How Sweets Affect Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms
PMS is a common condition among teenage girls. Almost 85% of adolescent girls suffer from PMS before 5 to 11 days of their menstrual cycle begin. PMS usually ends with the start or by the end of your period. Some girls might experience severe symptoms of PMS or some milder ones. It usually consists of wide variety of signs and symptoms including mood swings, bloating, irritability, exhaustion, cravings, fatigue and depression. But our major focus is to discuss food cravings and among them particularly the craving for sweets in this condition.
What is PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME: –
the changes that affect the mood, behavior, emotions, and physical and mental health of a woman within the ovulation and the beginning period usually constitute premenstrual syndrome. It is a difficult situation but still being a girl, one must not let these issues take over her life. It is predictable and some changes in your daily routines can help decrease PMS manifestation.
identifying Premenstrual syndrome
PMS has effects on one’s health, physical as well as emotional, if one does not completely understand this and dismisses the symptoms, it can alter life negatively.
| Emotional signs and symptoms: – | Physical signs and symptoms: – |
| · Mood swings. | · Pain in abdomen. |
| · Poor concentration. | · Headache. |
| · Food cravings (esp. sweets). | · Breast tenderness. |
| · Tension and anxiety. | · Fatigue. |
| · Depression. | · Restless leg syndrome. |
| · Social withdrawal. | · Joint and muscle pain. |
| · Decreased libido. | · Swelling of hands and feet due to water retention. |
| · Insomnia (sleep disturbance) | · Acne and pimples. |
CAUSES OF CRAVINGS DURING PMS: –
Having cravings in PMS is common issue. This condition is mostly caused by sudden shift of hormones.
- Testosterone, progesterone, estrogen and serotonin are major hormones involved in girls’ reproductive cycle.
- A brain chemical called serotonin in involved in maintaining mood and hunger in humans. It is already known that sweets and sugars actually make a girl feel more calmer, happier and relaxed.
- Serotonin is particularly regulated by eating sugar, carbohydrates, salt, and fat. However, foods high in carbohydrates improve mood and increase serotonin levels.
Also, if one consumes these foods excessively, they extend the PMS symptoms because it affects the blood sugar level which is crucial for managing PMS.
CRAVING OF SWEETS DURING premenstrual syndrome:
The craving for sweet stuff increases during the premenstrual phase of women’s cycle.
- It is because of the sudden desire of quick access to energy that can come instantly only from sugar food (glucose).
- It can be due to the alleviating effect of sugars on the mood which make girls happier and calmer when feeling distressed, low and confused.
But there is a difference between added sugars and natural sugars in the diet because in the long run excess refined added sugars can only make your health worse. As sugars are inflammatory in nature, they can increase the blood supply to the uterus and cause water retention leading to abdominal pain and worsen periods cramps.
Among all sugar and sweet it is well known that Chocolate is the most favorite craved food, and it is because of the following reasons,
- The taste of chocolate on the tongue releases endorphins in the brain that have a pleasurable effect on the brain.
- That aromatic smell may affect the brain chemistry.
- Sugar in chocolate increases serotonin levels that makes you feel relaxed and gloomy.
RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH EATING SWEETS IN PMS: –
As we all know refined added sugar are always harmful to health either in PMS or in any healthy individual. One cannot ignore the side effects of eating sugar.
Here are four ways in which you can understand how sugar is messing up with your menstrual cycle whether you have it before or after your periods.
- IT CAN WORSEN PERIOD CRAMPS: –
During PMS our estrogen and progesterone levels change due to which insulin levels in the body increase and that’s the reason we crave sweets because the glucose levels decline, and it sends signals to our brain to eat sweeter to enhance that level of glucose. However, consuming too much sugar can interfere with the cramps and make them even worse.
- CAN LEAD TO BLOATING: –
Yes! you read it right. Bloating is a result of water retention and eating sugar can inflame it even more. Eating sugar in PMS can cause gas, acidity, and abdominal pain that can remain during menstruation.
- IT CAN MAKE YOUR ACNE BAD: –
One of the common symptoms of PMS is having acne flare-ups that usually end with the end of periods. But eating sugar can aggravate acne as sugar are not good for skin. Sugar can make skin saggy and tear the skin tissues.
- ESTROGEN HORMONE DOMINANCE: –
This is one of the major problems in girls suffering from PCOD’S. When they eat more sugar during PMS or in periods it can cause hormonal imbalance and make the symptoms even worse due to estrogen imbalance.
WHAT CAN BE THE ALTERNATIVE TO THE SWEETS?
To overcome those lovely cravings of sweet deserts and sugar. Girls need to understand the drawbacks of eating sugar and limit adding sugar to their diet as there are so many other alternatives to curb this craving like make a combination of carbohydrates with little fat and protein that might help you.
- Have a combination of grilled chicken having spice of your taste with brown bread.
- Have low fat hot milk with whole grain cereals.
- Lentil soup with toasted bread.
- Honey and jaggery are good alternatives to added sugar which can relieve abdominal cramps and acid reflux in periods as well.