Have you reduced period symptoms with dietary (or other lifestyle) changes?

[LimeLemonOrange]

At age 48 I'm peri-menopausal (I have a similar thread in menopause).

The last three cycles I've had debilitating symptoms on my periods; weakness, lack of appetite, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, muscle aches, depression. I've been unable to function for 3-4 days. I've seen on Google that some people label these symptoms 'period flu'.

Have any of you had any luck with reducing or getting rid of these types of period symptoms with dietary changes? Or other lifestyle changes?

I have a chronic illness massively aggravated by period cycles so hard to pick which symptoms come from which, but things that have helped include magnesium supplements and Epsom salt baths, and really check and look for getting dehydrated or if you might have a low blood volume. The Quench book is good about how to manage better hydration with diet, particularly if you find liquids just go straight through you and don't really stick long enough to help.

After having my second baby my periods were horrendous, heavy and would last 7 days at least! Would be in pain on and off a week before it started with horrible headaches too, and would be awful during too! Last year I completely changed my diet to plant based (not because of my period) and genuinely all period related pain has disappeared, I've gone from knowing a week in advance it was coming due to pain and headaches to always being caught off guard as I have no pain or symptoms and it only lasting 4/5days! I know going plant based would be a big overhaul of your diet and isn't for everyone but it's definitely helped me massively!! It's been a positive for me in so many other ways too! Good luck

MichelleofzeResistance (great username!) I'm glad you've found things that have helped. I'm already taking magnesium but will look at whether I'm getting enough and I'll have a look at the other things you mention.

Rldx2 wow that's amazing that going plant-based has cut out the period pain for you, what great news! Have you completely dropped dairy? In a book I read recently it suggested that dairy (specifically cow's dairy) can cause period issues.

@LimeLemonOrange yea dairy has completely gone, I read somewhere that dairy can cause issues due to the hormones they give the cows, so maybe not having those extra hormones is what has helped! I won't lie and say switching was easy to begin with, I loved meat and mainly cheese! But the changes and benefits I've seen since I swapped are totally worth not having cheese

That's fantastic!

I might just start with dropping cow milk dairy and see if that has any effect, I haven't decided yet (I do love cheese!).

With diet planning it's hard to decide what the optimum diet is, there's so much conflicting advice out there.

DD has similar symptoms, and iron tablets have helped a bit- she gets anaemic with her period so we try to counteract that.
My periods have been lighter since starting running...but I think that depends on how much you weigh in the first place, as I am about BMI of 21.

haba that's interesting - my iron was at the very low end in a recent test so I've just started supplementing. Fingers crossed that will help me.

I think partially that lack of iron makes you feel rough, so feeling ropey plus period pains just makes you feel awful. Heading off the ropey feelings with iron beforehand helps her deal with the period stuff more easily.