We use and lose it when we menstruate……
…….minerals that is!!
Periods can tell us a lot about what is going on in bodies, from no monthly bleeding that could possibly be caused by over training or under eating, to irregular cycles with hormonal imbalances, to a regular monthly menstruation telling us that hopefully all is well. Even if it does come with all those wonderful symptoms such as cramps, sore boobs, feeling a little blue and those lovely cravings.
Us ladies can crave lots of things when we have our periods, most common is good old chocolate, though there are many more. I struggle with low iron and sometimes I know my body wants a meat source of that. Although there are non-heme (plant) sources of iron, the heme iron (found in animals) is more easily absorbed by the body. The heavier our bleeding is, the more iron we are losing. We need to replace this through iron rich foods. This can be with shellfish or dark meats, beef, lamb and dark chicken if you eat those, or, if you don’t eat meat, then through lentils, dried fruit, beans, chickpeas and dark leafy greens. If you add some vitamin c rich foods or juice, with your meal, this will increase the absorption of plant based iron.
To help your body better use that iron, we also need to take in some copper. Good foods for this are sweet potatoes, citrus fruits, leafy greens, mushrooms, seeds, nuts, wholegrains.
If you struggle with pain or low mood, try adding magnesium to your period nutrition. This can be through dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, wholegrains or of course dark, dark sexy chocolate 💗💗 Pain, cramps, depression and other PMS symptoms can also be relieved through including calcium, found in dairy and dark green leafy veg or zinc found in dairy, shellfish, meat and cereal products. Omega 3 fish oils help with depression, anxiety, pain and cramping and can also help if you suffer with thick and heavy periods as they are a natural blood thinner (1) (professional advice should be sort before including high doses in your diet for this).
Its not just minerals, vitamins can also help with pain and blood flow (2). Vitamin D, found in fish, made under our skin from sunshine in the summer or gained through supplements in the winter, was reported to significantly reduce flow and pain. Vitamin D has also been found to help in symptoms of depression so your get more for your money with that one, and it is recommended we all supplement in the UK in winter anyway. Vitamin E, found in plant oils, nuts, seeds and wheatgerm has also been reported to help reduce blood flow and pain; and similarly has a double benefit by benefitting the skin (3) too, something else we can struggle with at that time of the month. However, ginger actually performed better than either vitamin E or D in a 2019 single-blind clinical trial (2), so maybe add some fresh warming ginger to your diet, or supplement under guidance.
If you suffer with bloating, try to drink more water, which sounds counter intuitive, however, this helps flush everything through. Also try to limit your salt intake as this can add to water retention, as can an over eating carbohydrates.
Data is undecided on whether we burn more calories whilst menstruating, or in the week preceding. Some women have shown to increase their resting metabolic rate between 1.7 to 10% (4), whilst others have during the luteal phase (5), which is the second half of the cycle, after ovulation and prior to menstruation. Others show a possible rise at ovulation, whilst some women don’t (6). We are all individuals.
The reason you might be hungry right before your period may be part physical and part psychological. First, high-fat and sweet foods can satisfy an emotional need when changing hormones may make you feel lower. A second reason may be related to your survival. Your body may crave these foods to protect itself and to give you the energy and nutrition you need for this time.
So, when you’re craving sweet or high-fat foods, your menstrual cycle could be a potential cause. Usually, a small amount of these foods can quench the craving, but I would recommend you have the real deal, not the diet version of something, otherwise you’ll just still be craving it after having the ‘healthy alternative’! Eating dark chocolate can be great if you crave chocolate, I know not everyone is a fan, but I love it, straight from the fridge, one cold dark square is usually enough for me for an after dinner treat. Maybe have some chocolate covered nuts to gain extra benefits.
Although it can feel like it, there’s no data agreement that exercising while you’re on your period makes you burn more calories, however it sure can feel like hard work. Menstruating certainly takes bodily energy, but getting out there and exercising may help you feel physically better when you’re on your period, by reducing symptoms like cramping and back pain and it will also help to increase your wellbeing. A nice walk, a cycle or even a swim, could really improve how your feel both physically, and emotionally, or maybe even a nice stretch and spot of yoga on the floor in front of the tele with a hot water bottle.
Getting to know your body and your cycle is something we should all do. I recommend using an app to track yours, I use a simple and free app called period tracker. I soon got to know the signs of when I was ovulating and realised I was far more regular than I thought I was, that my cycle is 26 days and I stopped trying to run on the prescribed 28 day schedule or even by calendar month.
If you would like help with how to fit some healthy period habits into your life do get in touch!! Next up I’ll be looking at peri-menopausal health…..often not talked about enough, but it is coming to us all……
References
1. Gross BW, Gillio M, Rinehart CD, Lynch CA, Rogers FB. (2017) Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation and Warfarin: A Lethal Combination in Traumatic Brain Injury. J Trauma Nurs. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28033135/
2. Pakniat, H., Chegini, V., Ranjkesh, F., & Hosseini, M. A. (2019). Comparison of the effect of vitamin E, vitamin D and ginger on the severity of primary dysmenorrhea: a single-blind clinical trial. Obstetrics & gynecology science, 62(6), 462–468. https://doi.org/10.5468/ogs.2019.62.6.462
3. Jorde, R., Sneve, M., Figenschau, Y., Svartberg, J. and Waterloo, K. (2008), Effects of vitamin D supplementation on symptoms of depression in overweight and obese subjects: randomized double blind trial. Journal of Internal Medicine, 264: 599-609. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2008.02008.x
5. (2-10%) Henry CJ, Lightowler HJ, Marchini J. (2003) Intra-individual variation in resting metabolic rate during the menstrual cycle. Br J Nutr. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12828798/
6. (Luteal) E Benton MJ, Hutchins AM, Dawes JJ. (2020) Effect of menstrual cycle on resting metabolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32658929/
7. (none) Campolier, M., Thondre, S., & Lightowler, H. (2015). Resting metabolic rate and the menstrual cycle. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 74(OCE1), E29. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665115000440
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