We’ve all been there – bloated and uncomfortable in the middle of our menstrual cycle. Sometimes it pops up when you least expect it, and other times we wake up knowing that our period will strike at any minute. The bad news is that discomfort and pain are fairly common and consistent symptoms in the world of menstruation. The good news is that the right diet can aid, and at times, even relieve that pain completely. Bottom line – your gut has the power to keep the peace between you and your period 💯.

So what should your menu look like to keep the pain away? Glad you asked:

Water 🚰

Drink up – your period is begging you to stay hydrated. We know you’ve heard this a thousand times, but water will never steer you in the wrong direction. During your period, estrogen and progesterone levels are typically at their lowest. At this time, your body is more likely to try to retain water, which in turn makes you feel bloated and uncomfortable throughout your entire body. These flare ups are never fun. 

6-8 glasses of H20 a day will flush out your system, help ease those pesky back aches and cramps, and help your period move along faster too.

It’s easy enough to reach for the sugary drinks and snacks that stock every grocery store aisle when you’re feeling under the weather and in need of some comfort, but what you really should be reaching for is a big glass of water. Keep some water with you at all times, if you get bored try infusing it with mint, cucumber, or a lemon wedge to make it more enjoyable – your body will thank you later.

Fruit 🍉

There are days in your period where you might feel more fatigued, but slumping around all day is rarely an option.

To keep up your energy, make sure you’re eating water-rich foods that will pump you up throughout the day.

Fruit like watermelon, berries, cantaloupe, peaches, and oranges are wonderful additions to your diet to keep you wide awake and ready to attack the day. Fruit will also help stop those artificial sugar cravings that cause your glucose levels to spike and then crash. You’ll save yourself from that mid-afternoon sugar coma and end up feeling the relief you need to effortlessly move throughout your day.  

Leafy Greens 🥬

Remember when your parents told you to your veggies? Your period is saying the same thing. When you’re menstruating, your iron levels can take a dip, resulting in many unwanted symptoms.

Greens like kale, broccoli and spinach are rich in iron and other nutrients that will save you the headache (literally) and replenish your body’s iron supply.

These greens will also give you magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamins A, C, B6, and E. A plate of greens can boost your mood, energize you right up, and even combat depression. 

Proteins 🐟

Consider clean-cooked chicken and salmon your best friends during your period. Eating clean chicken (stay away from the fried or processed stuff please) will boost your iron and protein levels, replenishing the goods you need to keep it moving throughout the day. Salmon can actually take away your period cramps like no other food can.

The Omega-3 fatty acids work to relax your muscles and relieve pesky period pains and cramps throughout your entire body.

According to a 2012 study, subjects who ate omega-3 rich foods or took omega-3 supplements found that their menstrual pain decreased so much that they could reduce the amount of ibuprofen they took. Sign us up 🙋.

Dark Chocolate 🍫

Feel free to read that again, you’re not hallucinating. Dark chocolate is a period friendly, delicious snack to add to your diet and ease your symptoms.

Dark chocolate contains antioxidants and magnesium, which reduces mood swings by regulating serotonin.

You might even see a glow in your skin from the extra vitamin boost and anti-inflammatory qualities in this yummy snack. Rich in iron and magnesium, dark chocolate will give you sweet tooth satisfaction and rejuvenation without the side effects that artificial sugars usually present. Basically, what we are saying is sit back, relax, and enjoy a giant bar of dark chocolate. 

All in all, with the right diet you can crack the code to a stress-free period by relieving some of its most undesirable symptoms. Download Aavia to track your cycle and sign up for our email list to up your knowledge on your period, your body, and everything in between.

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SOURCES:

“7 Reasons Why Dark Chocolate Is Your Best Friend During Periods.” Medium, &Me - Women's Health Brand, 6 Nov. 2019, medium.com/@andme.in/7-reasons-why-dark-chocolate-is-your-best-friend-during-periods-2daca814bea0.

Ferguson, Sian. "16 Foods to Eat (and Some to Avoid) During Your Period." Reviewed by Carolyn Kay, Healthline, 16 July 2019, www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/what-to-eat-during-period.

Whelan, Corey. “Can I Make My Period End Faster?” Reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Healthline, 2 July 2019, www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/how-to-make-your-period-end-faster.

“Why It's Important To Drink Enough Water- Especially During Your Period.” YouBeauty, 4 July 2019, www.youbeauty.com/life/why-its-important-to-drink-enough-water-especially-during-your-period/.