Polyphagia in the days leading up to menstruation indicates a type of disorder called “premenstrual disorder”. In this type of disorder, the person’s desire to consume all kinds of food is very strong and uncontrollable. Premenstrual disorder in the severe stage turns into premenstrual syndrome or PMS. It should be noted that in most cases, this type of polyphagia occurs in the days before menstruation, which affects about 90% of women. Other symptoms of premenstrual syndrome include constipation, diarrhea, acne, flatulence, moodiness, irritability, bad behavior, fatigue, and pain in the breast area. It is better to know that the symptoms leading to the day of menstruation appear about five days before the process of menstruation, and four days after the beginning of the menstrual period, they deteriorate.
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Signs of polyphagia before menstrual period:
- Desire to consume large amounts of food
- Eating food alone and away from the eyes of others
- Feeling of regret after eating a lot of food
- Desire to eat even after feeling full
- Lack of appetite control
- Craving for certain foods such as chocolate, fried potatoes
Effective factors in the formation of premenstrual polyphagia
The research of the International Journal of Eating Disorders indicates that polyphagia before period is a part of the physiological mechanism of women’s body. In fact, the progesterone hormones in the ovaries play an essential role in the formation of this disorder. The human body is made of different hormones that control different functions of the body. For example, the hormone leptin leads to the elimination of hunger in humans. When a person eats the right amount of food, leptin hormone starts the process of secretion and reproduction. During this process, one feels full. Estrogen hormone also creates a function similar to leptin hormone in the body. In the days before the period, the amount of estrogen in the body decreases. Therefore, the brain receives the message of hunger and the person feels the need to eat. Progesterone is the opposite of estrogen. This hormone plays an effective role in stimulating appetite and directly transfers negative energy to human mental states. Progesterone hormone is secreted more than usual in the days before the menstrual period. Therefore, it makes a person eat by stimulating her appetite.
Ways to control polyphagia before period
Surveys indicate that the desire of each person to eat shows the positive effect of food on the body and indicates the lack of constituent elements of food in the body. Nutritionists recommend to consume sweet foods and carbohydrates in order to reduce the formation of mental changes in the body before the period process. In fact, sweet foods and foods containing carbohydrates have sugar and starch in large amounts. These substances increase the secretion of serotonin hormone in the body and make a person happy. In addition, by consuming sugary substances, the level of blood sugar in the body remains constant and prevents the formation of moodiness disorder in a person.
Using supplements to reduce polyphagia before period
Daily consumption of supplements such as B6 helps the body mechanism of women to resist the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, especially breast tenderness, moodiness and flatulence. Also, daily consumption of magnesium (250 mg) plays an effective role in reducing body water retention. Among other supplements that play a role in reducing polyphagia before menstrual period, the following can be mentioned:
- Folic acid (400 micrograms daily)
- Calcium (1000 to 1300 mg daily)
- Vitamin E (400 international units)
Following a healthy diet to reduce premenstrual polyphagia
Eating healthy foods contributes to reducing the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, especially polyphagia. Therefore, the type of food consumed during the month becomes very important. In order to reduce water retention in the body, it is always recommended to minimize the amount of salt consumed because salt, by increasing the amount of sodium in the body, makes the person’s body look disproportionate and traps a lot of water in the body. Carbohydrate consumption has an inverse relationship with the desire to consume fatty and sweet foods. Therefore, by consuming carbohydrates such as wholemeal bread, potatoes, all kinds of vegetables and fruits, you can prevent cravings and polyphagia before menstruation. Fiber foods make a kind of feeling of hunger prevail in the body. Therefore, it is recommended to use the foods that are rich in fiber such as beans, seeds, whole grains; fruits such as apples; vegetables such as spinach and cabbage during the month, especially in the days before menstruation. Alcoholic drinks and drinks containing caffeine, especially coffee, increase the formation of inflammation and increase the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Thus, avoid consuming such drinks during menstruation. It is also recommended to avoid consuming foods containing refined sugar, dairy products such as milk, yogurt, curd, and salty and fatty foods because they play a role in increasing body flatulence.
