How to Have a Healthy Period Cycle: Tips & Advice
Having a healthy menstrual cycle means leading a healthy lifestyle. When you make healthy choices, it reflects in your periods. This includes eating right, exercising regularly and relieving stress.
What you eat makes a huge difference, and sometimes, you may notice that it also impacts how your body copes with cramps. Hence, include certain nutrient-rich foods in your daily meals to alleviate the pain and discomfort that you experience during your periods.
Foods to Eat for a Healthy Period
Try adding the below ingredients to your diet:
Ginger has multiple benefits and is known to provide relief from cold and sore throat.
Ginger
Ginger has multiple benefits and is known to provide relief from cold and sore throat. But it is also an age-old remedy to regularise your periods as it causes uterine contractions that kick-start the menstrual cycle.Papaya
Papaya contains an antioxidant called carotene, which stabilizes the estrogen levels in the body. Having a good balance of estrogen in your body is a step towards having regular periods.Pineapple
Pineapples also help regulate your menstrual cycle as they contain bromelain, which stimulates estrogen levels in the body, along with other hormones.Parsley
Apart from being an excellent and flavourful herb, parsley also helps improve blood flow in the pelvic region.Carom seeds
Carom seeds have muscle-relaxing properties, which can help in alleviating period cramps.After concentrating on the foods that we must eat to have a healthy period, let's look at some foods that are known to worsen periods.
Foods to Avoid for a Healthy Period
While certain foods can help relieve menstrual pain, some foods can aggravate the pain or worsen the existing PMS symptoms. These are the top foods that you must stay away from when you are on your period:
Salt
When consumed in excessive amounts, salt can be harmful during your periods as it may lead to water retention and cause bloating.Sugar
Those who experience severe mood swings should stay away from eating sugary foods. Consuming sugar can lead to high levels of energy, which can worsen your mood.Avoiding coffee during your periods can help keep bloating at bay.
Coffee
Avoiding coffee during your periods can help keep bloating at bay. Coffee is also known to worsen headaches and other digestive issues.Alcohol
Alcohol consumption can lead to numerous problems. To begin with, it can cause dehydration, bloating and can worsen headaches. When you're on your period, you anyway feed tired and lethargic, and consuming alcohol will only add to the fatigue.Fatty and processed foods
Processed food and foods containing fats such as meat can make your uterus contract by enhancing the level of prostaglandins in your body. This contraction can aggravate the existing painful cramps that you experience.While these foods and what we eat are elements that are in our control, there are certain factors that seem out of our control. Stress is one of them.
Correlation Between Stress and Periods
Stress is a part of our daily lives, and whether you are in school, at work or home, one is bound to be affected by some form of stress in these unprecedented times. One of the areas that stress affects the most and has a longstanding effect is your menstrual cycle. In fact, many women experience missed or irregular periods and excruciating pain when they are under extreme stress.
If you missed your period once or had an irregular period once or twice due to stress, there's no need to panic. However, if you are experiencing long spells of missed periods, say three months at a stretch or dramatically irregular periods, then it's an indication that a visit to the doctor is required.
In the meanwhile, you can consider trying the below measures to cope with stress and minimise its effects:
- Sleep well
- Exercise
- Meditate
- Eat healthy and nutritious food.
Diet is a significant aspect that contributes to a healthy period, but regular exercising is an equally important factor. We know exercising when we're on our periods does not sound too exciting, but even a stroll in the park can do a lot to help you feel better and have a healthy period. Here's how:
- Exercising outdoors can immediately elevate your mood and make you feel better as it gives you a natural endorphin high.
- A simple morning run can help you combat painful periods. It is especially beneficial for those who experience menstrual cramps.
- Your flow can get lighter when your exercise regularly.
Now that the advantages of exercising have been highlighted, here's a list of some simple exercises that you can do to have a healthy and happy period:
Walking
Going for a walk can boost your endorphin levels and make you feel energized, as low levels of estrogen or progesterone during your periods can make you feel demotivated.
