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What to Eat on Your Period to Help Balance Your Hormones

Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on August 25, 2025

Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on August 25, 2025 — Reviewed by Hannah Wright

• Period Symptoms|
• What to Eat on Your Period|
• What to Avoid or Limit|
• Signs of Hormone Imbalance|
• Healthy Period Action Plan|

If your period hits like a freight train—bringing cramps, cravings, bloating, or mood swings—you’re not alone. And though it’s tempting to reach for chocolate or comfort carbs, what you eat during your cycle can actually make a big difference in how you feel.

In fact, nearly half of women worldwide experience symptoms in the days leading up to their period 1, and up to 91% report cramping or pain during their period 2. For some, the symptoms surrounding their period are so intense they interfere with work, sleep, and relationships.

That’s the bad news. The good news? You have more control than you think.

Simple nutrition and lifestyle changes—especially choosing the right foods—can help ease discomfort, stabilize your mood, and support more balanced hormones all month long. Let’s break down common period symptoms (and their causes) and a step-by-step plan to improve them. 

Common Period Symptoms 

Not every period is the same—but many women can relate to at least one of the following symptoms a few days to two weeks before and/or during their period 2 3:

• Mood swings or crying at the drop of a hat
• Anxiety, anger, or irritability
• Craving sugar or carbs
• Increased or decreased appetite
• Tender and/or swollen breasts
• Fatigue that no amount of sleep seems to fix
• Painful abdominal cramps or low backaches
• Heavy bleeding or long periods
• Headache
• Diarrhea or period constipation
• Nausea or vomiting
• Weight gain

Sound familiar?

These symptoms might feel like they come out of nowhere, but they’re likely caused by hormonal shifts—specifically, the drop in estrogen and progesterone before and during your period 3—and by inflammatory substances like prostaglandins that trigger uterine contractions 2.

PMS

PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, refers to the physical and emotional symptoms that occur in the luteal phase of your cycle—the days between ovulation and your period. PMS likely stems from hormonal fluctuations—especially imbalances between estrogen and progesterone—and their effects on serotonin, which links to mood changes. 

Low estrogen during the luteal phase of the cycle can disrupt brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and acetylcholine, driving symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, and depression 3. 

Lifestyle factors like high sugar, junk food, caffeine, poor sleep, and low exercise also appear to increase PMS risk 3.

Common PMS symptoms include 3:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Irritability or mood changes
• Bloating and breast tenderness
• Sleep disturbances
• Changes in appetite or food cravings
• Weight gain
• Nausea 
• Constipation
• Insomnia
• Anxiety and depression

PMDD

About 5–8% of women have a severe version of PMS called premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD 4. The symptoms of PMDD are similar to PMS, but far more severe, especially in terms of the psychological symptoms. Women with PMDD experience worse quality of life, more work days lost, and greater healthcare costs than those without it.

Why does this happen? Recent research shows that women with PMDD don’t have abnormal hormone levels, but their bodies react more strongly to the normal hormonal changes during their menstrual cycle. As a result, they may experience the following 4:

Mood and Emotional Symptoms

• Depression or feelings of hopelessness
• Anxiety or tension
• Mood swings
• Irritability or anger
• Feeling overwhelmed or out of control
• Low interest in usual activities
• Low self-esteem or self-critical thoughts
  

Behavioral and Cognitive Symptoms

• Trouble concentrating
• Low energy or fatigue
• Sleep changes (insomnia or sleeping too much)
• Changes in appetite or food cravings
  

Physical Symptoms

• Breast tenderness or swelling
• Headaches
• Joint or muscle pain
• Bloating
• Weight gain

Proven risk factors for PMDD include 4:

• A history of trauma or PTSD 
• Smoking 
• Obesity
• Chronic inflammation 

Though not yet proven, it’s also possible that PMDD runs in families 4.

If you suspect you may have PMDD, it’s worth discussing with your doctor. Nutritional and lifestyle changes can help, but some women benefit from additional support, such as targeted medications or supplements, hormonal therapies, or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Painful Periods

Period pain, also known as dysmenorrhea or menstrual cramps, is mainly driven by high levels of prostaglandins and other inflammatory substances that cause intense uterine contractions and reduced blood flow 2. Prostaglandins are hormone-like chemicals your body makes at the site of an injury or inflammation. They help control things like pain, swelling, blood flow, and muscle contractions—especially in the uterus during your period, which is why they’re linked to cramps.

During your period, hormone levels drop, causing the inner lining of the uterus to break down and release substances that get converted into prostaglandins and other inflammatory compounds. High levels of an enzyme called COX-2 during this time increase prostaglandin production—that’s why NSAIDs like ibuprofen (which block COX-2) can give relief 2. 

Other compounds like vasopressin and leukotrienes may also play a role by increasing uterine contractions and restricting blood flow. The worst pain typically occurs during the first two days of your period 2.

