PMS and Food Cravings: What They Mean and What To Do About It
It’s that time of month again. Moodiness, cramps, sharp headaches… oh, and you want to eat everything in sight! It may feel like your body is fighting you, but our bodies are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. It knows exactly what we need and is constantly sending us signs and symptoms as tiny messages - but we often tend to ignore or try to suppress them. Of course we can just have random cravings because we simply just want it! This is more of a guide for those of you that have constant cravings.
3 common potential causes of increased cravings before your period are related to serotonin, metabolism, and hormone fluctuations.
Serotonin
Many women experience intense food cravings in the week or two before their periods — a symptom of PMS (premenstrual syndrome). Serotonin, the “feel good” chemical in your brain, tends to be lower before your period. When that happens, we crave partially sugar (glucose) because the body uses carbs to make serotonin. The most commonly reported food craving is chocolate, likely because it's a pleasantly sweet combination of carbs and fat. The reach for higher palatable foods may also help sooth the uncomfortable symptoms and feelings before “aunt flow” pays a visit.
Increased Metabolic Rate
Some research suggests our metabolic rate may be slightly higher during this time period, which is one possible reason many women feel hungrier. Research data confirm women tend to eat more during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, compared to the follicular phase that leads up to ovulation. Learning how to listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues through intuitive eating can make it easier to understand how to support your body when those cravings arise.
Hormone Fluctuations
Hormones are the chemical messengers that are secreted directly into the blood, which carries them to organs and tissues of the body to exert their functions. When we have an imbalance or change in hormones, it can affect hunger signals. This study found that women with higher estrogen levels also had higher levels of the hunger hormone leptin and stronger cravings for sweet foods.
Another potential cause of food cravings is adrenal fatigue or adrenal overdrive. Your adrenal glands produce hormones that you can't live without, including sex hormones and cortisol. If you are stressed out, lacking sleep, and feel tired all the time, you may tend to reach for higher energy foods and caffeine to “keep you going”.
What To Do About Cravings
Why did we start making cravings a bad thing? Let’s start to tap into these cravings and look at them as a source of information our body is providing us.
Chocolate?
Your body may need some magnesium! This is especially common to see around our periods because our body uses magnesium to relax muscles, create energy, support liver function and more.
Salty Foods?
Your body’s way of saying it needs some good quality sea salt. This may be related to your cycle but could also be a sign you are stressed out, involving the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone needed for our survival. When are chronically stressed, it starts to rob another hormone called aldosterone. Aldosterone works to increase in salt and water reabsorption into the bloodstream from the kidney. Low aldosterone causes us to excrete more salt than we should so we can start to crave more salt.
Carbs?
Take a look at stress levels. Your body uses up a lot of glucose under stress. Consider resting, work on setting boundaries, and if you are craving the carbs, your body needs more of them!
Just hungry in general?
If you are truly hungry do not try to suppress it - EAT. As women our energy needs change throughout our cycle and our appetites will normally increase prior to menstruation due to progesterone increasing our metabolism. Don’t try to suppress it, drink water or take weird supplements. Eat what your body is asking you for.
You can still enjoy the foods you are craving while eating balanced meals on a regular basis. It does not have to be “all or nothing”. Mindful eating also helps us determine if cravings will actually satisfy our physical needs, or if we are in need of something else.
Other Ways To Cope with PMS
No matter what the science says about your cravings, you know your body better than anyone else. It’s important to learn what works for your body and giving it the support it needs during this time.
Honor any cravings you may have
Eat mindfully when you can to better understand your hunger and fullness cues
Prioritize rest and relaxation for stress management
Get in some movement for serotonin and endorphin release
Consume fiber rich foods for balanced blood sugar and necessary micronutrients
Track your cycle to become more in tune with your own body
Drink ginger tea, raspberry tea, and peppermint tea to help relieve symptoms
Work with a Registered Dietitian to help you understand what your hormones and hunger cues are telling you so you can support your mental and physical health
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References
https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1995.tb01445.x
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2491904/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6257992/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27527001/
https://watermark.silverchair.com/121142.pdf?
