Diet and Your Period
Everyone knows that what we eat can affect our bodies and how we feel, so it makes sense that what you eat can also affect your menstrual cycle. Turns out that your diet and nutrition can help you to manage your PMS symptoms, making your period more pleasant.
Regulating Your Cycle
Research has shown that a diet high in fiber and low in fat can cause an irregular menstrual cycle. In one study 210 women, between the ages of 17 and 22 years old, were asked to complete a questionnaire about their eating habits and their menstrual histories. The women who reported having irregular periods also had higher intakes of fiber (both crude and dietary), while the women who ate more saturated fat reported more regular cycles.
Research has suggested that the more fat you consume, the higher your body's estrogen production will be. Also, fiber helps the body to flush out excess estrogen. The liver pulls estrogen from the bloodstream, through the bile duct and into the intestinal tract, where fiber soaks it up and carries it out of the body with the rest of your waste.
Gaining or losing a lot of weight in a short time can also affect your menstrual cycle. Women who are anorexic or bulimic will often develop amenorrhea, which means they have missed three, or more, consecutive periods. Usually this is due to a loss of body fat and a slow in the production of estrogen, but gaining too much weight can have a similar effect.
Reduce Bloating
An unfortunate symptom of periods, dietary changes can help reduce the signs and discomfort of bloating.
- Eat potassium rich foods such as cranberries, bananas and other fresh fruits.
- Cut down your sodium intake to less than 2000 milligrams per day. Too much salt will cause water to be release into the skin, causing puffiness.
- Drink plenty of water. This will help to flush salt and other electrolytes out of your body, reducing water retention.
- If your bloating is really bad, water pills and diuretics could provide some relief.
