Food Cravings and Appetites

 

A premenstrual symptom some, if not most, menstruating women experience is cravings or increased appetite. Before a woman begins her period, she will experience a drop in her serotonin levels. When these levels drop is when a woman will have cravings for carbs. Our bodies use carbs to produce serotonin, which is why menstruating women crave foods high in carbs and fat.

Progesterone is a hormone that affects your appetite. High levels of progesterone can cause an increase in your appetite and progesterone is at its highest right before a woman gets her period. Low levels of serotonin and high levels of progesterone are the results of an increased appetite for all the wrong food.

Why do serotonin levels drop before your period?

During menstruation your estrogen levels fluctuate, the levels are high during half of your menstrual cycle and low during the other half. When your estrogen levels drop so do your serotonin levels.

Why are progesterone levels highest before your period?

Your progesterone levels are high before your period due to the levels rising after ovulation. Progesterone helps prepare the body for pregnancy and after ovulation, when a mature egg is released from the ovary, the body will prepare the uterus by thickening its lining with the help of progesterone. After this phase, the progesterone levels will drop during your period because of no pregnancy.

Cravings and increased Appetite:

Have you ever heard the phrase “I am so hungry I could eat a horse” or “I could eat us at a home”? These are phrases that imply the same thing, that you’re starving or have a huge appetite. I cannot stop eating if you are anything like me during the week leading up to my period. I will eat anything and everything in my sight and I will have no shame in doing so. Let’s not talk about my cravings either. My cravings are far from healthy, and I have no self-control to tell myself no. I love indulging in ice cream, and candy and my favorite food to eat is bread. Boy, do I love a good carb.

It can be hard to tell your body no, that you don’t need the horrible food that it is wanting, but there are also healthy alternatives to the foods your body is craving. Years ago, there weren’t dozens of low-calorie options on grocery store shelves to replace our cravings with. Now we can buy ice cream that is low in sugar, low in calories or contains milk that won’t make us feel sick. There are so many healthier options to choose from when going to the store that can curve our cravings but still leave us energized, healthy, and feeling our best.

The next time you go to the store try a dark chocolate candy bar, a low-calorie sugar-free pack of gummy bears, or any healthier alternative to your carving.

In-conclusion:

While cravings and an increased appetite can leave you eating everything in sight and choosing unhealthy options it doesn’t have to be that way. Supply your body with healthier options even though it can be hard to say no to the option that you want. Our body and our guts play a key role in our mood and how we feel so supply them with foods that make you feel energized and your best self so that even during menstruation you can show up ready to tackle the day as your healthiest and strongest self.