Menstrual Bloating Causes

Women all over the world experience a string of health problems during their menstrual cycle. While there are many women who do not face any complications during their monthly periods, there are many who do suffer on a regular basis. Some of the symptoms include stomach cramps, backache, soreness in the body, nausea, weakness, weight gain, and incessant bloating. Why does this swelling occur and what are the menstrual bloating causes, are some of the concerns being discussed in this article.

Abdominal Bloating Causes

When estrogen levels fluctuate, they often cause excess water to retain in the body, which would otherwise not have occurred, had the hormone remained at a balance. Estrogen has the tendency of causing water to get stored in the body, which is why women tend to gain a few superficial pounds during their menstrual cycle.

This weight gain occurs, during the first few days before the onset of the menstrual cycle as well as a few days after the cycle. This water is often accompanied with waste blood, and matter, that gets discharged during periods. This is the reason why, by the 3rd day, the stomach seems less distend and bloated.

The levels of estrogen are known to rise substantially during pregnancy. Similarly it rises during periods, in the follicular phase, when the follicles of the ovary mature and get ready to be discharged due to lack of fertilization. Estrogen levels fall further after the ovulation phase in the menstrual cycle. This brings us to conclude that, women experience varied levels of bloating during normal menstrual cycle, as and when the level of estrogen increase or fall from the average level.

Some women tend to lose their appetite during their periods, because of being unable to digest food properly. Research proves that an increase or a decrease in estrogen levels, obstruct the secretion of bile in the gallbladder, thereby creating problems in the digestive system.

Difficulties in digestion, cause delay in our normal routine of relieving ourselves, and often leads to constipation. This fluctuation in the estrogen levels, can also cause sudden symptoms of diarrhea, and bloating during periods.

Menstrual Bloating During Menopause

Women who are going through perimenopause, or complete menopause, also complain of flatulence, general feeling of heaviness, and irritability. The reason is once again correlated to the level of estrogen being secreted by the ovaries.

The loss of adequate estrogen makes it difficult for the body to burn fats as efficiently, as compared to when menstrual periods were regular. During the menopause transition phase and thereafter, most of the new fat consumed by us gets stored.

Bloating affects the entire well-being of women between the age group of 45 - 55, and causes other conditions such as headaches, heartburn, burping, stomach ache, and a feeling of heaviness.

The secretion of the estrogen hormone falls drastically during perimenopause and post menopause, which leads to obstruction of the digestive system over time. The digestive system finds it difficult to digest food properly, which is why it reacts and causes bowel problems such as constipation, and gas.

Remedies

The only way to experience some respite from bloating is to bring about certain positive lifestyle changes. Women must try to avoid foods rich is fats, as these are difficult to digest during periods as well as after menopause. Red meat and overeating must be stopped completely. Cook your meals with minimal oil, so as to avoid consuming unnecessary fat, and stay away from fried chicken, fish, potato chip, nuts, and french fries.

Avoid foods saturated with salt, because salt has an innate tendency of absorbing moisture and water. Excess intake of salt may lead to increased water retention among women. Commercially available soups, snacks, and frozen meals, are all saturated with salt, and unhealthy preservatives.

A healthier alternative is to cook your meals from scratch, while using fresh ingredients. Similarly, you must stay away from tempting sugary treats, as these are full of fat, that will definitely pile up in your system and add to your weight.

You must make it a habit to drink lukewarm water, at regular intervals, throughout the day. Your first glass should be had early in the morning, as soon as you wake up. This will help, clear out your bowels, and the excess flatulence. Lukewarm water will also aid in the digestion process.

However, do not drink water during meals as, that slows down the digestion. Drinking water one hour before and an hour after every meal, helps in reducing bloating to a large extent.

Foods such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lentils, corn, peas, potatoes, wheat bran, milk, artichokes, and beans, must not be consumed during menstrual cycle and must be completely stopped after menopause. These foods are difficult to digest and thus increase flatulence, and bloating in women.

Make it a point to include, green fibrous vegetables such as spinach, beet root, and avocado into your diet. Fresh fruits such as bananas, tomatoes, grapes, watermelon, lemon, and oranges are excellent for reducing bloating. Dried fruits, and nuts must be included in the daily diet as well.

In order to compensate for lack of calcium in your diet, you must include yogurt in any one of your meals on a daily basis. You must have 4-5 small healthy meals, throughout the day, which will ensure that you do not feel bloated.

Small non strenuous workout sessions, can help a lot in reducing the general feeling of heaviness, and gas. Mild abdominal exercises, such as trying to touch your feet while standing, or sitting, helps a lot. A small 15 - 30 minute walk on the treadmill, in the park, or inside the house itself, can help you feel better.

You may also try climbing the stairs a few times so as to give your body some exercise. There are mild yoga exercises which focus specifically on relieving gas from the stomach and reducing water retention.

In case your condition hasn't shown any visible signs of improvement, then you may opt for a suitable medication. However, natural therapy is far safer than any medication, which may cause their own side effects.