I am a dietitian. Here’s what to eat during each phase of your menstrual cycle to ease cramps and combat mood swings

Longing, cramps and crying: every woman knows the experience of her period and the rollercoaster she experiences during her menstrual cycle.

For approximately 28 days, from the time when menstruation first begins in her life (an average age of 12 years) until a woman reaches menopause (an average age of 51 years), she will undergo four stages of a menstrual cycle: the menstrual, follicular, ovulatory and luteal phases. .

During each process, the rise and fall of hormones causes the body to undergo multiple biological processes, such as releasing an egg and thickening the uterine lining to prepare the body to conceive and carry a fetus.

Writing for Goop, Shira Barlow, a registered dietitian, explained that each stage requires different nutrients to fuel the body and set it up to carry out its processes as effectively as possible – and avoid the side effects that come with it. control.

The menstrual cycle consists of the menstrual or menstrual phase, which begins on the first day of a period if a woman is not pregnant and ends when bleeding stops. During several days of a menstrual period, the lining of the uterus sheds.

During menstruation, the hormones estrogen and progesterone are low, causing a dip in energy and mood. During a period, Mrs. Barlow saidthe body longs for warmth, comfort and rest.

During the menstrual phase, it is important to focus on foods that are easy to digest and rich in nutrients and minerals, such as iron, vitamin C and magnesium.

Iron works to replenish the body with blood lost over a period of time, and vitamin C helps the body absorb iron.

Magnesium acts as a muscle relaxant and can help relieve painful cramps.

Foods to consume include red meat, liver, oysters, kale, sardines, pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach and dark chocolate.

Overlapping with menstruation is the follicular phase, which begins the day a woman gets her period and can last from 11 to 27 days. This is the time when an egg will mature, prompting the body to thicken the uterine lining that will shed during menstruation.

During the latter part of this phase, estrogen begins to slowly rise, which will improve mood and energy, and a rise in luteinizing hormone (LH) will increase sex drive.

Ms Barlow said bloating can occur and the rate at which the body digests and excretes food can slow. Because of this, she likes to focus on fermented foods, such as kimchi, sauerkraut and pickled onions. She also recommended estrogen-balancing foods such as pumpkin and flax seeds.

About 14 days after the start of a period, the ovulation phase begins and usually lasts until 14 days before the start of the next cycle.

It is when the body releases an egg into the fallopian tube, where it awaits fertilization by sperm.

During this phase, estrogen and LH are at their highest.

Because estrogen is at its peak, Ms Barlow said it is important to consume foods that help metabolize excess amounts of the hormone so it doesn’t build up in the body.

To do this, people need to eat foods such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.

Overlapping with the ovulation phase is the luteal stage. This lasts from days 15 to 28 of a 28-day cycle.

As an egg moves from the ovary and through the fallopian tube, the hormone progesterone rises to prepare the uterine lining for pregnancy.

If pregnancy does not occur, estrogen and progesterone levels drop and the uterine lining sheds over a period of time, causing the menstrual phase to begin and a new menstrual cycle to begin.

During the luteal phase, a woman’s appetite and metabolism will increase, triggering cravings and the desire to eat more.

As the body burns more energy, Ms Barlow said it is important to eat hearty foods that keep blood sugar levels from dropping.

She recommended similar foods to those during the menstrual phase, such as red meat, oysters, beans and nuts, as well as sweet potatoes, chicken, pumpkin, salmon and beets.

Additionally, egg yolks and avocados can help with mood swings and fatigue as serotonin and dopamine levels drop – which can cause the characteristic mood swings that occur before and during a period.

Leafy greens and nuts can help with bloating and water retention.

And to satisfy the cravings, women can consume “conscious indulgences,” including dark chocolate, peanut butter and caramelized sweet potato.