What are the limits for menstruation? Nutrition for PMS. Nutrition during menstruation What can you eat with PMS
What is PMS, women do not need to be told. For the most part, they are already well aware of the cyclical changes that occur in their bodies every month. Premenstrual syndrome in each of the fair sex manifests itself in different ways. One constantly wants sweets, the other suffers from swelling, and the third becomes irritable. Pain in the lower abdomen is not uncommon. Doctors assure that these manifestations can be corrected. The article provides information about nutrition in PMS.
Features of the phenomenon
Women usually do not need to explain what lies behind these words. Beginning with adolescence, they have to regularly test the complex unpleasant symptoms signaling the approach of menstruation. Premenstrual syndrome has many symptoms. All of them can be combined into several main groups:
- Anxiety, irritability and insomnia.
- Increased appetite. Women are usually drawn to sweets. This is accompanied by weakness, weakness and headaches.
- Apathy, forgetfulness and inattention.
- Puffiness, weight gain.
Symptoms may be expressed with different strength and manifest themselves a few days before the onset of menstruation. Women owe all these metamorphoses to hormones. But I would like to know how nutrition during PMS can affect the condition of the fair sex.
Changes in eating behavior
Even if you stick to the principles healthy eating, before the onset critical days It's getting harder and harder to control yourself. Why is this happening? It's all about the hormones that make their own adjustments. And, of course, weight and eating habits are no exception. What is PMS in girls today is not a secret, even men are well aware that there are special days when beautiful creatures become overly irritable. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
During this period, the "kingdom" of the hormone progesterone begins. Its main goal is to prepare the woman's body for the upcoming pregnancy. This means that fat reserves are needed. But this is not the only reason that you start to go into the kitchen more often. At the time of egg maturation, progesterone:
- promotes the storage of fat mass by activating certain enzymes;
- slows down the movement of food through the stomach and intestines, so absorption nutrients o happens more tightly;
- increases appetite;
- changes carbohydrate metabolism, as a result, it begins to pull on flour and sweets - so everything is natural;
- retains water, which leads to swelling.
The hormonal background is very complex, an increase in the level of one hormone leads to a decrease in another. This is what happens in this case. What is PMS in a girl? Among other things, this is a lack of endorphin, that is, the hormone of joy. This can easily explain the decrease in mood, the desire to sleep longer and apathy. Do not scold yourself for laziness, it's just your body is preparing for motherhood.
Getting ready for change
The calendar will allow you to keep track of how your behavior and appetite changes as critical days approach. Nutrition for PMS should be correct and balanced, but not excessive. It is wrong to refuse meat and vegetables, from walking in the fresh air, and instead lie on the couch and eat chocolate. Last days before menstruation are a dangerous period in terms of gaining excess weight. At this time, all errors in nutrition will appear as folds at the waist.
That is, the body tries to pull out as many nutrients as possible from each piece and put them aside in reserve to be used later. Therefore, it is not worth starting to lose weight during this period, so as not to doom your undertaking to failure in advance. It is better to wait a bit and try to maintain your weight.
Required products
Once again, we draw your attention to the fact that nutrition during PMS is not a hunger strike. You do not have to suffer from a lack of necessary substances. Moreover, by impoverishing your diet, you are at risk, because the signs of PMS will appear more intensely. To compensate for the discomfort, you will probably resort to the usual way of eating buns and chocolate. Nutrition for PMS should be balanced. The list of products that must be included in the diet:
- Hercules porridge and brown rice, buckwheat.
- Dried fruits.
- Beef.
- Eggs.
- oily fish.
- Dairy products.
- Butter.
Enrich your diet with B vitamins and magnesium. These substances are very important in order to reduce the manifestation of PMS and reduce discomfort.
Regular changes
Even if you strictly monitor your diet, before the monthly arrows of the scales may slightly deviate upwards. Usually the difference is 2-3 kg, in some cases up to 5 kg. But weight is not fat. If towards the end of the month, the weight returns to its original values again, then nothing terrible has happened. Excess water simply accumulated, which, after the normalization of the hormonal level, again left the body. This will not affect the amount of adipose tissue in any way. But there is another reason why PMS and diet are considered together. Proper nutrition will allow you to survive this period easily and naturally, without spending money on painkillers.