In a smaller number of cases, menstrual pain results from an underlying disease or condition, such as 2:

• Endometriosis (tissue like the uterine lining grows outside the uterus)
• Fibroids (non-cancerous growths made of muscle and tissue that form in or on the uterus)
• Large cesarean scar niche (a deep defect or gap in the uterus at C-section scar site)
• Adenomyosis (tissue that normally lines the uterus grows into its muscle wall)
• Endometrial polyps (soft, non-cancerous growths that form on the lining of the uterus)
• Interstitial cystitis (chronic condition causing bladder pain and frequent, urgent need to pee)
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (infection of female reproductive organs, usually caused by untreated sexually transmitted infections)
• Use of an intrauterine device (IUD) 

Menstrual pain typically shows up as abdominal pain or back pain. Women may also experience dysmenorrhea as 2:

• Fatigue
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Researchers estimate that painful periods may result in a 12% loss of school and work activities 2.

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding 

Heavy menstrual bleeding, once known as menorrhagia, is just one symptom of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). You’ll know you have heavy menstrual bleeding if you pass large clots, need to change your pad or tampon during the night, or soak through pads or tampons every hour for 2–3 hours in a row 5. 

Abnormal uterine bleeding happens when the normal process of shedding and repairing the uterine lining is disrupted by hormonal imbalances, problems with blood vessel function, or structural issues like fibroids or adenomyosis 6. In addition to heavy menstrual bleeding, other symptoms of AUB may include 5:

• Bleeding between periods
• Menstrual cycles that are shorter than 28 days or longer than 35 days
• Menstrual cycles of inconsistent lengths (the time between your period changes each month)
• Bleeding that lasts longer than normal or for more than 7 days

Of course, heavy menstrual bleeding can reduce your quality of life during your period. If untreated, heavy menstrual flow or other symptoms of AUB can result in anemia, infertility, and endometrial cancer 6.

What to Eat on Your Period

What you eat throughout the month affects your gut, hormones, and periods—so steady, healthy eating habits matter more than following a strict diet just during your period.

1. Eat a Whole-Foods Diet

If you’re dealing with pain or mood swings around your period, improving your diet can be a powerful first step. 

Research shows that eating mostly fresh, unprocessed foods—and cutting back on sugar, unhealthy fats, salt, and alcohol—may help prevent PMS and make symptoms less severe 7. 

And when it comes to period pain, one study showed that women with less pain tended to eat more fish, protein, and foods high in vitamin B12, vitamin D, and zinc. Those with more pain typically ate more sugar and processed foods 8.

Eating whole foods—like fruits, veggies, quality protein, healthy fats, and fiber—can reduce inflammation, support hormones, and ease symptoms. Focus on giving your body what it needs to function well, such as:

• Colorful fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains over refined carbs
• Grass-fed meat, wild fish, eggs, and dairy (if tolerated)
• Nuts, seeds, and healthy fats like olive oil or avocados

Download: The Paleo Diet Guide

2. Eat Iron-Rich Foods

Blood contains iron (in hemoglobin), and when you shed blood through your uterine lining each month, you lose that iron along with it. If your periods are heavy, the iron loss is greater, which can raise your risk of iron deficiency or anemia. 

Iron-rich foods can help to restore your body’s iron levels 9 and include:

• Leafy greens, especially spinach
• Fish and seafood
• Red meat (especially liver and organ meat)
• Legumes like lentils, soybeans (mature, like in tofu), and chickpeas
• Quinoa
• Dark chocolate
• Molasses
• Iron-fortified foods (often cereals and breads)
• Nuts and some dried fruits, like raisins or prunes

3. Eat Calcium-Rich Foods

Research has shown that women with PMS may have lower calcium levels than women without PMS 10. And getting enough calcium—along with vitamin D to help absorb it—can reduce menstrual cramps 11.

Some good choices for boosting calcium in your diet include:

• Dairy products (easiest to absorb)
• Leafy greens
• Sardines and canned salmon (make sure to eat the bones!)
• Almonds and other nuts
• Beans and lentils

4. Eat Foods With Healthy Fats

To be made properly, our hormones need healthy fats from our diet. Not eating enough good fats can cause hormone problems. 

Eating a lot of saturated fat is linked to more menstrual pain, and lower-fat diets may reduce pain 12—but fat quality matters. For example, studies show that omega-3 supplements (like fish oil) can reduce PMS symptoms 13 and ease period pain 14. 

Especially around your period, it’s a good idea to avoid bad fats like trans fats found in processed foods, and include healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, fatty fish, nuts, and eggs in your meals. If you don’t get enough healthy fats in your diet, fish oil supplements can help.

5. Add Herbs and Spices to Your Food

Many herbs and spices contain important nutrients that can reduce inflammation and provide antioxidants. Although herbal supplements contain higher amounts of those nutrients, eating herbs and spices with your meals may still offer benefits. 

For example, cinnamon, fennel, and ginger supplements may reduce the intensity of period pain, and cinnamon may shorten its duration 15. Curcumin, which gives turmeric its color and flavor, is a well-studied supplement that helped reduce PMS symptoms in one trial 16. 

Even if you don’t take supplements, using plenty of these herbs and spices in your cooking is a healthy choice and may help relieve menstrual symptoms.

