Image source: Her Ground
The monthly period cycle is something all women worry about every month. The pain and discomfort make the days of women mundane. Symptoms like cramps, bloating, indigestion, heavy breast, nausea, loss of appetite, etc., can make any women feel low. The symptoms get worse during winters.
According to the research, “as the days are shorter and darker, your mood can be adversely affected and add to that the monthly rollercoaster of hormones that arrive with your period, and it can all seem even bleaker”.
“Furthermore, winter means we spend more time indoors, and we move less and eat more. This can have a bad effect on premenstrual symptoms as it has been found that women who are more active had much more regular and manageable cycles than those that hardly worked out.
Eating right is extremely important during ‘that time of the month’, especially in winters. The right food can regulate the levels of hormones in the body, ensuring the right amount of flow.
A healthy balanced diet with adequate hydration and nutrients is the strategy to stay healthy during your periods.
Here are the best period foods which will help get through the painful days of the month:
Leafy Green Vegetables:
“Eat your greens”. We all have heard this before. Green vegetables have plenty of iron, which you need most because you lost blood during your menstruation. Vegetables like spinach and kale should be consumed during menstruation as they bring the iron reserves back to optimum levels. Ingest plenty of green leafy salads during your menstruation to increase the iron level.
Salmon
Fish like salmon and tuna are a great source of protein as they are low in calories and the fats that they do have is beneficial to the body. If you prefer non-vegetarian food, salmon is a great food to add to your diet. Salmon is also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which relax muscles reducing pain from menstrual cramps. You can eat this in winter to keep your body warm. But, if you prefer vegetarian food or if you do not prefer seafood, you can go for avocado or walnuts. These are also packed with Omega-3.
Banana
Bananas are rich sources of platinum and contain vitamin B6 among other vitamins which are capable of enhancing your mood. Munching bananas can normalize bowel movement, leaving you feeling stress free about at least one thing. For delicious taste and better results, blend some bananas along with milk to make a delicious smoothie and gulp it down.
Yogurt and Low-fat milk
Dairy items like low-fat milk and yogurt are a great source of calcium. The calcium intake helps to reduce premenstrual syndrome and also relaxes your muscles. So be sure to get yogurt, lassi, or milk during your periods. You can eat with your lunch or breakfast. If you do not like plain yogurt, you can also opt for yummy frozen yogurt with berries but be careful not to add too much sugar syrup or other sugar ingredients in your frozen yogurt. Calcium will help you with your cramps.
Whole Grain
Whole grains like oats and brown rice are a good choice for injecting vitamin B and antioxidants. These provide fiber to prevent constipation. You can take the whole grain wheat any time of the day during your period, for all season.