10 Foods You Shouldn’t Eat When You’re On Your Period - Page 5

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Your PMS is something else. Not only are you uncomfortable most of the time, but your hormones are also telling you to eat everything within reach. But before you give into your cravings, it pays to think twice about what you’re eating.

Some foods can actually make your PMS symptoms worse. The foods on this list can give you more cramps (and make them hurt more), add to bloating, and send your mood swinging (and don’t even get me started on the snacks that break you out).

Of course, they are some of the foods you crave the most when Aunt Flo is in town. To be of assistance, we’ve included a few substitutions that can help you with your cravings without making your period worse.

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Coffee

It can mess with your hormones and take mood swings and even headaches to the next level. How will you get your morning pick-me-up? Switch to tea. It has enough caffeine to give you energy, but not enough to make things worse.

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Anything in a Package

PMS is just the reason you need to take a week-long break from the office vending machine. Packaged and processed foods have a lot of sodium in them, which can make bloating worse.

Need a snack in a pinch? Read the back of the label. Anything with less than 200mg of sodium should be OK.

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Fried Food

Greasy food sometimes hits the spot. But greasy food also messes with your hormone levels, which can make your symptoms all the more complicated.

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Margarine

Margarine is very high in trans fats, and that can make cramps more severe.

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Sugary Sweets

The sugar from all of your favorite sweets can cause your premenstrual symptoms to act quite the fool. Before you give into cravings, try satisfying your sweet tooth with fruit or dark chocolate instead. They’re lower in the sugars that aren’t good for you as you deal with your period.

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Avoiding Red Meat

Don’t feel so bad about craving a steak or thinking it will make you feel worse. Iron-rich foods like red meat are great sources of iron, which you need to replenish when you’re on your period. Just avoid the fatty cuts.

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Yogurt and Dairy in General

If you have endometriosis, very heavy periods or bad cramps, this is a good week to skip out on all dairy products (especially full fat ones).

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Alcohol

A glass of wine after dinner is fine. But if you already have irregular periods, turning up frequently and consuming alcohol quite a bit can throw you even further off schedule (or even affect your fertility).

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Big Meals

Your hormones may be telling you to supersize it, but when you’re hungry it’s best to go for small meals instead of one big one.

When you find yourself full enough to get uncomfortable, it can make cramps worse and lead to gas, even more bloating, and other bathroom-related digestive issues.