Eight rules of nutrition
- Breakfast is a must. Your emotional state will improve significantly.
- Calcium and vitamin D. If you do not suffer from the deficiencies of these elements, then you will survive PMS painlessly.
- Vitamins and cereals. The diet should be dominated by cereals (cereals), lean meat, vegetables, fruits, all of which are important foods for the female body.
- Swap candy for dried fruits.
- Drink more water and less coffee and alcohol.
- Control the amount of salt.
- Experts recommend supporting your body with a multivitamin, which includes vitamin B6, calcium, vitamin D and magnesium.
- Right way of life.
Optimal Diet
We have already considered above healthy foods with PMS. But there is a special diet that has been developed to minimize the manifestations of all signs of premenstrual syndrome. It is recommended to adhere to it regularly, starting from the 10th day of the cycle and up to about the 24th. Then you can take a short break and return to the treatment diet again.
- For breakfast, one banana and low-fat yogurt. You can add berries to it. In this regard, experts recommend supporting your body with multivitamins, which include vitamin B6, calcium, vitamin D and magnesium. You can have tea and bread.
- Second breakfast - tea and a handful of dried fruits with nuts.
- Dinner. Salad of half an avocado and six cherry tomatoes. Fill it up lemon juice. Baked chicken meat.
- Snack - a handful of almonds.
- Dinner - fat-free kefir, baked fish fillet and boiled rice as well as greens.
As you can see, nothing complicated. All products are simple and affordable, and the combination is also classic. Complete nutrition, which eliminates the abundance of fatty and sweet, but provides the body with everything it needs. Vitamins for PMS play an important role, so you need to consult a doctor about prescribing a multivitamin complex, as well as regularly eat vegetables, fruits and herbs. There are a number of other recommendations to consider:
- The diet should not contain alcohol, as well as caffeine-based drinks.
- Maximize sources of fiber and protein. But the sources of fat, on the contrary, need to be limited, but not completely excluded.
- Massage, yoga or aerobics, long quality sleep - all this affects your well-being in the best way.
- It is recommended to consume regularly carbohydrates, which are contained in cereals, cereals, bread.
- You should avoid the use of sugar and confectionery, chips and chocolate, limit foods that contain protein. These are milk, meat, eggs, nuts.
Snacks
This is an important part of the diet. To make it easier, it is worth arranging delicious minutes for yourself. Can't be sweet? Well, it's not a problem. But tea with PMS is recommended to drink more often. Only not strong black, but chamomile or green. An excellent option would be ginger tea. To do this, boil 50 g of ginger root in 500 ml of water. Add cinnamon and vanilla, a little lemon, and you will understand that life is a worthwhile thing.
The second great dessert is fruit. With PMS, the need for vitamins and minerals increases, so try to eat one or two apples, an orange, or a grapefruit every day.
The well-being of a woman during menstruation is directly related to her nutrition these days. The diet should include foods enriched with vitamins and minerals. Also, food should not cause bloating, increased gas formation, because such factors aggravate the general condition. To avoid this, you need to know that you can’t eat during menstruation.
During the period of menstruation, the following unpleasant sensations may appear: weakness, bloating, problems with digestive function, convulsions. The manifestation of these symptoms is interconnected not only with changes in the hormonal background, but also with the reaction to the products consumed. Therefore, doctors recommend dieting during menstruation.
An excess of fatty, heavy, smoked food contributes, that is, the symptom that has appeared is intensified. Sweets, which in large quantities enter the body of a woman, have a similar effect. Under the influence of sugar in the intestines, the fermentation process is activated, and the resulting gases begin to burst the abdominal region, causing increased menstrual pain.
During menstruation, progesterone is actively produced, as a result, an increase in blood pressure is observed. If these days you eat food that has the same effect, the woman will feel a general malaise due to increased PMS and other uncomfortable sensations that have appeared.
Also, some foods can cause increased pain, copious discharge. The impact can be associated not only directly with menstruation, but also with the emotional mood of a woman, since some food increases irritability and excitability.
To avoid this, you need to know how to eat during menstruation. To improve your own well-being, weakening the uncomfortable sensations, a diet during menstruation will help.
