Hey, gals!
That unbearable pain month after month can be too much to bear. Luckily, there’s something
we can do about it. In today's video, we'll be sharing a few tweaks in your diet that
can save you all the cramping and pain. Should you eat meat? What about sweet treats? We’re
talking all that AND more...
What should you eat?
1. Fruits
Apart from being delicious, fruits are packed with all the essential nutrients. Try having
at least 2 servings of fruit a day. A few fruits have an edge over the others, and should
be eaten if you typically suffer from period pain.
Bananas are available globally, and are a whole snack in themselves. They’re a great
source of vitamin B6 and potassium, which can reduce bloating and muscle cramps. You
can put bananas in your smoothies or place them in your cereal.
Pineapples are also loved by so many. This tropical fruit has high amounts of bromelain,
a chemical with anti-inflammatory effects. This will help you to get through all the
soreness, and relax your cramping muscles. Your iron levels can go down quickly if you
lose blood continuously. Vitamin C from pineapples helps to absorb more iron into your body.
Kiwis are helpful for those ladies who face symptoms like constipation or diarrhea or
painful cramps. An enzyme called actinidin is easy to digest and cools down your stomach.
Kiwi also helps to get rid of the bloating and extra water retention that makes you feel
all puffy.
The fluid loss during periods can be topped up by consuming lots of watery fruits. Watermelons,
cucumbers, and a few berries can alleviate the pain. Don't forget to put oranges, lemons,
mangoes, and apples on your shopping list next month. These fruits will also relieve
bloating and pain.
How do you eat your favorite fruit? Do you put it in your smoothies, or chop it up and
add it to your cereal? Sound off in the comment section, and start a conversation with our
ever-growing bestie community.
2. Leafy Greens
Green leafy veggies will help you navigate through your periods. They may not be your
favorite food, but start including some cooked greens in your diet. Leafy greens can bring
color and freshness to your food.
They’re rich in iron and can make up for iron loss during menstruation. A lack of iron
can make you feel tired, fatigued, and brain fogged.
Lettuce and celery have high water content. They can reduce bloating, and are great for
painful cramps. The fiber will help you to get through constipation.
If your pants start feeling tight around your waistline during your periods, you need to
up your fiber intake. But just increasing fiber will make you constipated. You’ll
also need to drink water. Lettuce and celery are the perfect foods, since they have a great
balance of fiber and high water content.
Spinach is high in magnesium. This mineral is known to relieve muscular cramps and spasms.
It will also increase your energy level through those weary days. Now doesn't a bowl of warm
spinach soup sound good?
The other must-have greens are kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, beet greens,
rhubarb, etc. They’re filled with colored compounds like carotenoids, flavonoids, and
chlorophyll which reduce inflammation all over your body.
Prostaglandins cause your uterus to contract during your periods. Green leafy veggies reduce
the activity of prostaglandins, and keep your body functioning like a well-oiled machine.
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3. Fish
Fish is really helpful for keeping away cramps. This doesn’t mean you’re allowed to eat
fish and chips every day. Fried fish is not good. Fish that are low in fats like salmon,
tuna, herring, trout, and mackerel are great to replace something very fatty like fries
and burgers. Smoked salmon anybody?
These fish are a goldmine for Omega 3 fatty-acids, and ensure increased blood flow and circulation
throughout your body. They have anti-inflammatory properties. Cytokines (sight-oh-kynes) and
prostaglandins are pain-causing chemicals during periods. Omega 3 lowers the level of
these chemicals, and relieves your cramping. Some seeds and eggs are also great sources
of Omega-3’s.
While we're on the topic of food, here’s another video you might like. Watch these
8 breakfast foods that will make you look younger.
4. Whole grains
Processed foods are all around us, from bread to pasta, to cakes and cookies. Fatty foods
are generally made with refined flour.
The refining process takes away all the good grains, leaving behind the bad ones. If you
prefer whole grains like wheat bran, brown rice, oatmeal and whole wheat, you’ll get
the actual benefits of these ingredients with very little change.
Grains have a lot of zinc and magnesium, which will rejuvenate your body at a cellular level.
Also, you will get an additional blast of vitamin B & E, along with lots of dietary
fibers.
5. Dark chocolate
Chocolate is a sweet treat many women crave during these times. A bar of dark chocolate
can satisfy your taste buds, and relieve those cramps.
Dark chocolate releases hormones called serotonin and endorphins, which keep you happy. Those
of you who suffer from mood swings can try having dark chocolate to calm your nerves.
