Healthy Eating = Healthy Menstrual Cycle

It’s that time of the month again and all of your cravings hit you like a brick! Your mind immediately begins to compile a list of all of the sweet treats and greasy comfort foods that you can’t help but to gravitate to during these gruesome days of your menstrual cycle. We’re all guilty of it, but have you ever thought about how what you eat during your menstrual cycle has either a negative or positive affect? Have you noticed a difference in the way you feel when you swap out cookies and ice cream for fruits and vegetables while you’re on your cycle? Your diet makes a difference!

Listen, we get it, our menstrual cycle can bring about cramps, headaches, body aches, excruciating pain and so many other things-- so, why not make ourselves happy by eating a giant bowl of ice cream? The answer is quite simple: you aren’t helping yourself by resorting to those “bad foods” during that time of the month. You should resort to healthy, natural foods. Your diet should be light without many fats and full of fruits and vegetables!

It goes without saying that regardless of whether or not you’re menstruating, you should be striving to maintain a healthy diet, but it’s even more important that you do so when you’re on your cycle.

Before we get into the foods that you should go for, let’s take a look at the foods you should try to avoid. Those foods include: processed foods, candy/sweet snacks, alcohol, spicy foods, caffeine and red meat. These foods will only intensify the pain you’re in, making you even more uncomfortable and feeling even more fatigued. Obviously, there is a such thing as having these things in moderation, but making them your go-to while you’re on your cycle isn’t always good.

The food choices you make can ultimately help alleviate cramps, which can be some of the most intense pain. The pain from cramps derives from chemicals called prostaglandins which promote inflammation and play a key role in blood vessel constriction and muscle contraction. They break down during menstruation, constricting blood vessels in the uterus causing painful muscle contractions which we all know as cramps!

It’s best to stick to foods like salmon, bananas, dark chocolate, broccoli, oranges, lemons, eggs, fibrous foods and foods rich in vitamin D! As previously stated, fiber keeps your digestive track running smoothly, dark chocolate has a high magnesium content which can help relieve PMS symptoms and vitamin D works to boost energy levels while promoting regular menstrual cycles.

There are only positive benefits to choosing a better diet while on your cycle. Try to make healthier choices and see how different you feel. That time of the month is already tough, make it a little easier on yourself!

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