What foods to avoid during menstruation
Discomfort that occurs during menstruation may increase if a woman does not eat properly. In order for this not to happen, you must refuse:
- from fatty food. During menstruation, flatulence is often observed in the intestines, the stomach swells, and such food in the diet exacerbates these problems, causing increased pain in the abdomen, deterioration in general well-being (during menstruation, it is necessary to completely exclude sour cream, full-fat milk, butter, pork);
- spicy meals. Their use causes a rush of blood to the organs and tissues of the small pelvis, which provokes an increase in menstrual flow and pain, an increase in the duration of menstruation;
- salty foods. They cause thirst, and the consumption of an increased amount of salt contributes to fluid retention in the tissues, which causes a feeling of fullness, headaches intensify, general well-being worsens;
- sweets. The intake of an increased amount of sugar in the blood increases appetite, causes bloating, fermentation in the intestines, headache, increases the intensity of discomfort in the abdominal region, worsens the general condition of hair and skin;
- products that increase gas formation and cause bloating. These include legumes, white bread, cabbage, flour yeast products;
- alcoholic products. Such drinks dilate blood vessels, as a result, bleeding increases;
- coffee. The use of caffeine leads to excitability of the brain, irritability, headache, increased pressure, which significantly worsens the well-being of a woman during menstruation.
A diet for PMS, based on the exclusion of these products, allows you to deal with the discomfort that occurs during menstruation.
What not to eat from cooked food
A special group of prohibited foods are semi-finished products and various canned foods. They contain an increased amount of salt, which contributes to fluid retention in the body and increased pain in the lower abdomen.
You should also avoid fried foods. The fact is that such food contributes to an increase in estrogen levels, due to which uterine contractions become sharp and contribute to the appearance of severe pain.
Chips, crackers, french fries can aggravate the general well-being of the body. Any fast food contains a large amount of salt and fat, which negatively affects the nature of PMS and digestion.
diet during menstruation
To reduce the intensity of PMS, as well as to prevent a deterioration in overall well-being, a woman needs to follow the rules of a healthy diet. The first step is to increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed. Such products are rich in vitamins and minerals, have an antioxidant effect.
From fruits and berries it is best to give preference:
- currant;
- apples;
- oranges;
- plums;
- seasonal products.
During this period, any vegetables are allowed, except for those that cause increased gas formation. The best option for a diet during menstruation is red cabbage, as it has an analgesic effect, a positive effect on the fertility of the body.
To cope with the pulling pain that occurs due to fluid retention in the body, it is required to observe the drinking regimen. During menstruation, you should increase the amount of pure water consumed. At severe pain it is recommended to drink a decoction of yarrow, lemon balm, chamomile or tansy.
If a girl complains about, the diet should contain iron-fortified foods. The fact is that during menstruation, the body may experience a deficiency of this substance, which negatively affects overall well-being. To replenish it, you need to eat apples, shellfish, buckwheat, seaweed.
Drinking beverages such as:
- a decoction of the mountaineer pepper and shepherd's bag;
- raspberry and peppermint tea.
Nutrition with heavy periods should be balanced. Fried, fatty, smoked, salty foods should be excluded from the diet. From meat products it is better to give preference to beef, you should also eat low-fat varieties of poultry and fish.
Since during menstruation, women show an increased interest in sweets, many of the fairer sex have problems with the appearance of extra pounds. To compensate for this need, bad carbohydrates should be replaced with dry fruits. It is best to eat raisins, dried apricots, walnuts. Such products allow you to keep your figure in shape, enrich the body with useful substances, in particular iron.
Compliance with the principles of proper eating during menstruation allows you to normalize the menstrual cycle, the amount of discharge, and also minimize PMS. The listed useful products have a beneficial effect on nervous system women, smooth out the emotional background, suppressing irritability.
Proper nutrition during PMS can reduce symptoms. What diet to follow in each phase of the cycle? Let's take a closer look in the article.
The menstrual cycle includes four phases:
- Follicular - begins on the first day of menstruation and ends before the onset of ovulation. Duration - 7–10 days.
- Ovulation - lasts 3-4 days.
- Luteal - PMS period.
- Menstruation - lasts 3-7 days.
