What cant you eat on your period

Do you also feel extremely hungry, craving for something sweet a week or so prior to your menstruation date? Most women have craved a week ahead of their date, and we absolutely will eat anything tasty, we can lay our hands upon. Periods are one of the toughest phases of every month. Along with doing what we do every day, women also manage their menstruation days. Be it an on-field duty or sitting back in your cabin, menstruation days are hard for women from all walks of life. And, because periods are so messed up, it is important that we eat healthy and take care of ourselves during this time. 

During our menstruation days, craving is high, and hence that bottle of cold drink waiting in your refrigerator or that packet of chips in your kitchen should definitely wait. Having the wrong foods during your periods can do more harm than you can think. From nausea to vomiting, these unfit foods may cause you unnecessary problems during your periods, hence best to avoid them. 

Many women are unable to control their cravings which can be erratic and hard to shift, which means we're tempted by more unhealthy options. However, if we find healthy alternatives to unhealthy snacks, you may solve your craving problems and also binge-eat your favourite food! So, if you had or are having a painful period you may want to look at your diet and make some changes.

Foods to avoid during periods

1. Spicy food

You may be tempted to eat something and spicy, especially if you love fried foods and readymade snacks. You should avoid eating spicy and salty food as excess salt will cause water retention which in turn may cause bloating. 

2. Refined Grains

Refined grains are like other processed foods, they lose their nutritional value. This causes them to interfere with blood sugar and regular appetite control. So, instead of indulging in pasta, bread, or noodles, try consuming whole grains.

3. Coffee

We all love our hot cup of coffee or tea in the morning. Some of us even cannot wake up without consuming a cup of coffee. But, you should try and avoid this habit during your periods. Refrain from that cup of caffeine and instead keep hydrating yourself to the max. 

4. High-fat food

Do you also want to binge-eat on burgers and fries and consume an entire coke bottle all by yourself? However tempting that may sound, you should stay far away from high-fat foods as they interfere majorly with your hormones. They contribute to period pain and cause inflammation. So, it is best to avoid these foods during your periods. 

5. Processed food

You may love your share of biscuits and chips and would love to binge eat them. They are the biggest sources of sodium in your diet, and as told before, it is best to avoid salt in your diet.

6. Alcohol

Your girls night out can wait, as it is not advisable to consume alcohol during your days of menstruation. Alcohol can dehydrate you, which can worsen headaches and cause bloating. It can also lead to digestive issues, such as diarrhea and nausea. Hence, delay your girls night plans for a later part of the month.

7. Red meat

Red meat is high on prostaglandins. During the time of your menstruation, your body produces prostaglandins that help your uterus to contract and hence resulting in menstrual flow. But, high levels of prostaglandin result in cramps. Hence, it is advisable to avoid having red meat as they are high in prostaglandins. 

Foods to eat during periods

Now that you know what foods to avoid, you can concentrate on the ones that are safe to consume. Water, consuming loads of water during your periods is necessary. Also try including more leafy vegetables to your diet along with chicken, fish, and nuts.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a professional healthcare provider if you have any specific questions about any medical matter.

Fatigue, instability, mood swings and awful cramps are a given during your period but you’ll be surprised to know that what you eat can actually affect how you feel during your period. Turns out, getting the right nutrition especially in these 5 days can counter muscle pain, uncomfortable bloating, headaches and inconsistent digestion. Even though it might seem totally legit to binge eat, you’ve got to take the hard road and make wiser choices. To help guide you along the way, here is a list of what to eat during periods and foods to avoid during the period.

• Can certain foods relieve symptoms?
• Foods to avoid
• Foods to eat
• Periods cramp remedies
• When to see a doctor
• FAQs about What to eat & avoid during periods

Can certain foods relieve symptoms?

Food plays a very important role when it comes to your period and maintaining your hormones. In order to relieve period cramps, it is best to eat foods that do not cause your blood sugar levels to go up, as they cause an imbalance in your hormones, leading to severe cramps. Therefore, it is highly advised to eat healthy, nutritious and home-cooked meals on your period.

Foods to avoid

There are many foods that cause inflammation, so it is better to avoid them as far as possible. Foods that are fried, highly processed foods, sugar and baked items are better avoided.

1. Avoid: Alcohol

Please go virgin when it comes to alcoholic drinks while on your period (yes, even if you had a really difficult day). While alcohol may reduce cramps temporarily, there are too many negative effects for you to ignore—despite the temporary relief it may give you. It can cause your period to become irregular and also increase estrogen levels in the body, worsening period symptoms. Estrogen is one of the two main female sex hormones is responsible for keeping a girl's menstrual cycle regular. It also keeps the cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check, and is therefore extremely important for a problem-free period. Just one more consequence if you’re not convinced: its diuretic nature increases your water retention levels. What this means is that there is an excess of fluid build-up in your body, which makes you appear more bloated.

