Why Does Bloating Happen During Periods?

Periods or menarche is that stage of a woman’s life when her reproductive organs have become active and the development of body characteristics begins to take place, the first signs for the development of feminine characteristics are the development of breasts, the broadening of shoulders, and also widening of the waistline.

The prime reason why the waistline and hips begin to get wide is that the ovary is beginning to expand in size and has started to produce estrogen which tends to cause the widening of the waistline to provide the ovary with ample space to function and release the eggs. The onset of the release of eggs through the female’s body down into the body is known as “Menstruation”. The first symptoms of menstruation that were noticed after extensive research conducted over some time by a well-known gynecologist in Ludhiana were an increase in breast size, fever and even vomiting, and giddiness before the first day of the period.

The reason why these symptoms are observed as explained by a well-known gastroenterologist in Ludhiana “Estrogen production tends to loosen the stools and the circulation of food within the ileum the reason being the body needs to be in a state of rest during the monthly cycle there is a lot of muscle cramps happening in the lower abdominal walls, as there is a lot of inflammation happening within the intrinsic walls of the lower intestine. Due to this, estrogen acts as a relaxant for the intestinal walls to loosen the stool from their walls and thus provide some relief to the stomach walls.

The period after the menstruation is over the progesterone levels tend to drop down and the estrogen levels tend to rise again, which is why the bloating also gradually disappears.

How to handle bloating during the monthly period???

Follow a low sodium diet – Excess sodium within the body tends to help the body retain more water in the areas where the salt concentration has been exceedingly high. Applying the principle of osmosis where water molecules flow from a place of higher concentration to a place of lower concentration through a semi-permeable membrane that is when water molecules in the body tend to flow down to the stomach because the food has a higher concentration of sodium in it.
Limit processed foods – Processed foods have a higher glycemic index than that complex carbohydrates hence they are released into the bloodstream easier which is why it is advisable to limit the intake of processed foods as they may stick to the walls of the intestine and thus cause intestinal clogging or blocking.
Limit the intake of caffeine and alcohol – Limiting the intake of caffeine and alcohol can help the body retain less water and as we are all aware caffeine acts as a sleep deprivation hence a disturbed sleep tends to produce a hormonal imbalance within the body that tends to cause problems with regards to digestion and bloating hence a person in her periods can try substituting caffeine with green tea or chamomile tea or even herb infused water to provide for temporary relief.