Foods We Should STOP Eating Right Before Our Period Starts
As women experience various symptoms during our monthly menstrual cycle. Some of these include bloating, cramps, fatigue, mood swings, and much more. These symptoms can be worse for some women and cause them a huge struggle during their entire period. I was one of them, thinking because I was on the slim side that I could eat any and everything and not have a negative impact on my body.
Because we are overweight or even maybe skinny, we still have to be very careful what we put in our bodies because our body's have the capabilities to give life so what we put in it can have harsh side effects on our reproductive system.
Reaching out for comfort food can help relieve the unbearable cramping and improve your moods. However, not all foods can ease our menstrual cramps. In fact, some foods can worsen our period symptoms which is not what we’re really looking for during that time of the month.
Check out these foods you should not eat a week to or during your period to avoid making your cramps worse.
1. Coffee
Go slow on caffeine if you don’t want your period cramps to worsen. While this doesn’t mean completely doing away with coffee, you can limit your intake to a cup a day. Usually, excessive consumption of coffee can lead to vasoconstriction. This narrowing of blood vessels worsens period cramps, can cause bloating, increase discomfort from painful menstrual cramps.
The reason avoiding coffee is best is because it increases your blood pressure and heart rate. This may lead to anxiety and tension which will worsen those period cramps. Replace that coffee with healthy smoothies and juice made with fresh fruits and even some vegetables.
2. Refined Carbs and Sugar
The blood sugar keeps on fluctuating during menstruation. As a result, this can entice you to take in more sweeteners which can worsen the situation because it causes the sugar levels to rise and drop drastically. Worse still, sugar causes inflammation which increases cramping during this phase. Additionally, these sugars can lead to mood swings and bloating because of sodium and water retention making you feel extremely uncomfortable all over your body.
Try having fruit or smoothies which will add nutrients to your body.
3. Dairy
Consuming a lot of milk, ice cream, cheese, and other dairy products that contain arachidonic acid can cause cramping. This omega-6 fatty acid increases inflammation and makes period pain worse. Many are not aware that dairy can lead to gas, bloating, and diarrhea. The prostaglandins which are hormone like chemicals increase at the beginning of our period. This is the thing that causes us to have loose stool early on and diary will only make it worse.
This happens by one of the proteins in normal cow’s milk. This protein converts in the gut to as an enzyme which, in turn, may stimulate inflammation leading to mood swings, menstrual pain, and heavy bleeding.
Removing dairy may dramatically improve PMS, heavy periods, painful cramps, endometriosis, allergies and digestion.
4. Fatty Food
The body releases prostaglandins when your period starts, which causes your uterus to contract. Fatty foods increase the level of this hormone in the body, which causes your uterus to contract more, thus increasing the intensity of your cramps. Fatty meat has saturated fats which worsens pains, so avoid it during your period.
5. Processed Foods
Avoid processed foods when menstruating because they have additives that increase cramping and discomfort. These foods have trans fats or hydrogenated oils that food processors add when preparing them. These oils cause inflammation and worsen your period pains. Switch to whole foods, vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins instead of processed foods because they don’t cause complicated period symptoms.
6. Salty Foods
It’s not recommended to consume high sodium levels, especially during your monthly menstrual cycle. So avoid foods with high sodium levels because they will cause water retention and bloating. Some of these foods include chips and French fries as these type of foods dehydrate the body, which hydrates your reproductive system making it a very dry place for the blood to flow. This causes cramps because the blood is trying to flow through a dry desert.
7. No Liquor
While craving a glass of wine or lemon drop or margarita, having just one drink during your period can harshly impact your hormone levels and dehydrate your body. Alcohol may produce both estrogen and testosterone in the body in which Too much of both can increase PMS symptoms, especially mood swings and irritability. But more importantly it could affect the intensity of your menstrual cramps by making it harder for your blood to flow through the uterus due to lack of hydration on your reproductive organs.
THE GOOD STUFF FOR A GOOD VAGINA
A healthy vagina enhances our ability to achieve orgasms, lessen vaginal irritations, lower chances of having fibroids, cysts, infertility, miscarriages and helps our body functions properly reducing risk of disease and common illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
It also plays an important role during childbirth for the baby goes through the vagina from our uterus into the world. Therefore, we should make an effort to keep our vagina as healthy as we can.
One way of achieving this is by eating foods that support vaginal health and eliminate wetter, dryer, and smellier environment.
These foods support vaginal health and how we can balance our wellbeing down there.
Balancing Your Vagina Health
One of the challenges that women experience when their vagina is unhealthy is unbalanced pH. Changes in vaginal pH make you feel different down there, such as receive more than unusual discharge or a new odor.
