Having your period isn’t fun. Not only can it be uncomfortable and painful, it can also make you irritable and depressive. Thankfully, there are some foods you can eat to make your time of the month a little more bearable.
Eat lean protein and fiber
Do you get a lot of cravings during your period? By eating lean protein and fiber, you can help your blood sugar stabilize, curbing your cravings. Snack on cheese, yogurt, nut butter, and so forth in the afternoon, which is when your cravings hit their peak.
Fiber helps you feel more full, and also helps with constipation and diarrhea, which many women have during menstruation.
Photo: Pixabay
Mood-boosting foods
Omega-3 foods are great for your mood, so eat plenty of salmon, nuts, soybeans, spinach, and so on. Dark chocolate (the less sugar, the better) is also great because it has antioxidants and magnesium, which helps regulate serotonin—the happy hormone.
Click to the next page to read about more kinds of food you should be eating during your time of the month.
Vitamins A and B-12
Do you tend to break out during your period? Vitamin A helps with your skin’s health, so if you suffer from skin problems during menstruation, add foods like carrots, spinach, and squash into your diet.
Your blood cells and nervous system need Vitamin B-12 to keep healthy. Not enough of this vitamin can lead to depression and fatigue during your period. Natural sources of Vitamin B-12 are lean meats like chicken, turkey, and fish; dairy; tofu; and soy milk.
Photo: Pixabay
Iron
Most women lose around 1/4 cup of blood every month through menstruation, and many menstruating women lack iron. Iron helps with menstrual cramps and PMS, so stock up on iron-rich foods like liver, sunflower seeds, beef, nuts, beans, and dark leafy greens.
READ: Is your period telling you something? Here’s what they could be saying
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