You are not alone if that time of the month leaves you feeling cranky, bloated and reaching for chocolate. You may already know some strategies to help make this time of the month suck a little less like exercising but do you know ways your diet can help make this time a little easier?
Tame the chocolate beast
During your period you may feel like you crave foods like chocolate more. This is due to hormone imbalances when oestrogen and progesterone just before your period begins. At the same time serotonin or your feel-good hormone drops and your stress hormone cortisol spikes. This havoc of imbalance causes you to reach for the nearest food filled with high fat and sugar to help you feel better. This can increase your serotonin levels increase and cortisol levels drop, unfortunately for only a short time.
Ways you can help manage this rollercoaster ride in hormones can be:
- Mind your caffeine levels leading up to and during your period as this can further increase your cortisol levels and make saying no to chocolate even harder.
- Increase your protein and fibre – this helps you stay fuller for longer and keeps your blood sugar levels. Try adding more wholegrains, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds to your day and to each meal and see how much better your body and mind feel.
- If you find that having no chocolate is not an option, stick to one or two pieces and if possible, go for the 60% cocoa solids or above to help curb the craving faster and add some additional antioxidant benefits on top.
Sooth your tummy
If your feel-good food tends to be high in salt this can further increase the feeling of being bloated. Salt influences your body by increasing fluid retention and is not your friend during your period. If you are craving chips, try swapping for some roasted chickpeas and flavour with your favourite herbs and spices instead of salt. You may also find drinking peppermint tea helps to sooth your tummy.
Feel good again
The foods which are high in added salt and sugar like chips, chocolate and ice cream may make you feel good for a short while, but studies have reported even a few days of eating these types of food as a major part of your diet can lead to changes in your brain. These highly processed foods do the reverse of what your mind wants and can lead to you feeling further depressed symptoms and stress during your period. Instead try reaching for foods which have been shown to improve your mood like:
Omega 3 rich foods
Fatty fish like salmon, herring or tuna which are full of omega-3 fat. Plant sources of omega-3 fat include walnuts, flaxseeds, linseeds, hemp seeds and algae sources. This type of fat is the main fat in your brain and helps improve mood.
Fruit and vegetables
Studies have shown eating fruits and vegetables can improve your mood almost immediately.
B vitamins
B vitamins are important to improve your mood especially vitamin B6 found in legumes, whole grains, nuts and lean meat. Secondly, folate which is found in leafy greens, broccoli, spinach and fortified cereal products. And thirdly B12 which you can find in animal-based products like lean meat, fish, dairy and fortified products.
Take home message: you may not be able to remove this time of the month but by taking on these nutritional tips you can help that time of the month such just a little less.
