Being on your period can suck. It happens every 28 days or so, lasts for a week, give or take, and it can take a real toll on your day to day life. And if some women feel few to no symptoms, other have to deal with more than just the bleeding. When you are on your period, you can have cramps, headaches and nausea. It is also common to feel more fatigued and bloated, and to have mood swings. Although some medication can help a lot to reduce these symptoms, truth is that what you eat (and do not eat) during your period can have a great impact too. After all, as everyone says, food is the best medicine.

Please remember, if you have acute symptoms, you may need to seek a doctor to make sure you do not have any underlying condition.

FOODS YOU SHOULD EAT

Leafy green vegetables

Rich in iron, potassium and fibre and high in magnesium, leafy green vegetables are the perfect food to eat while on your period. Because they help boost iron levels, leafy green vegetables can help attenuate symptoms like fatigue, cramps and dizziness.

Dark chocolate

Good news, we know. But beware, it needs to be really dark chocolate with low sugar content and high in cacao. It is a good source of antioxidants and magnesium and it is food for the soul, right?

Oranges

Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron - and if you have a heavy flow, you should really boost your iron intake. Besides that, oranges have calcium that, along with vitamin C, helps relieve anxiety and depression, and they can also alleviate cramps.

Salmon

Salmon is an incredible healthy food. It is rich in protein and vitamins B that will give you a lot of energy. It also has Omega-3 fatty acids with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and that is why it is great for when you are on your period - it helps reduce cramps.

Spices like turmeric and ginger

If they do not upset your stomach, they can be great during your period. Spices have an anti-inflammatory effect that can help reduce pain during your period. But there is more. Ginger, for example, can also reduce nausea, and saffron lessens feelings of depression.

FOODS TO AVOID

Alcohol

It is normal to have a decrease in blood pressure while on your period. Because of that, during menstruation, women get more vulnerable to the side effects of alcohol. Foremost, alcohol dehydrates, leading to bloating, and it can also interfere with digestion provoking not so pleasant symptoms like diarrhoea and nausea. 

Sugar

Cravings are normal during your period. Toss the first stone if, during menstruation, you have never gone to the freezer looking for ice cream and ended up eating an entire box. However, eating too much candy will spike the levels of sugar on your blood, making you feel better for a short time period. When the levels crash again, you will feel worse than you did before. So say no to sugar if you usually get moody, anxious or stressed during your monthly flow.

Salt

Too much salt means bloating, which can be a big problem to many women during their period. Our advice is for you to reduce the salt consumption to avoid bloating. Stay away from processed food too as these are often loaded with salt.

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Marta :)