It's been a couple of weeks since your last period but you can already sense the next one building up. How? Your breasts become firmer and sensitive to touch, but most annoyingly, you are ravenously craving chocolatey treats and crackers or chips all the time.
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You are not alone in this bloody struggle. Many women experience heightened food cravings in the week or two leading up to their periods. This is a common symptom of PMS (premenstrual syndrome).
The science behind this lays the blame squarely at the feet of hormones and serotonin which tend to fluctuate during this period causing a drop in blood sugar levels, a major cause of these cravings.
Here’s how to tame those cravings
These cravings are strong and you need more than will power to overcome them lest your caloric intake and sodium levels increase —the main suspect for fluid retention. So what can you do to curb these cravings? Well, here are some tips you can use to maintain your dietary lifestyle even on your period:
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals as this will keep blood sugar levels from fluctuating therefore reducing the cravings. It is recommended that you try eating six small meals a day instead of three or eat portions at your usual three meals leaving enough room for snacks in between.
- Choose foods rich in fibre such as whole grain bread, pasta, brown rice, and cereals. These foods are known to slow down the process of digestion keeping you fuller for longer. And because your blood sugar levels are stabilised by fibre-rich foods, your mood swings are easier to manage as are your cravings.
- Drink more water, litres of it. This refreshing liquid contains no calories and is a good replacement for sugary beverages. If you are feeling wild, add a slice of lemon, lime or cucumber to give it a zest of flavour.
- Work it out! If for nothing at all, light exercise or brisk walking would at least help keep your mind off food, especially those PMS-induced cravings for a while. They are also great at helping you manage PMS symptoms such as fatigue and depression. Don't forget to enjoy the sunshine if you can.
Healthy but fun period foods
The fact that you are on your period or are dreading its arrival doesn’t mean you cannot treat yourself to some refreshing snacks. Here are some healthy comfort foods you should try if you are concerned about messing up your diet:
- Apple slices with caramel sauce with chopped nuts. Add some sugar if you will
- Any kind of fruit smoothie should do the trick
- Sliced banana with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and your favourite nuts
- One cup Greek nonfat yogurt with honey and pecans
- 1/4 cup hummus (yum yum) served with fresh vegetables or whole-grain crackers
