Many girls and women experience cramps, fatigue, nausea, headaches, and mood swings during menstruation. While certain foods can help ease these symptoms, others may actually make them worse. Knowing which foods to avoid may help you manage period discomfort more effectively.
Read on to discover which food to avoid during periods.
Foods to avoid during menstruation
Some of the foods to avoid during menstruation are:
- High-sodium food: Foods high in salt can cause water retention, bloating, and even worsen cramps. Cutting down on salty foods can save you from pain and feeling bloated.
- Sugar: Excess sugar intake can cause fluctuations in blood sugar, leading to mood swings. Controlling sugar intake during periods will prevent you from experiencing a quick spike in energy followed by a sudden crash.
- Caffeine: Caffeine in tea and coffee can lead to water retention, bloating, and headaches. In high doses, it can also contribute to breast tenderness and pain. If you suffer from diarrhoea during periods, cutting down on caffeine can help relieve it.
- Spicy food: Spicy food is among the foods to avoid while menstruating. Such foods can upset stomachs, leading to diarrhoea, nausea and pain.
- Red meat: Although red meat is rich in iron, it is also high in prostaglandins. The body naturally secretes this hormone-like substance that helps eliminate the uterine lining. However, consuming red meats such as beef and pork during menses can increase prostaglandin production, which can cause severe cramps.
- Alcohol: It can dehydrate the body and exacerbate period symptoms, causing headaches, bloating, nausea, and diarrhoea. It can also dehydrate the body.
- Processed foods: These foods are rich in salt and sugar and are a part of what not to eat during periods.
- Diary: Consuming dairy products in large amounts can worsen period cramps as they contain arachidonic acid. This acid can trigger inflammation, leading to increased period pain.
Conclusion
A nutritious diet and exercise can help alleviate some of these symptoms. However, if the pain becomes severe enough to disrupt your daily life, it’s important to consult a healthcare professional and explore treatment options. An appropriate health insurance policy can cover the cost of consultations, diagnosis and treatment, ensuring financial security and peace of mind. It can also provide financial coverage during unexpected health concerns.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only. Please consult a medical or nutrition professional before making any significant changes in your daily diet. Relying on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk, and ICICI Lombard is not responsible for any impact or consequences resulting from the use of the information shared.