What to eat when you experience menstrual pain

Many women and girls experience menstrual pain during ‘that time of the month’. While for some this pain may be mild, in others it can be so much such that it interferes with normal activities.

While many factors have been put forward to explain the presence of this pain, high estrogen levels in the body are thought to be a key cause.

During the month, the amount of estrogen in a woman’s body fluctuates with the highest levels being in the middle of her cycle.

So, to regulate menstrual pain associated with increased estrogen levels, one should consume a low-fat, high-fibre diet.

A high-fibre diet consisting of legumes, grains, fruits and vegetables is also very beneficial and has a positive effect as far as lowering estrogen levels is concerned.

As is the case with every other nutrient in the body, the body processes excess or waste estrogen for excretion. A high-fibre diet provides enough roughage to soak up estrogen in the intestinal system and remove it together with other waste mater.

A diet consisting predominantly of animal products is deficient in fibre. When there is less fibre than is needed, excess estrogen returns to the bloodstream and causes levels to rise. The result is painful cramps and an increased risk of breast cancer.

Added oils such as salad dressing, margarine and other shortenings are not recommended for people with severe menstrual pain as they contribute to the body’s fat load, which leads to higher levels of estrogen.