Foods To Avoid During Your Periods

Did you know certain foods could be to blame for your worse-than-usual symptoms? Avoiding salty food could help cut bloating, while skipping the after-work drinks may help you sleep better and leave you less stressed. Steer clear of refined foods and sugar to reduce the chances of mood swings and fatigue. Your diet could be your friend or foe when you’re on your period, so start making those wise choices!

The monthly period can be a trying time for many women, bringing along pain, cramps, bloating, and mood swings. An estimated 85 percent of all menstruating women say they experience one or more premenstrual symptoms. If those 3 to 4 days are replete with aches and pains, exhaustion, and a generally low mood, it’s time you watch what you’re eating. Certain foods can actually heighten your anxiety or worsen your cramps. Zero in on these problem foods and you may experience a less difficult period the next time around!

Why Diet Matters

Diet, alongside sleep and exercise, can play a key role in your menstrual cycle and help with symptoms if you do things right. On the one hand, that means eating foods that are rich in iron like dark leafy greens; in vitamin B like eggs, whole grains, poultry, almonds; and in vitamin C like citrus fruit, red peppers, strawberries to ease symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. And on the other, it means avoiding certain foods that could set off cramps or worsen bloating, mood swings, and irritability.

Foods To Avoid During Your Periods

1. Refined Foods

To help prevent or alleviate symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), have complex carbs through fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Unfortunately, refined foods are often made from simple carbohydrates that your body burns through quickly, leaving you feeling hungry and tired after the initial “rush” of energy wears off. Many processed and refined foods also contain hidden sugars that compound your problem of fatigue or mood swings. Plus, there’s added salt, chemicals, and artificial flavoring to enhance the look and taste of the food. Which is why you should steer clear of foods like these:

• White bread
• Pasta
• Packaged foods like potato chips, nachos, pretzels, or other snacks
• Instant rice
• Low fiber cereal
• Commercially manufactured/mass produced cookies, pastries, and cakes

Buy whole grain and minimally processed foods. Try and eat organic when you can.

2. Fatty And Fried Foods

Your period pain and symptoms may be linked to acute inflammation in the body, which can be measured by checking levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in your liver. As one study found, middle-aged women who had higher CRP levels also had a 26 to 41 percent higher risk of PMS symptoms like abdominal cramps, back pain, breast pain, bloating, cravings, and weight gain. And while this study was limited to a certain age group and further research on a wider demographic is needed, inflammation otherwise too can have adverse implications for your health.

Consuming too much fatty foods, especially saturated fats and trans fats, can cause inflammation in the body. Steer clear of the following during your period – however tempted you are!

• Deep fried food like onions rings, french fries, and doughnuts
• Commercially baked goods
• Fast food
• Fatty red meat
• Cheese and fatty dairy products
• Any foods that contain hydrogenated vegetable oil or hard margarine

Use healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil for cooking and opt for lower fat or skimmed versions of dairy products.

3. Salty Foods

If water retention and bloating are problems you face every month, staying off salty foods could help. Too much of salt in your body can throw off the fluid balance, leading to swelling, higher blood pressure, and that dreaded bloat. This means avoiding:

• Salty snacks and packaged snacks like salted nuts
• Pickles and pickle relish
• Readymade sauces like soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and even condiments like mayonnaise
• Smoked/canned/cured meats
• Cheeses
• Canned foods (including canned vegetables and soups)

Settle only for healthy fresh foods instead. Use a twist of lime or gentle spices, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil dressings or sauces to amp up the flavor.

4. Sugary Foods

Mood swings and even anxiety are common PMS symptoms. Giving in to cravings for sweet, sugary foods can make you feel more anxious and stressed. Also, while sugary foods can give you a quick rush of energy, once your body burns through it, your blood sugar levels plummet. This leaves you feeling even worse than before. Besides affecting your mood, it can also increase water retention. Here’s what you should avoid:

• Candy
• Sugary sodas and drinks
• Sweets
• Cakes
• Cookies
• Any foods that contain refined sugar

Instead of refined sugar, use honey as a sweetener or eat fresh fruit to satisfy the sugar cravings

...[ Continue to next page ]