Swimming
Swimming is a fun and exciting way of working out. Research has shown that physical and psychological symptoms of PMS, such as anxiety, depression, tension, mood changes, weak coordination, headache, tiredness, pain, breast tenderness, and cramps, can be reduced by swimming.
Running
Running regularly can help tone your muscles, which can alleviate period cramps before or during your periods.
Yoga
The numerous gentle stretches, lunges and healthy movements that are part of Yoga postures can help reduce period pain.
Having a healthy and happy period means being comfortable and going about your daily work with ease. The best way to ensure comfort and safety is by choosing the right sanitary pads. Always has a range of flexible and comfortable variants that provide ultimate protection. The Always Maxi Thick pads are a suitable option for those who are looking for super absorbency and longer protection.
However, many women often experience uncomfortable and painful period rashes caused by friction, irritation, heat and moisture, or not changing pads frequently. But you can avoid those painful rashes by following these simple and precautionary steps:
1.Wear loose, cotton underwear as it will decrease the friction between the fabric and skin. Also, cotton is better suited for your skin as it soaks sweat much better than other synthetic materials.
2.Change your pad every three to four hours, it is non-negotiable. This will also significantly reduce the chances of irritation.
3.Wash your vaginal area with warm water and mild unscented soap twice or thrice a day. Not only will this make you feel fresh, but this will also help you steer clear away from infections.
4.When you are on your period, make sure you are wearing the best protection that is effective and comfortable. Choose the Always 2 in 1 Feather Soft pads* that come with a feather soft top sheet to provide you optimum comfort while promising the security and protection that Always offers.
Your menstrual cycle is a mirror to your health and well-being. If you observe your periods close enough, you will be able to tell if something is off. Therefore, maintain a healthy and nutritious diet, exercise regularly and follow the above-mentioned hygiene steps to ensure that you have a healthy and rash-free period.
* This product does not contain feather and no birds were harmed in the making of this product.
Stay well prepared for your next period by tracking it on Always Period Calculator.
Try our ovulation cycle calculator to track your days and plan your fertility window.
FAQs
1.What are the signs of healthy periods?
Here are the signs of a healthy period1. Length - Your menstrual cycle lasts for 28 days on average
2. Bleed - Your periods last for 2-7 days
3. Colour - Varies from bright red to dark brown
2.What not to eat during periods?
Here are a few things that you should not eat during periods:1. Salt - Excessive salt can make you bloat. Thus, to avoid period bloating its best to not consume salty foods.
2. Refined sugar - Sugar increases your energy levels and then instantly lowers them. This can make you feel moody during periods.
3. Coffee - It causes water retention in the body which would make you bloat during periods.
4. Alcohol - It can lead to dehydration which in turn can cause severe headaches and bloating.
5. Red meat - It is high in prostaglandins which causes your uterus to contract and shed its uterine lining. High levels of prostaglandins can cause severe menstrual cramps.
Apart from these, you should speak to your doctor and ask him what other foods you should not eat during periods.
3.What to eat on your period?
Here are some of the foods that you should eat on your periods:1. Ginger - It has anti-inflammatory properties which soothe period pain and helps with period nausea.
2. Lentils & beans - Due to loss of blood, there are chances that you might experience iron deficiency. Having iron-rich foods like these would help you keep your iron levels intact.
3. Fish - It is a rich source of iron and Omega-3 fatty acids which may help to ease your period pain.
4. Yogurt - Being a rich probiotic food, yogurt helps to increase the good bacteria in your vagina. It keeps yeast infections at bay which are mostly caused during periods.
5. Dark chocolate - It is rich in iron and magnesium which may help relieve PMS symptoms and curb your sugar cravings.
As there isn’t any solid scientific backing for the benefits of the above-given foods, it is best to take medical advice from your doctor.
Disclaimer
Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice, diagnosis or treatment from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Always is committed to ensuring that all of our products meet rigorous safety standards; Always pads prioritize safety, protection and comfort of its consumers.
