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2torial #0752:
Learn2 Cope with Menstrual Cramps
(continued)
 Control your diet
You can't eat your way to instant relief, but
you can modify your diet to keep reoccurences of
cramping to a minimum. Here's some nutritional
advice...much of which is worth following in the
interests of general health, and not just for
menstrual well-being. Perhaps cramp-avoidance may
become that extra motivational nudge to change your
eating habits.
- Avoid salty foods. Salt will make you
retain water, which will make you bloat,
contributing to a feeling of sluggishness. Avoid
fast food restaurants (notorious for salting
food even before it reaches you), and don't heap
salt on your meals. Stick to fresh foods and try
to avoid any seasonings unless you're sure
they're low in sodium: soy sauce, for instance,
may seem healthy but it's jam-packed with
sodium: a single teaspoonful represents 50% of
the recommended maximum sodium intake for a full
day. Even the "Lite" types of soy sauce have
about half that amount. A great alternative to
salty seasonings on your food is lemon juice, or
paprika, fresh ground pepper, or a dash of hot
sauce (many of these have salt, but a little
goes a long way).
Unsalted food may taste bland to begin with, but
stick with it; your tastebuds have actually been
overloaded by sodium overload. After a few days
or weeks, you may well find yourself with a
heightened flavor sensitivity, able to enjoy
more subtle shadings on your palette.
Eventually, you may not miss the salt at
all.
- Tone down on the sugar. Sugar (or
corn syrup, or sucrose) is another ingredient
that's pumped into an amazing amount of food,
even things you don't consider to be sweet
treats. Although people react differently to
sugar in their diet, too much of it usually
tends to contribute to a "hyper" state--which
goes against your goal of relaxing, yes?
- Stick to high fiber and low
fat foods. It's best to avoid refined and
richer foods, such as processed and canned
foods. Eat grains and fresh vegetables, avoiding
those that you think you can't eat without
seasoning, such as potatoes. Also, keep to a
minimum any food that coagulates at room
temperature--sour cream, butter, or cream--all
are pretty much fat personified.
- Take vitamins. In addition to a daily
supplement tablet, vitamins in other forms are a
good idea. For instance, vitamin C comes in
powders, tablets, or through citrus fruit.
Mixing vitamin C powder in a glass of juice is a
tasty and quick way to get it in your system.
Vitamins C helps your body process things
easier, so your system will flush out toxins
easily.
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