Foods To Avoid During Your Periods

5. Alcohol

Alcohol may seem to take the edge off period pain and anxiety, but you’ll eventually end up feeling worse. It could cause your menstrual cramps to last longer, a condition known as dysmenorrhea. Alcohol may even deprive you of a good night’s rest by disrupting sleep in the second half of the night, as one study found. For a few days, staying off the tipple and having fresh homemade vegetable or fruit juices is a smarter choice.

6. Fatty Red Meat

Fatty red meat is high in saturated fat which can cause inflammation in the body. It also contains arachidonic acids. These fats are linked to the production of prostaglandins, which raise inflammation in the body and cause cramping and pain. Switch to inflammation-fighting, omega-3-rich fatty fish like salmon or tuna and feel better.

7. Caffeine: Mixed Reviews

The jury is out when it comes to caffeine, so it may be best to listen to your body and decide what’s best for you. On the one hand, a cup of coffee or tea may get you get through the exhaustion and lethargy of a long day during your period. Unfortunately, on the other, caffeine can also elevate tension and anxiety and cause mood swings by raising levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It can also interfere with sleep. Here are foods that contain caffeine you should go easy on:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Caffeinated drinks/energy drinks/sodas
• Chocolate
• Candy that contains caffeine like coffee-flavored sweets

The best way to deal with caffeine is probably to just limit your intake and have it only during the first half of the day. Avoid chugging down too much within a few hours of bedtime.