Hi guys, Council Certified Health Coach Chloe Maleski is here to answer your questions about what to eat during PMS’ing or during your period. Struggling with cravings during that time of the month? We are here with guidance and support! Do you have a question to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group.
Daniella asked:
“Any advice for eating Primal when I’m on my period or PMS’ing? I was fine for the rest of the month but felt nauseous and nauseous the week before my period and craved all kinds of carbs. Then for the first two days of my period, I just wanted to comfort myself with junk food.”
Great question, Daniella. A woman’s reproductive cycle has a huge impact on our hormonal systems, metabolism, and nutritional needs. This is another reason why there is no “one size fits all” approach to healthy eating and living. The optimal diet varies not only from person to person, but also from person to person depending on circumstances and health goals. Factors such as time of month, time of year, life stage, health status and activity all have an impact on appetite, cravings and nutritional needs.
As women, our monthly cycle provides a great barometer and a starting place to tap into those needs and how they change. While this may be most obvious for women with regular menstrual cycles, it is also true for those who have entered perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause.
Some great news for all those stages of life: Eating whole helps you grow and go further to eliminate or reduce unwanted changes like slower metabolism, weight gain, sugar and carb cravings. Indeed, many of the symptoms that are considered “PMS only”, “just genetic” or “just part of the aging process”, are completely unspecified! Sure, the hormones and other changes that come with our reproductive cycle are very real. The same goes for those cyclical changes in a life cycle and the impact of genetics on that process.
However, any symptom is a sign of an underlying imbalance in our body and mind ecosystems. Such imbalances are not simply the result of genetics or “what happens to us.” Our eating and lifestyle choices are a major contributing factor. This does not mean that we can fix everything through Primal’s eating and living. That means we have more power and agency than many realize. Choices and habits, over time, align with our biology and allow us to grow… or against it, and against ourselves.
PMS, Period Symptoms & Diet
What does this have to do with PMS and menstrual symptoms? Much! I suspect you already know this, which is why you’re here: Eat Primal, ask questions, ask yourself how you can adapt your “self-experiment” to yourself.
As your question implies, we don’t need to simply accept sweet cravings or other premenstrual syndromes and menstrual symptoms as “as is”. Indeed, as a Primal Health Coach, many of my female clients have reported success in reducing or eliminating PMS and menstrual symptoms after following the Primal diet continuously for 21 days. Consistency is key here — especially when it comes to seeing the most important, sustainable results.
This does not necessarily mean that you should never eat food outside of the Primal spec. But to see the greatest results, sticking to the true spirit of the 80-20 rule is key. In other words: Try to eat real whole foods 100% of the time while realizing that life circumstances sometimes get in the way. The occasional off-road ride won’t derail your broader efforts (as long as it’s really infrequent); just reset and recalibrate by going back to Primal meals.
Eat Primal and still feel PMS’y? You’re not alone and that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. Some women stay 100% Primal and still experience intense hunger, sugar and carb cravings, moodiness, and other symptoms before and during their period.
One reason for this is due to the effects of changing hormones. During menstruation, a woman’s serotonin levels are at their lowest. Carbohydrates increase the availability of serotonin’s main amino acid precursor: tryptophan. In a nutshell, this means it’s completely natural for you to crave carbs during your period! It can also indicate that you are low on serotonin and that your body wants more serotonin.
However, this doesn’t mean that eating all carbs will help — a lot of grains and sugar can make symptoms worse.
However, the days leading up to your period can be the perfect time to increase your consumption of healthy Primal carb sources. Think: sweet potatoes, squash, potatoes, fruit, and a moderate amount of dark chocolate.
As it turns out, our bodies are prepared to do exactly that during the mid-luteal phase of our cycle, two weeks before menstruation. Estrogen is dominant at that point, and we are optimized for glycogen storage.
Yet again, our body’s innate intelligence to win! Our job is to listen and, to the extent possible, adjust our diet and lifestyle to support and be biologically consistent.
Of course, if your symptoms are particularly intense or even debilitating, you’ll want to check with your doctor or another licensed medical professional to correct potential causes or conditions. other baseline. This doesn’t mean they’ll find anything wrong – but getting as much information as possible allows you to make the most informed decision.
You Don’t (Only) What You Eat
If you’re doing all of the above and still experiencing PMS and menstrual symptoms, remember that eating whole is only one aspect of the 10 Blueprint Rules. Other important things here include:
In particular, I realize that the last piece of advice is not the most popular one. But before you rule it out, read this and know that “sprinting” doesn’t look the same for everyone and is easier and more accessible than you might think!
It also tends to move the needle when it comes to overcoming stubborn plateaus in hormonal and metabolic symptoms. Consider sprinting sessions at times of the month when your strength and energy are at their highest. Then, when it’s time, switch to regular daily exercise that doesn’t make you tired.
Collectively, the “rules” above have a huge impact on our hormonal ecology, as well as stress levels. If you’re eating Primal and still have PMS or menstrual symptoms, look there. Fixing PMS problems and cravings can be as simple as switching to the Primal diet and boosting your Primal carb intake, getting enough sleep and sun exposure, and being physically active in healthy ways.
That said, everyone is unique and your perfect protocol won’t be the same as everyone else’s. For customized support, consider working directly with a Primal Health Coach! We can help you understand which dietary approach and lifestyle practice is best for you. Visit myprimalcoach.com to learn more and get started!
Do you crave certain foods during PMS’ing or during your period? Has this changed since going Primal? Let us know and drop me other questions in the comments!
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