This tasty, rich dark chocolate is a hidden source of Vitamins like B1, C, D and E, along
with anti-cramp minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron. The greater the percentage
of dark chocolate, the more benefits you’ll see. A bar of regular milk chocolate will
do no good here.
6. Nuts and seeds
This can be eaten by lightly toasting them up, and sprinkling them in cereals, salads,
and desserts.
You can make delicious peanut butter from various seeds too. Pumpkin, chia and flax
seeds make great buttery spreads and salad dressings.
Additionally, oil from flax seeds, soybean, canola, and almonds are gaining popularity,
and for good reason. They’re a perfect combination of Omega 3 fatty protein and numerous vitamins
and minerals. Vitamin B6 should never be ignored. It plays
a pretty important role in menstrual health, and regulates your hormones.
7. Turmeric
You might not be a fan of it’s strong odor and taste, but turmeric does the job, folks!
Curcumin is an ingredient in turmeric that may reduce PMS symptoms psychologically and
physically.
You can also go for over-the-counter curcumin capsules to get your body loaded up on curcumin.
Make sure to talk to your doctor before you start these capsules.
8. Chamomile
A lukewarm cup of chamomile tea can transport you to another world. But this isn’t the
only form of chamomile. You can use it in the form of extract and essential oil. Splash
a few drops around your wrists, neck, and pillow for a soothing effect.
Chamomile guarantees a great sleep, especially when you’re suffering from anxiety and insomnia.
It can be used to treat a lot of disorders apart from just menstrual pain. It can relieve
you from stomach ulcers, hemorrhoids, spasms, nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, and vomiting.
9. Ginger
Ginger drops, ginger ale, gingerbread, ginger tea… They’re all great for dealing with
periods. The list is neverending. Excruciating menstrual pain is called dysmenorrhea (diss-men-or-ee-uh).
Ginger alleviates extreme symptoms of dysmenorrhea. Even though the proper size of the ginger
dose is still being studied, you can safely consume ginger daily.
10. Dill
Topping your salads and soup with dill can give it a restaurant-quality look. It will
also enhance your body's nutrition. It’s known to have a lot of calcium, which can
reduce period cramps. The two major compounds, tannin and anethol help relax your blood vessels,
and decrease blood loss.
11. Mint
Mint leaves add an extra taste to dull foods. Nowadays, it's quite trendy to infuse water
with mint. Apart from the usual cooking in the sauces, and chutneys, it can be added
to juices and marinades.
Do you eat mints to freshen up your breath? Studies have shown that peppermint can have
soothing symptoms, and relieve extreme pain and cramping during menstruation. We don't
know what chewing gum can do though.
12. Cinnamon
Herbal medicine is a great alternative to medications. It’s available in dried sticks
or ground form. This sweet spice can stop spasms and inflammation in your muscles. There
are various other herbs and spices you can consume during painful periods. If you don’t
eat spices, you may end up having lots of digestive issues. If you’re just starting,
always remember to use these herbs every now and then.
13. Pycnogenol (Py-c-no-genol)
We bet you haven't heard of this ingredient, as it’s not a common sight in your local
store. The other name for this is French maritime pine. This is an exotic bark of a pine tree
native to France.
Extracts of these barks are rich in flavonoids and antioxidants, and can ward off menstrual
cramps and PMS symptoms. Researchers studied its effect on dysmenorrhea and found out that
women consuming Pycnogenol did not require any painkillers, and had a pain-free period.
14. Supplements
Sometimes our body is not fully nourished by the food we eat, and is still deficient
in a few essential vitamins. If you’re thinking about which supplements to buy, here are a
few essentials that can help you through your menstrual pain.
Remember that there are always better food sources for these vitamins. These can also
be found naturally in foods like avocados, chickpeas, peanuts, bananas, milk, yogurt,
cheese and green leafy vegetables. You must discuss it with your doctor before starting
them.
The must-have supplement list includes Vitamins D and E, boron, calcium, magnesium and zinc.
So what foods do I avoid?
Try staying away from red meat. It may provide a kick to your female hormone production.
It triggers PMS, and can be a cause of heavy bleeding.
Fatty foods affect the metabolism of female hormones. Adolescent girls who eat lots of
junk and fried foods are targets of dysmenorrhea. Grabbing a bag of chips when you’re down
is only going to make you bloated with even more cramping.
Caffeinated drinks and sugar should also be off-limits.
Eating healthy feels great. It’s important to swap junk food with healthy food. Watch
these 20 effortless food swaps to cut thousands of calories.
Also, check out 8 healthy fruits you should be eating, and 8 you shouldn't.
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how to become healthier.
Do you take a day off when you’re down with periods? Let us know in the comments below.