For female friends, during those special days, it is important to be cautious about what they eat. You may not be clear about what specific foods you can and cannot eat during this time. So, let the Chinese medicine and Chinese herbal medicine website editor tell you which foods to stay away from!
Stay away from the following foods during the menstrual period
1. Milk
Many women experience various physical and psychological discomforts during their menstrual period and premenstrual period, which are largely caused by a lack of magnesium in the body.
Magnesium can stimulate the release of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that is related to mood.
It can have a psychological regulatory effect on the female body, helping to relax the body and eliminate mental tension and reduce stress.
Dairy products, on the other hand, are the source of dysmenorrhea, such as milk, cheese, cream, and yeast, which can interfere with the absorption of magnesium.
It is especially important to eat less of these foods during the menstrual period.
2. Salty foods
If women consume excessive salty foods before menstruation, it will increase the storage of salt and water in the body.
This can easily lead to excitement and irritability.
In addition, with the increase of progesterone in the body during menstruation, edema and headaches are more likely to occur.
3. Cold drinks
According to Chinese medicine, blood flows when it is warm and stagnates when it is cold.
Drinking cold drinks during the menstrual period can be detrimental to digestion and can also harm the body's yang energy.
This can lead to internal coldness, causing stagnation and poor blood circulation, resulting in reduced menstrual flow and even dysmenorrhea.
4. Watermelon
Watermelon is a cold fruit with a slippery texture.
Eating watermelon during menstruation can interfere with digestion, harm the body's yang energy, and cause internal coldness, exacerbating dysmenorrhea.
What foods should women eat during their menstrual period
1. Legumes
Eating high-fiber soybeans and peas can help alleviate congestion in the uterus, thereby reducing the torment of dysmenorrhea.
2. Green vegetables
The calcium, magnesium, and potassium in green vegetables can alleviate and prevent dysmenorrhea.
These minerals can also relax the mood and reduce irritability.
Dark green vegetables also contain vitamin K, which is one of the essential substances for blood clotting and preventing excessive bleeding.
3. Pineapple
A report from the Human Nutrition Research Center of the USDA found that young women with insufficient manganese intake have 50% more menstrual flow than women with normal manganese intake.
The researchers suggested that in order to alleviate menstrual discomfort, women need to increase their manganese intake. Fruits are high in manganese, with pineapple being the richest source.
4. Ginger tea and chamomile tea
Tea is another source of manganese.
According to researchers from the Human Nutrition Research Center of the USDA, women should try to avoid caffeine-containing tea as it can worsen menstrual discomfort.
However, ginger tea can help relieve nausea and bloating.
Chamomile tea can also eliminate muscle spasms and relieve tension, thus reducing the anxiety that occurs during the menstrual period.
