All about these foods that relieve period symptoms!

During menstruation, a balanced and quality diet can considerably reduce unpleasant symptoms: menstrual pain , weight gain, hormonal acne, nothing plays in our favor during this period. Through this article, we will see which are the healthy foods to favor when you have your period - some tips to apply to keep your body healthy and better live this sometimes unpleasant period!

What foods to favor during menstruation?

Omega 3

They are known to be very good anti-inflammatories, omega 3 provide a great source of calcium to our body. They allow the proper functioning of the cardiovascular, cerebral, inflammatory and also hormonal systems.

Here are some examples of foods rich in Omega 3: sardines, salmon, herring or mackerel. Grandma always told you to eat fish because it's good for your memory? It's also great for reducing menstrual pain!

legumes

They are excellent sources of iron and protein with a very low glycemic index. They therefore avoid sugar peaks in the body, and the “crash” effects that make us want to pitch down a few hours after eating - the periods are tiring enough as it is, no need for our blood sugar to get involved ! Legumes are also rich in iron, which is all we need to avoid a deficiency during our periods.

As a bonus, legumes are ideal when you want to replace meats containing saturated fatty acids. So you can let loose on broad beans, dried beans (red, white, black beans…), soybeans, dried peas (whole, split, chickpeas) and lentils (green, red, brown…) during your period!

The dried fruit

For a snack at 4 p.m. for example or to accompany your meals, dried fruits provide magnesium and help you fight against fatigue and low morale during your period. They also prevent snacking - and god knows our appetites can seem out of control during the “wrong time of the month”. A handful of almonds, cashews or decans with fresh fruit, for example, is the healthiest snack!

Starches

During the period of the period, our mood changes radically from one hour to another, we are much more irritable and sometimes tend to compensate by snacking. To avoid cracking between meals, it is important to include starchy foods in your diet. Wholemeal pasta, brown rice, sweet potato… are your best weapons against cravings.

What foods should you avoid when you're on your period?

To reduce the unpleasant symptoms that accompany our periods, certain foods should be consumed in moderation.

“exciting” foods

Coffee, tea, alcohol, sugary drinks are to be avoided. Especially coffee, because it greatly dehydrates and promotes the elimination of magnesium (and we just told you that magnesium was our ally during menstruation - you follow?).

If you are a coffee addict, do not hesitate to read this article to learn more about it.

Dishes that are too salty

Obviously, during our periods (but not only!), dishes that are too salty should be limited as much as possible. They will make you feel bloated, especially because of water retention. For example, industrial dishes, which are often too salty and too sweet, are not recommended.

Fast foods and foods that are too sweet

During this period, we would be tempted by a burger, a pizza or chocolate! But, is it really the right thing to do for your health?! It's worth avoiding them during your period because our hormones make us more susceptible to acne breakouts and weight gain around this time in our menstrual cycle .

However, all this is not to be respected literally, out of the question of imposing a drastic diet. You can try eating healthier during your period to limit unpleasant symptoms without restricting yourself and creating frustration. Do not hesitate to take a look at the MyBetterSelf youtube channel for example, you will find lots of healthy AND appetizing recipes!

By Laura