Tip: Try a watered-down lassi or some coconut water, it will keep you hydrated and are recommended period foods.

2. Avoid: Caffeinated drinks

Turn down the volume of coffee—one of the main drinks you need to avoid during your period. This really helps, because caffeine is a stimuant, which leads to a fluctuation in your hormones, and that is something you definitely want to avoid during your period. It increases blood pressure and heart rate leading to tension and anxiety attacks and in turn, worsening the PMS symptoms. Caffeine also decreases your body's ability to absorb iron, which affects your energy levels and could increase PMS symptoms.

Tip: Have green tea, tomato and carrot juice, or any type of soup instead. These are some of the foods to eat during a period to avoid cramps.

3. Avoid: Processed foods

Frozen foods, fast foods, bacon, pickles, canned soups, papad etc. come with unknown ingredients and preservatives that aren’t the best foods during your period. They can interfere with hormones and amplify PMS discomfort. Processed foods are also a huge source of sodium, which is a major cause of bloating and water retention, and is best avoided during and a few days before your period. Since we are constantly exposed to a lot of varieties of foods, it is hard to determine if a particular food is processed or not. But to make things easier, here's a great tip - always read the ingredients on the package; if there are more than five ingredients mentioned, then it would be better to avoid buying it, as it is more than likely to be processed.

Tip: Have homemade meals, lots of salads and veggies, and heart and tummy-warming foods like khichadi and porridge.

4. Avoid: Foods high in fats

Fatty foods influence hormones, lead to cramps and can make you feel gassy. Given the fact that your skin is already sensitive during these days, incorrect food choices during your period can make this issue worse and cause it to become even more dry and dehydrated. Additionally, foods that are rich in saturated fat content increase the production of a particular chemical called prostaglandins, which are notorious for alleviating period pain. Ideally, you should try and avoid fatty meats, burgers and cream-based desserts.

Tip: Here's what to eat during periods instead - whole wheat bread, dal chawal, porridge, salmon and lean meats, etc.

5. Avoid: Dairy products

This might surprise you, but dairy products like milk, cream, and cheese are some of the foods to avoid during periods. They are high in arachidonic acid which can act as a trigger for menstrual cramps. Additionally, thanks to the inclusion of artificial hormones in milk, dairy products are touted to be a major cause of hormonal adult acne in women. So if you have been suffering from conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, etc., we would highly recommend you discuss dairy consumption with your doctor.

Tip: Opt for buttermilk and toned milk—both of which are recommended period food.

6. Avoid: Fried foods

This goes without saying—most fried foods like chips, snacks, biscuits, etc contain trans-fats or hydrogenated vegetable oil. All of these can increase estrogen levels and can worsen your mood swings. Plus fried foods also worsen the problem of acne and skin inflammation in women, which is why it is best avoided.  

Tip: Wondering what to eat during your periods instead? Choose roasted snacks, crunchy veggies such as carrot or cucumber sticks.

7. Avoid: Refined grains

Just like processed foods lose much of their nutritional value, the same happens with refined grains as well. In the process of refining the grains, they lose a lot of their nutrients and vitamins, which makes them interfere with your blood sugar levels and increases cravings. Bread, pizza, cereals, and tortillas should be avoided as they lead to bloating and constipation.

Tip: Instead, choose whole grains which have a low GI index and will not only keep your digestive system on track but will also keep hunger pangs at bay. GI or glycaemic index is a rating given to all the foods that contain carbohydrates depending on how quickly that particular food item can affect your blood sugar levels when eaten by itself. Homemade chapattis and brown rice are some of the best foods to eat during a period to avoid cramps.

8. Avoid: Foods with a high salt content

Canned soups, bacon, and chips are foods to avoid during periods as they are high in salt. The hormone responsible for menstruation already causes water retention and a high salt diet will cause a gassy, bloating feeling. If you are someone who feels particularly sluggish, lazy and generally uncomfortable around your period, then you must really take a good hard look at the amount of salt you consume.

Tip: Instead, opt for simple dal-chawal with yogurt or toss up a salad. Be mindful of what you’re eating and eat in moderation—especially when you’re on your period.

Foods to eat

If you have severe cramps, it is better to consume rich in iron, calcium, Omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber. These foods help to relieve cramps, reduce fatigue and make you feel stronger.

