Carbonated drinks, caffeine, and aerated drinks should also be avoided during menstrual days because they have high levels of sugar in them, which can cause inflammation and make the cramps more severe.
The bottom line is this: there are no studies that prove or disprove the effects of cold drinks or foods on menstrual cramps. If women experiencing menstrual cramps want to take extra precaution, they should drink warmer liquids during their menstruation cycle.
Drinking chamomile, fennel or ginger tea is an easy, natural way to relieve menstrual cramps. Plus, these herbal teas can have other benefits, like stress relief and helping with insomnia.
There is no evidence that drinking Coca-Cola has any effect on your period. Some people believe that drinking carbonated drinks can make your period more painful, but there is no evidence to support this.
The change in oestrogen and progesterone levels just before your period can make you crave carbohydrates and sugar.
Coke's caffeine content is 34mg for a 12-oz can, and Diet Coke caffeine content is 46mg. That's three to four times less than coffee! The same-sized coffee, in this case a 12-oz cup, has 140mg or more. Do you have caffeine-free soda?
Hormonelike substances (prostaglandins) involved in pain and inflammation trigger the uterine muscle contractions. Higher levels of prostaglandins are associated with more-severe menstrual cramps.
Some women experience high levels of estrogen and low levels of progesterone. This can cause the uterine lining to thicken. When a thick uterine lining sheds during menstruation, women might experience heavier blood flows and larger blood clots.
Problems with the uterus, fallopian tubes, and other reproductive organs—Certain defects that a woman is born with can result in pain during menstruation. Other conditions—Some medical conditions can flare up during a period and cause pain. These conditions include Crohn's disease and urinary disorders.
Water helps prevent bloating, reduces fatigue, and supports the circulation system for a faster, less painful bleed. Aim to drink between 1.5 and 2 liters of water on the days before and during your period. Dark chocolate with 70% cocoa or higher has a surprisingly rich and diverse nutrient content.
Having a lot of dairy products is not the best idea, as it can cause cramping. Dairy products like milk, cheese, and ice cream contain arachidonic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid), which can increase inflammation and can intensify your period pain.
Foods to avoid
These include meat, oil, sugars, and salts. In addition, coffee was found to increase cramps. “Refined sugar, common cooking oils, trans fats, dairy products, processed and red meat, refined grains, and alcohol are considered highly inflammatory foods.
Avoid: Dairy products
This might surprise you, but dairy products like milk, cream, and cheese are some of the foods to avoid during periods. They are high in arachidonic acid which can act as a trigger for menstrual cramps.
If your period only lasts one or two days, your body may not be making enough oestrogen, which is required to build the endometrium, which is lost during periods when there isn't a pregnancy. “If there is a lack of estrogen in your body, the endometrium would not be thick enough and hence the blood flow would be scant.
“When the uterus is deprived of oxygen, it releases chemicals that may trigger the pain such as prostaglandins which increases uterine contractions. This type of period pain usually occurs during the second day of your period and is termed as Dysmenorrhea,” adds the expert.
Takeaway. Once a period has started, it is not possible to stop it. Some home methods may help reduce the amount of bleeding that occurs for a short time, but they will not stop the period altogether. People who are interested in preventing their period for medical or personal reasons should talk with their doctor.
Stress impacts hormonal pathways in the body, and this can affect the hormones that control the menstrual cycle. Stress can lead to irregular or more painful periods — or even pause the menstrual cycle entirely.
There are 37 grams (g) of added sugar, which equates to almost 10 teaspoons (tsp), in a single can of cola. For optimal health, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend consuming no more than 6 tsp of added sugar daily. By drinking just one serving of cola a day, a person will easily exceed this amount.
Coca-Cola Classic contains 10.6g of sugar per 100ml. Our consumers can also enjoy Coca-Cola Zero and Diet Coke which contain no sugar, and Coca-Cola with Stevia which has 50 per cent less sugar than Coca-Cola Classic.