Foods that help with PMS!
This article has been researched and written by Arelang Naturals® in-house writers.
Ladies! Here is the list of the best kinds of food during periods for you!
Ladies, we are superwomen! YES, WE ARE! But even then, period pains and the ensuing hormonal imbalances and mood swings can take the life out of us (Literally! Ouch). While there are over-the-counter options available now to help us sail through this tide smoothly – deep down we all know that we want nothing more than to put our heads into a box of decadent dark chocolate ice cream in the middle of the night. Alas! How we wish that worked as an instant cure to the manic pain, bloating, and all the other cruelty that the menses throw our way. In fact, as women, we are constantly in the search of foods that help with these symptoms - which is why we now have this exhaustive guide of what to eat during periods just for us!
Here is some insight on the best kind of foods to eat during periods.
During menstruation, the body is going through several internal changes, especially those that cause all of our hormones to go haywire in all directions (imagine the mercury boiling on a thermometer? Yes, like that). Thus, the best food during periods is undoubtedly the ones that are not only healthy and clean but also nutritious, comforting, and tasty. Nutrition plays a vital role in how your body reacts to raging hormones. Your hormones are directly dependent on your lifestyle, food intake, and nutrients.
A lack of good quality nutrition, essential vitamins, and minerals can wreak havoc on your system and amplify the ill effects of a drop in estrogen and hormonal imbalances. So what to eat during periods then? Here is the answer you are looking for:
- Fruits: Fruits have several benefits. The natural sugar in fruits helps with insatiable dessert cravings. The enzymes and vitamins naturally available in them help reduce bloating. They are also natural pain killers, making fruits one of the best things to eat during periods. Fruits with a high-water content like watermelon also help keep us hydrated and give our skin and body the right kind of nourishment required for it to glow. The best kind of win-win situation correct? You eat your fruits, you balance your hormones, and you glow! Yay!
- Dark Chocolate: Remember how our mood goes from 0 to 100 instantly once we bite into our favorite dark chocolate? Well, there is a reason for it. Dark chocolate contains magnesium, a mineral whose main job is to balance the hormones responsible for mood swings. Dark chocolate is adaptogenic and helps calm you down and put you in a better mood! With our hormones on overdrive during our period, dark chocolates also serve as one of the best period comfort foods out there. Want to know of all the varieties out there which chocolate is best for periods? It is anything between 70-85% of cocoa content. Like, Rekindle For Women from Caim By Arelang. A delectable dark chocolate bar center filled with natural plant-based ingredients that helps manage your estrogen levels by giving your body nutrients and vitamins that everyday diets lack. With our ingredients like Shatavari, black cohosh, and flax, this dark chocolate bar cuts your dessert cravings while giving you the right nutrition to help curb PMS, cramping, mood swings, and more. Check them out here.
- Leafy greens: During our periods, we lose a lot of iron and other essentials from our bodies because of the blood loss. The loss of iron and nutrients results in us feeling lethargic and dull. Green vegetables, especially broccoli and kale, have a high iron content that helps us replace the lost iron from our body and feel re-energized and active. Our diets and modern-day plants and veggies do not give us the essential nutrients in the right quantities that our body needs. However, there are supplements made with natural plant-based ingredients, that extract the most potent of these nutrients and vitamins to give your body the nourishment that they would get from two bowls full of a leafy salad. Like, Replenish With Greens gummy supplements. Check them out here.
- Dairy products: Any discussion about ideal period foods is incomplete without the mention of dairy products in it. That artisanal cheese that you love gorging on? Well, now is the perfect time to have it. While menstruating, along with iron our body also ends up losing a fair bit of calcium – that can be successfully replenished with the help of dairy foods like cheese, milk, and yogurt. If you are vegan, there are always plant-based supplements that can help you replenish calcium.
- Oats: Guess what! Our favourite breakfast meal is also one of the best period comfort foods. Oats contain fiber, zinc, and magnesium. Fiber helps in keeping us full for longer while magnesium and zinc are good sources of serotonin and act as adaptogens that help regulate mental health and lift our spirits on a gloomy day.
- Seeds like flax, pumpkin, or chia: According to a group of Harvard researchers, omega-3 helps significantly in reducing the feeling of depression that one feels during periods. Although one of the best sources of omega-3 is fish – for all you vegetarian sisters out there, chia seed is a great alternative. Flax and pumpkin seeds are also good sources of serotonin and are the best period foods to include in your diet.
- Avocado: Period cramps stabbing you like knives in your stomach? Time to eat some guacamole on toast! During periods, the body produces a hormone called prostaglandins which is responsible for the intense cramps that we feel. The production of this hormone can be controlled with the help of the healthy fats that are present in an avocado. If you are someone who hates avocado, there are other ways to avoid cramping, like the Rekindle For Women Dark chocolate bars that are a good source of Omega-3.
You Go Girl!
During your menses, it is integral to look after your health and consume nutritiously-rich foods. While it is important to eat right, it is also important to avoid foods that can aggravate the symptoms we are already feeling. Canned, spicy, or fried foods, red meat, and alcohol are complete no-nos. Lastly, ensure you consume plenty of water and keep yourself hydrated. Drinking plenty of water helps reduce bloating and dehydration and also helps reduce water retention in the body.
Remember always, there is nothing a good nutritious meal cannot sort out.
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