The most appropriate vaginal pH is 3.8-4.5. Bacteria thrive every time the pH goes beyond these levels and causes discomfort due to conditions such as UTI's, bacteria vaginosis, and yeast infections.
The good news is that your vagina is self-cleaning, and there are 5 foods that support vaginal health and pH.
Foods That Support Vaginal Health
1. Probiotics
Human bodies rely on good bacteria for specific functions like wound healing, disease prevention, digestion, and maintenance of a healthy vaginal pH.
A huge number of beneficial bacteria are found in your vagina and are referred to as microbiome or vaginal flora. While your body can naturally maintain adequate bacteria levels in the vagina area, the number of harmful microorganisms may surpass the beneficial ones. This may arise as a result of illness, stressors, or antibiotics that disrupt the balance.
Probiotics are one of the excellent options for restoring the balance of good and bad bacteria. They are available in the form of foods or as nutritional supplements.
Probiotic-rich foods are such as fermented products like organic apple cider vinegar, yogurt, and kimchi. These foods have live and active cultures that boost good bacteria, thus keeping yeast infections at bay. Further, the high calcium levels in yogurt help to ease PMS symptoms.
2. Cranberries
Cranberries have a high acid compound making them one of the best foods to fight off harmful bacteria. Besides organic acids, they are also rich in antibacterial and antioxidants elements, mainly vitamin C.
Drinking unsweetened cranberry juice can reduce the risk of getting vaginal yeast infections that develops when there is an unhealthy balance of bacteria.
Yeast infections are reported in every three out of four women but on the other hand, cranberry juice may not help lower symptoms such as burning, itching, and pain in the vaginal area due to UTIs and BV.
3. Garlic
Vagina infections, such as the development of yeast and UTIs, are a relatively common occurrence in women. It's reported that every woman must have at least one vaginal infection at one given time in their lives.
When infections strike the vaginal area, you will likely experience a burning feeling, irritation, and discharge. This is caused by a higher level of microscopic fungi in the vagina, particularly when you're stressed, weakened immune system, or used antibiotics recently.
Creative home remedies can calm this vaginal fury. One of these is adding the culinary ingredient garlic to your meals. Garlic has higher anti-microbial properties that help to fight yeast infections. Honey and garlic as a hot tea is a great way to combine the two to make a powerful healing natural medicine,
4. Spinach
Green leafy vegetables contain essential vitamins and minerals, as well as provide fiber. Spinach is rich in magnesium, a compound that increases blood flow and decreases inflammation. One of the benefits of increased blood is that it reaches the extremities, such as the vagina.
A good blood flow elevates your moods, thus making sex more pleasurable, boost arousal, and makes it easier to reach orgasm. It also promotes healthy vaginal tissues and prevents vaginal dryness.
5. Whole Grains
Some of the vaginal yeast infections are linked to diets with high sugar levels or those made from refined grains like white flour.
The use of white bread or foods raises the blood sugar while whole-grain foods such as whole-grain pasta or whole wheat bread stabilize your blood sugar. Eating your Wheaties help decrease the chance of having diabetes which prevents a lot of down-there issues.
6. Water
Guzzling down water is the right way of keeping your hoo-ha happy and healthy. This is an extra tip because hydration is not only the secret to overall health but necessary for the proper functioning of your vagina. Consuming plenty of water boosts the vagina's self-cleaning ability, increases lubrication, maintains proper pH balance, and allow odorless secretions.
Having a well hydrated vagina means a well hydrated period which means shorter periods, less cramps, less pain, less mood swings. SAY LESS, GET A DRINK OF WATER NOW.
Best water for women are spring, distilled and alkaline. Stay away from purified, drinking and tap water as these have contaminants like pesticides and preservatives which may cause more harm than good.
Products that can Enhance Vaginal Health
Besides eating foods that contribute to a healthy vagina, observing proper vaginal care like good hygiene, and regular gynecological visits will make us feel better.
Different feminine products in the market can help maintain a healthy pH balance, which is the key to good vaginal health. Check out our plant-based formulas; thus, no dyes, additives, propylene glycol, parabens, artificial fragrance, and sulphates. Our body is finely tuned, and with the right fuel in addition to proper maintenance, we will have a well-connected and healthy system. And our vaginas and periods will thank us by having less ailments and for this special attention.
Having a balanced diet rich in nutrients and fiber can help keep infections away and keep your vagina healthy.
Therefore, incorporate the foods that support vaginal health in your diet, and the microbiome in your gut and your vagina will be well-adjusted every single day.
You can explore our website for more essential products that can help keep your hoo-ha happy.
