What to eat if you experience painful periods (dysmenorrhea).
If you have painful periods, you most likely dread menstruating every single month. Pain with periods can be common, but it doesn’t have to be your normal monthly occurrence! Unfortunately more than half of people who menstruate have some pain for one to two days each month. So what can we do to reduce your monthly period pain? What you eat can help reduce your painful periods and I’m sharing what to eat if you have painful periods.
What causes period pain?
A hormone called prostaglandin triggers muscle contractions in your uterus that expel the lining. These contractions can cause pain and inflammation. The level of prostaglandin rises right before menstruation begins. Painful periods can also be caused by PMS, fibroids and endometriosis and you should discuss your painful periods with your doctor to see what next steps are best to support you.
What to eat if you have painful periods:
Focus on an anti-inflammatory diet. This diet favours fruits and vegetables, foods containing omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, whole grains, lean protein, healthful fats, and spices while reducing processed foods, seed oils and alcohol.
Try to eat lots of warm, cooked and nourishing foods when you have your period like curries and soups which are easier to digest.
Ginger is your friend. Drink lots of ginger tea as well as add fresh ginger to meals.
Start drinking raspberry leaf tea the week before your period. Once your period arrives continue drinking a few cups per day.
Reduce alcohol, caffeine and sugar throughout your entire cycle, but especially the last two weeks of your cycle during the luteal phase as well as when you have your period.
Eliminate seed (vegetable) oils, which cause inflammation. Seed oils include soybean, corn, canola, cottonseed, rapeseed, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, and rice bran.
Stay hydrated, double your water intake so that your urine is almost clear.
Keep your blood sugar levels balanced and include proteins, fats and fibre at every meal. This is the first step in eating to support your hormones and has huge benefits for reducing painful periods.