Periods are hard to deal with, from mental stress to physical exhaustion; it makes it very tough to deal with these days. And there's no way to skip these days. Let's find out the ways to deal with them in a better way.
The food we consume every day greatly impacts our overall well-being. It becomes a lot more important to have a healthy diet during periods due to blood loss from the body, which can also lead to iron loss from the body. To combat all these factors, we should focus on having a nutritious diet during periods and also avoid certain foods that can make our conditions worse.
To begin with, having a calcium-rich diet is a must. A diet rich in calcium can largely help in reducing period cramps, mood swings, hormonal fluctuations, and water retention. Foods that are highly rich in calcium include milk and dairy-based products like curd, cottage cheese, etc. Other foods to include are dark green leafy vegetables and lentils.
The next important thing is to consume foods rich in iron. As is known, blood loss leads to a loss of iron from the body, which can lead to anaemia. As compared to non-menstruators, menstruators tend to be more anaemic. So, it's important to maintain that by consuming foods such as eggs, meat, and fish. The iron produced by these items is absorbed by the body more quickly. If you want to try vegetarian options, they include beetroot, spinach, lentils, tofu, etc. Along with all this, you should also include magnesium in your diet, which also helps to deal with all the unwanted symptoms.
Dark chocolate is rich in magnesium and can be consumed easily as a dessert or whenever you feel like it. Apart from having a healthy diet, you should also consume plenty of fluids, primarily water; this has been shown to reduce the severity of the menstrual symptoms.
This was the list of good things that you can add to your diet; now let's look at things to subtract from your diet.
Caffeine is a strict no during periods, as it can trigger inflammation in the body, leading to more cramps, bloating, or tummy aches.
Too much sugar in your diet during periods can drain your energy quicker, leading to further exhaustion.
Say no to alcohol as well, because it can cause dehydration during periods. Extra-spicy food can also be bad for your hormones.
Well, there are few things to skip from meals, and there are a lot of options to add to your plate. So make sure you choose to practise mindful eating during your period. Especially if you have issues like endometriosis, PCOS, or fibroids, as they lead to excessive menstrual bleeding and more cramps.