Phases of a woman's cycle
At the first stage, processes are activated that help the egg to mature. The key role during this period is played by the hormone estrogen. During the follicular phase, a woman has a good mood, an accelerated metabolism and an intense outflow of fluid. The period is ideal for starting to lose weight.
At this time, the body needs animal protein products and vitamin C. Red meat, liver, green salads, pomegranate seeds, bell peppers will bring the greatest benefit. Normal ovulation is promoted by legumes, wheat bran, oats, pumpkin and flax seeds, broccoli, cauliflower, avocado, citrus, plum, cherry, kiwi.
In the follicular phase, you need to eat avocados
Ovulation
During this phase, estrogen levels remain high. It is recommended to include foods containing fiber, vitamin C, E, zinc, folic acid, Omega 3.
The most useful: eggs, shrimp, tuna, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, figs, avocados, bell peppers, eggplant, spinach, tomatoes, almonds, pine nuts, peas, beans, chicken.
During ovulation, it is recommended to include shrimp in the diet.
When planning a pregnancy during this period, it is better to stop drinking caffeine.
PMS
During the third phase, progesterone production increases. The body retains fluid and fat. The amount of energy decreases, the mood falls. Typical symptoms of PMS appear: strong appetite, irritability, weight gain, bloating, desire to eat something sweet, spicy or salty.
The PMS diet includes foods containing tryptophan. This amino acid is used to produce serotonin, the pleasure hormone.
Amino acid Tryptophan
Foods that help relieve PMS symptoms: eggs, seafood, fish, turkey, low-fat cottage cheese, cheese, oatmeal, sesame, walnuts. To alleviate PMS, it is helpful to increase your intake of B vitamins.
The body needs potassium and magnesium, so it is recommended to eat dried apricots, dates, bananas, almonds, as well as bread, pita bread, cereals, whole grain muesli and chia seeds. Products that are contraindicated: coffee, strong tea, alcohol and simple carbohydrates.
During PMS, the body needs potassium and magnesium
It is advisable to eat small meals 5 times a day. Breakfast - cereals and whole grain bread. Lunch - meat or fish with side dishes of cereals. Snack - dried fruits.
When deciding what to drink for PMS, opt for mineral water and unsweetened juices. If there is breast swelling, you should pay attention to the amount of fluid consumed. Optimal daily rate- 1.5 liters.
Menstruation
During this phase, the body loses a lot of blood. The condition is exacerbated by severe spasms.
It is recommended to consume pomegranates during menstruation
The body requires heme and non-heme iron. Buckwheat, pomegranate, cranberries, blueberries, liver, organ meats, cashews, seaweed, legumes, seafood are the foods most suitable for menstruation. It is recommended to increase the amount of water consumed, eat only warm food and review the daily routine.
PMS is a phenomenon that, according to various sources, haunts from 75 to 85% of women worldwide. Various symptoms of PMS begin a few days before menstruation and bring a lot of discomfort to a woman. And in more severe cases, they can significantly worsen the quality of life, interfere with social communications, and make physical activity impossible.
The reason for all these regular troubles lies in the monthly hormonal fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels throughout menstrual cycle in the female body. With the symptoms of PMS, you can deal with various methods, one of the most important is the rationalization of nutrition.
So, if PMS is manifested by an increase and excessive sensitivity of the chest, swelling of the arms, sometimes legs, swelling and a sharp increase in body weight, then this indicates fluid retention and sodium salts in the body. You can improve your condition with the help of products that will help remove excess fluid.
Which products should be included in your diet during PMS?
1. Fiber-rich vegetables and fruits(broccoli, spinach, tomatoes)
They improve intestinal motility and digestion, promote the removal of excess fluid from the body and fight the symptoms of PMS also due to the high content of magnesium and B vitamins.
2. whole grain cereals
3. Foods containing calcium(sesame, basil, almonds, soybeans, beans)
Research by scientists from the University of Massachusetts has shown that women who eat calcium-rich foods are much less likely to suffer from PMS symptoms.
4. Vitamin D(mushrooms, herbs, vegetable oils)
Promote the absorption of calcium, stimulate the ovaries, improve mood, relieve irritability.
