Experts say that women should avoid eating ice during their menstrual period. To ensure complete discharge of menstrual blood, the blood must be in a "warm" state to flow smoothly. Consuming cold food can stimulate a change in blood temperature, leading to poor circulation, easy formation of blood clots, and menstrual cramps.
Foods with "cool" properties should also be avoided during menstruation.
Dr. Liu pointed out that it's not just about eating ice. Foods with "cool" properties, such as iced products, winter melon, eggplant, loofah, cucumber, crab, river snails, kelp, bamboo shoots, oranges, pears, pomelos, watermelon, etc., as well as sour and astringent foods like sour plums and unripe tart fruits, or pungent and "hot" foods like fried foods, chili peppers, pepper, and mustard, should also be avoided during menstruation to prevent poor blood circulation. Foods to eat more during your period
During your period, you should eat more scallion whites, wood ear mushrooms, peanuts, walnuts, jujubes, longans, and rose petals. Dr. Liu mentioned that if you accidentally eat cold food or can't resist eating ice during your period, you can drink brown sugar boiled with ginger to balance blood circulation and promote smooth blood flow.
"Many women believe they should eat 'warming' foods during their period, such as red dates and donkey-hide gelatin, to nourish the blood. This is a very general and incorrect view," says Dr. Pan Chunlian, a student of Mr. He Jiayan, a successor of the "He's Gynecology" school. She explains that diet during menstruation is quite particular; eating the right foods is essential for nourishing and maintaining health.
Regulate Qi and Blood before Menstruation
Before menstruation, you should promptly regulate Qi and blood. Avoid eating foods that are too "heating." You can take some Dendrobium officinale, pork ribs, yam (to strengthen the spleen and stomach), angelica root, lotus root (to supplement iron), and kelp (to resolve phlegm, promote urination, and relieve constipation).
During menstruation, yin blood descends, and yang energy becomes relatively abundant. At this time, you should avoid foods that are "heating" and yang-promoting, such as red dates and donkey-hide gelatin. Nourish Yin and Blood after Menstruation
After menstruation, you need to nourish yin and blood to replenish what was lost. You can cook some nourishing soups, such as black-bone chicken soup with goji berries and red dates, or eat pork ribs, yam, and lotus root. Of course, it's best to take traditional Chinese medicine that nourishes yin and blood. During this time, you can also eat more "black" foods, such as black fungus, black beans, black fish, and loach.