Smart consumption of food to reduce polyphagia before menstrual period
The term “smart” implies some kind of control over food consumption. For this purpose, you can prepare a list of your food intake and write down all the foods used in it, then calculate the daily calorie intake. This process prevents extreme polyphagia even in the pre-menstrual period and stops the cycle of polyphagia.
Using healthy snacks to reduce polyphagia before menstrual period
In the days leading up to the menstrual period, the desire to consume industrial food increases strongly. Since snacks play a major role in polyphagia, try to minimize the consumption of industrial snacks and use homemade food, fruit and healthy smoothies.
Talk to nutritionists to reduce premenstrual polyphagia
Some people do not have accurate information about healthy food plans and ways to prevent polyphagia in the days leading up to their menstrual period. Nutritionists control polyphagia before menstrual period with special presentation. Among the effective factors in controlling polyphagia before menstrual period, the following can be mentioned:
- Reducing stress: anxiety and stress in the days close to menstruation cause emotional eating
- Doing sports activities and relaxing techniques such as yoga, meditation, massage, deep breathing
- No smoking, especially cigarettes and hookah
- Adequate rest
- Having regular sleep
Disadvantages of polyphagia before menstruation
Undoubtedly, the continuous and excessive consumption of food causes a person to be overweight. It is better to know that this process continues for at least a week and after that the body returns to normal. With repeated weight gain and loss, the skin undergoes abnormal fluctuations and eventually loses its original form.
Necessity to see a doctor for polyphagia before menstrual period
The process and disorders related to menstruation continue for a week. Therefore, they do not interfere or have a significant effect on the body’s mechanism. But if there are signs of premenstrual syndrome, especially polyphagia beyond three menstrual periods, it is necessary to see a doctor. In fact, people with irregular menstrual periods and who are overweight are always nervous about polyphagia. Therefore, with the occurrence of premenstrual polyphagia, a person suffers mental and emotional conflict. Premenstrual anxiety is a destructive disorder known as PMDD. Most women with this disorder struggle with suicidal thoughts, insomnia, frequent crying and impulsive behavior.
- Treatment of premenstrual polyphagia disorder: psychologists curb excessive polyphagia by following some psychotherapy techniques and prescribing medication.
- Interpersonal psychotherapy: the main focus of interpersonal psychotherapy is on the relationship of the individual with others. In fact, in this method, the therapist asks the patient to focus on his relationships with others and improve interpersonal skills.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: in cognitive behavioral therapy, a person confronts her own thoughts and feelings in order to understand destructive behaviors. Then, she is prepared in order to make changes in destructive behaviors.
- Dialectical behavior therapy: dialectical behavior therapy is a subset of cognitive behavior therapy that focuses on the regulation and control of emotions. For example, when a person begins to overeat and consume excessive amounts of food due to stress in the body. With dialectical behavioral therapy, the therapist reduces the person’s mindless eating and teaches the patient to fight against negative emotions and unnecessary stress.
- Drug therapy: some experts prescribe appetite suppressant drugs in order to reduce excessive polyphagia in the days leading up to menstruation. Others try to regulate hormones by prescribing birth control pills. Hormone regulating pills prevent the formation of ovulation and in most cases, reduce the amount of bleeding. Therefore, they reduce the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Analgesics such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen play a role in reducing physical symptoms such as back pain, muscle cramps, headache and breast pain. You are obliged to upgrade your personal information before taking any medicine and avoid taking unnecessary medicines.
Adib Elixir, a producer of products such as Inolix urine burn ointment, Fengrix capsule (diabetes medicine), Daminest capsule (women’s sexual enhancement), Vigress capsule (men’s sexual enhancement), Silidianin fatty liver treatment capsule, Punica capsule (ovarian cyst medicine), Karodib tea, Adib Derm burn ointment (ointment for burns), Adib Derm’s acne cream and anti-stain cream, Estorest capsule (treatment of menopause problems), scar healing ointment (ointment for scars) etc. are available in Iran.