5. Water
Paradoxically, the observance of sufficient drinking regime helps to reduce swelling. In this case, it is better to drink water not cold, but warm or hot. Particularly well relieves symptoms of PMS water with the addition of lemon (due to vitamin C) and honey.
6. Green tea with camomile
Tea will reduce soreness in the lower abdomen and lower back, with the addition ginger- pain and swelling, lavender or mint- irritability honey- Feeling tired and depressed lemon- reduces appetite, removes puffiness, cleanses the skin.
7. Honey
It has been experimentally proven that honey lovers are much less likely to experience PMS symptoms and menstrual pain than those who do not have this product in their diet. In addition, with the help of honey, you can satisfy the need for sweets, which is very common in the second phase of the menstrual cycle, especially during PMS, while avoiding the undesirable effects of simple carbohydrates from pastries and sweets.
8. Sources of zinc(chickpeas, lentils)
These products contribute to the normalization of the synthesis of sex hormones, improve the general condition.
9. Dark chocolate
little piece dark chocolate also guaranteed to improve mood.
What foods are better to exclude from the diet during PMS?
1. salty foods
Some varieties of cheese, chips, fast food. Due to the high salt content, they exacerbate fluid retention in the body and increase swelling.
2. Sugar-containing products: pastries, sweets, sweet carbonated drinks.
Like sodium salts, they promote fluid retention in the tissues of the body, can lead to skin rashes, impair digestion and exacerbate the feeling of bloating in the stomach. The fact is that in the second phase of the cycle, the dominant hormone is progesterone, under the influence of which the metabolism of carbohydrates slows down. Therefore, during this period, the negative effect of simple carbohydrates is much more pronounced than in the first, folliculin phase of the menstrual cycle.
Dietitian, gastroenterologist and body mesotherapist. | more >>
Official nutritionist of our site. Author of dozens of articles on dietetics and the book "Fundamentals and Nuances of Dietetics". Specialist in the field of dietetics, gastroenterology, aesthetic medicine and hydrotherapy with 10 years of experience. Head of the Department of Dietetics for Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Overweight and Metabolic Pathology.
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Date of: 2014-08-26 Views: 13 732 Grade: 4.7
My article is entirely dedicated to lovely ladies. Only a woman is able to understand what PMS is, since every month she experiences all the “charms” of this period. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) has many symptoms. All of them can be combined into several main groups: 1.
Anxiety, irritability, insomnia. 2.
, craving for sweets, weakness, fatigue, headaches. 3.
Apathy, forgetfulness, inattention. 4.
Swelling, weight gain, hardening and soreness of the mammary glands. Symptoms can be expressed with varying intensity and usually appear for another two weeks. We, women, owe all these metamorphoses to our female hormones. But I would like to talk about the impact of PMS on weight changes during this period and changes in eating behavior. The effect of PMS on eating behavior
As I said, hormones play a huge role in a woman's life, which make their own adjustments. And, of course, weight, eating habits, appetite are no exception. During this period, the "kingdom" of the hormone progesterone begins, the main objective which is to prepare the woman's body for the upcoming one. In PMS, progesterone:- Promotes additional storage of adipose tissue by activating the enzyme lipoprotein lipase.
- Reduces the movement of food through the stomach and intestines. Therefore, nutrients are absorbed most densely.
- Increases appetite.
- Promotes a change in carbohydrate metabolism, resulting in increased cravings for flour and sweets.
- Retains water, which is manifested by weight gain due to swelling.
Diet for PMS and menstruation
Thus, PMS is a very “dangerous” period in terms of gaining excess weight. It is during this period that all errors in the diet, overeating will necessarily appear as folds at the waist, sides and other “weak” places. During PMS, the body is trying hard to extract and assimilate as many nutrients and especially fat from each piece eaten. Be careful! It is important for women to remember that you should not lose weight during this period. It is better to wait and try to maintain your weight. Here is a list of foods that should definitely be included in the diet for PMS and:- Hercules porridge. The use of this wonderful product helps to increase the production of endorphins (hormones of joy) and reduce cravings for sweets.
- Brown rice.
- Buckwheat is a kernel.
- Dried fruits.
- Beef.
- Eggs.
- Fatty fish (salmon, trout, mackerel).
- Dairy products.
- A small amount of butter.
