It is important to remember that every woman is different with regards to her cycle, so it needs an individual approach at all times. What works for one woman, will not necessarily work for the next. Therefore a food diary with related symptoms helps to identify individual triggers of mood swings, migraines, water retention, bloating etc.
PMS happens at the stage of your cycle when the hormones progesterone and Estrogen are at their highest.
Extra foods to avoid during your period:
- Simple carbohydrates that are high in sugar (baked products etc)
- Avoid gas forming foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, onions, cucumber, too much beans etc, as this will aggravate bloating symptoms and cause uncomfort.
Foods to include in your diet during your cycle:
- Magnesium rich foods: this has been shown to reduce symptoms of bloating and is found in beans, tofu and nuts
- Calcium rich foods as a woman needs 1200mg of calcium per day, and we tend to neglect our essential nutrient needs during our cycle due to other disturbances/ mood changes. Examples of foods are kale, milk and yoghurt.
- Water: some women experience water retention and then automatically stop/ reduce fluid/ water intake. On the contrary, taking in water (1-2 litres per day), helps to actually reduce water retention , because the water that was being retained previously, your body was storing it due to lack of sufficient intake. Daily water intake also helps alleviate bloating.
- Fresh fruit: firstly it helps with the digestive system and the functioning thereof, and the fructose (fruit sugar) content in the fruit, helps reduce sugar craving as well.
- Dark green leafy veg: these are foods such as kale and swiss chard. They are high in fiber which also helps with digestion and also rich in B vitamins and iron.
- Dark chocolate: YES! We would automatically steer away from chocolate in general, as it has its link to migraines during your cycle too, but specifically dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content is higher in antioxidants and this has an impact on increasing serotonin levels in the brain which in turn improves your mood.
- Nuts: eating a portion of 30-40g unsalted nuts as a snack that is rich in your unsaturated omega 3 fatty acids, is more filling and helps curb cravings too.
- Red meat: don’t neglect red meat completely. Choose the lower fat red meats without visible fat on it, such as ostrich steak. It is a good source of iron, which is needed during your period to help prevent any symptoms of anemia.
- Last but not least, a standard multivitamin: due to all the unwanted symptoms that come along with your period, we sometimes neglect our diet and don’t get in the correct macro- and micronutrients. So it is advisable to take a standard multivitamin that reaches 100-150% or the NRV/ RDA. If you don’t want to take a multivitamin, the following vitamins and antioxidants are vital:
- Vitamin E: found in egg yolk and avocado
- Vitamin C: in guava’s, strawberries, lemons, grapefruit
- Zinc: squash, pumpkin seeds
- Vitamin B6: banana, oats