1. Eat: Chocolate

Raise your hands if you did a double-take when you saw this. Does this not make the struggle of having your periods worth it? You can eat (dark) chocolate completely guilt-free! Dark chocolate is great because it contains lower levels of sugar, and is also full of magnesium, a mineral that regulates your serotonin levels and will prevent you from terrorising your family and friends with your mood swings.

2. Eat: Bananas

If you’re looking for a healthy pick-me-up, you can stop once you see the bananas on your kitchen table as they contain high levels of potassium and B6 vitamins. They’re great if you just need a little push to get out of bed and start the day. These components benefit your mental health and regulate bowel movements and decrease the amount of water you retain, making you feel less bloated. Pick up a banana and get munching. If you don’t care for its taste, blend it in as part of a smoothie.

3. Eat: Salmon

If you’re someone who is accustomed to the feeling of tiny little knives piercing your stomach, otherwise effectively synthesized in the word “cramps”, try having a salmon breakfast bagel to alleviate the monthly pains. Salmon contains copious amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids, a substance that contributes to relaxing the muscles in the body—it’s practically a godsend for reducing cramps. If you’re a vegetarian or just not a fish person, other foods that contain a lot of Omega 3 are flaxseeds and soybeans.

4. Eat: Yoghurt

We know we said no dairy, but this is the one exception, so why not have a party with some parfait? Yogurt is full of calcium, so it can help fix the mess that is your calcium levels when you’re on your period. It has been said that maintaining a good calcium balance can significantly reduce PMS symptoms like bloating and moodiness. If you’re set on the no-dairy rule, a good alternative to yogurt is almonds or lentils.  

5. Eat: Whole grains

Whole grains are a safety net to make you sure you don’t fall into the deep dark hole of binge-eating. If you’re guilty of stuffing yourself with huge amounts of food during your period, any form of whole grains are a great snack—they leave you feeling full and satisfied for a long time, making it less likely that you’ll find yourself three-quarters of the way through a bucket of chocolate ice cream at 2 am. They also contain B and E vitamins, which combat the fatigue and depression that you often face on your period. Grab a bowl of oatmeal or some pasta if you’re looking for some long-term sustenance.

6. Eat: Watermelon

As soon as you feel the temptation to combine the brownies, ice cream, and anything else even remotely sweet you can find in the fridge into a massive sugar mountain, stop, and instead reach for some watermelon. We get this seems like an almost impossible task, but just start with trying. Watermelon is filled with nutrients and vitamins that help reduce feelings of tiredness and weakness and also contribute to lessen any bloating of the stomach.

7. Eat: Kale

The iron levels in your body take a dip when you are menstruating, therefore you will find yourself craving for iron-rich foods. Instead of ordering burgers and fries and terming it as "comfort food" opt for green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, Swiss chard and more to add iron into your body.

8. Eat: Oranges

Did you know maintaining optimum levels of calcium in the body can reduce the feeling of anxiety and depression which is common during your periods? Calcium paired with vitamin D can ward off PMS symptoms as well as ease cramps, aches and pains. Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and limes contain both calcium and vitamins.

Periods cramp remedies

While some foods can ease period pain and others can cause discomfort you also need to try other things that will make those few days of the month more bearable.

i) Exercise:

Light cardio, walking and yoga can ease cramps and pain according to some researchers. Be careful and don't put too much strain on your body.

ii) Hot compresses:

One of the most popular cramp remedies, hot compresses ease cramps and muscle pain that is common during periods.

iii) OTC medication:

Over the counter, medicines can help ease pain and make menstruation smooth. However, we advice not to ignore severe period pain and consult an expert if need be.

When to see a doctor

If despite following all these things, you do not see an improvement in your period or cramps, then it is best to see a doctor. If you have irregular periods, spotting or bleeding in between your periods, heave bleeding or pain that does not go without popping a few pain killers, then you must see a doctor immediately, as this could be indicative of other underlying issues.

FAQs about What to eat & avoid during periods

1) Can I drink milk during my period?

A. Milk is a wholesome drink that helps maintain a well-balanced diet. However, eating a lot of cheese and milk-based products can also cause bloating, gas and diarrhea. To be safe it is best to avoid milk for those few days.

2) Are there any foods that make periods heavier?

A. Yes, certain foods can make the period flow heavy, these include coffee, dairy and beetroots.

3) Is it safe to eat eggs during periods?

A. Eggs are loaded with essential nutrients and vitamins like vitamin D, B6 and E all of which have been proved to reduce PMS symptoms. It can also help regulate fluctuating hormones.