eat large amounts of processed foods, including white bread, as simple carbohydrates lead to a sharp jump in glucose levels, and you will quickly become hungry again. Baking can also cause bloating.
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You should not overuse foods high in omega-6, as it leads to increased pain during menstruation. It is found in sunflower and corn oil. Replace with olive or flaxseed.
It is better to exclude carbonated drinks. They contain excess amounts of sugar, which can cause mood swings and fatigue. Gases in the drink can lead to increased gas formation in the abdomen, and this will increase pain.
Alcohol is also not recommended to drink during menstruation. It can retain fluid in the body and cause swelling. In addition, it dilates blood vessels and increases bleeding.
Menu for 5 days
Below is a diet that will help relieve symptoms during menstruation.
Day 1
Breakfast: two omelette eggs with fresh parsley
Snack: half a grapefruit and herbal tea
Lunch: baked salmon with broccoli
< p>Afternoon snack:a handful of walnuts and green tea with honey
Dinner:stewed turkey and vegetable ratatouille
Day 2
Breakfast:cottage cheese with fresh berries
Snack: a glass of kefir and a portion of muesli
Lunch: sorrel and nettle soup, fresh salad vegetables
Afternoon snack: whole grain toast with avocado
Dinner: beef stew with roasted vegetables
Day 3
Breakfast: zucchini pancakes with sour cream, freshly squeezed orange juice
Snack:fruit salad with sugar-free yogurt dressing, herbal tea
Lunch: turkey stew with buckwheat
Afternoon snack: whole grain toast bread with cottage cheese and herbs
Dinner:baked salmon with a side dish of vegetables
Day 4
Breakfast: two boiled eggs, an orange and green tea
Snack: cottage cheese casserole and a handful of fresh berries
Lunch: soup from spinach and vegetables, toast with cheese
Afternoon snack: a handful of almonds and fresh fruit
Dinner: steamed turkey with side dish of beans
Day 5
Breakfast: millet porridge with butter, herbal tea
Snack: carrot and apple salad dressed with sour cream
Lunch: whole grain pasta with wild mushrooms and cheese
Afternoon snack: fruit salad dressed with Greek yogurt
Dinner: seafood paella, chamomile tea