What to Avoid or Limit on Your Period

What you eat and drink can have a big impact on your premenstrual and period symptoms. Diets high in sugar, refined carbs, or alcohol can throw off your blood sugar and hormone balance, making mood swings, cramps, and fatigue worse. If you want to feel more stable throughout your cycle, start by looking at what’s on your plate—and in your glass.

Avoid Foods That Spike Blood Sugar

That “hangry” or cranky feeling before or during your period is often caused by blood sugar ups and downs, which can mess with your hormones. Eating lots of sugar or refined carbs makes your blood sugar spike and then crash, making PMS symptoms like mood swings, tiredness, and cramps worse. 

Research has found that eating a lot of sugar, skipping meals, and following strict diets are linked to more painful periods 12. 

To keep blood sugar and hormones steady:

• Avoid sugary snacks, sweet drinks, and refined carbs like white bread or pastries. 
• Eat balanced meals with protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbs like veggies and whole grains. 
• Eat regularly (don’t skip meals) to help prevent blood sugar crashes that cause irritability and cravings. 

Keeping your blood sugar stable can really improve how you feel during your cycle.

Limit Your Alcohol Intake

Drinking too much alcohol can make PMS worse. A large study found that heavy drinking raises the risk of PMS, but it’s unclear exactly how much is too much 17. 

Here it’s worth noting that moderate drinking—a daily 2 standard drinks for women and 4 standard drinks for men—has no protective health benefits, as we all once believed. In fact, it appears to actually increase the risk of death 18. And since cigarettes often accompany alcohol, I’ll mention here that smoking may worsen the symptoms of PMS 19.

In short, reducing alcohol and tobacco use may help lessen PMS symptoms while supporting your overall health.

Signs Your Hormones May Be Out of Balance

PMS symptoms, cramps, and heavy bleeding can signal that your hormones are out of balance. Female reproductive hormones normally follow a regular cycle, but this can easily get disrupted. These hormones affect many aspects of the body, such as your mood, experience of pain, digestion, and stress response—that’s why hormone imbalances can cause so many different symptoms. 

Two major causes of hormone problems are gut issues and stress. Let’s explore these more.

The Gut-Hormone Connection

Your gut does more than digest food–it also helps regulate hormones.

Emerging research shows that when your gut microbiome (the community of bacteria in your digestive tract) is out of balance, it can throw off your estrogen levels. How? An unhealthy gut may have trouble clearing excess estrogen from your body, leading to a buildup of estrogen 20. Too much estrogen can contribute to estrogen dominance and symptoms like bloating, mood swings, and heavier periods.

Gut issues have also been linked to several other hormone-related conditions in women, including 20:

• PCOS
• Endometriosis
• Obesity and metabolic syndrome
• Cardiovascular disease
• Cancer
• Brain function problems

And the relationship goes both ways—your hormones affect your gut, too. Estrogen and progesterone may influence:

• Gut motility (how quickly food and waste move through your gut) 21
• Bloating and abdominal pain 21
• The strength or leakiness of your gut lining 22
• The diversity and balance of your gut bacteria throughout your cycle 23

Notably, women are more likely than men to have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), suggesting that female hormones may play a role 24.

Bottom line: If your digestion is off, your hormones probably are, too—so supporting gut health is key to feeling better throughout your cycle.

The Stress-Hormone Connection

Stress—whether emotional or physical—triggers your body to make more cortisol, the main stress hormone. But cortisol is made from cholesterol—the same raw material your body needs to make estrogen and progesterone. So, when stress takes center stage, hormone production can suffer 25.

This stress-hormone tug-of-war can disrupt communication between your brain and reproductive organs, leading to irregular periods, worse PMS, low sex drive, and fatigue.

It also works in reverse: Hormone imbalances can make you more sensitive to stress, creating a tough cycle to break.

And it’s not just emotional stress—hidden stressors like gut issues, inflammation, and blood sugar spikes can have similar hormonal impacts.

Managing stress isn’t just self-care—it’s essential for hormone balance and feeling well throughout your cycle.

An Action Plan for Healthy Periods

For women with symptoms of hormonal imbalance, I recommend a simple yet comprehensive action plan that is backed by research and has worked for many of our clients. This action plan includes taking the following steps.

Improve Gut Health With Probiotics

Poor gut health can mess with your hormones—and hormone imbalances can mess with your gut. This two-way interaction can turn into a vicious cycle. To help break it, start with two core steps:

• Eat an anti-inflammatory, whole-foods diet
• Take a high-quality probiotic supplement

Reduce Stress

Chronic stress can throw your hormones out of balance—and dealing with PMS and pain can add even more stress. That creates another vicious cycle. You can’t eliminate all stress, but you can take control of what’s in your power:

• Get 7–8 hours of sleep every night.
• Take a daily walk outdoors.
• Set boundaries or adjust responsibilities at work or home.
• Schedule time for things you enjoy.

Nudge Hormones Back Into Balance

The right herbal formulation may boost your progress while you take steps toward better gut health and less stress. 

Herbs like vitex (chasteberry)—especially when combined with licorice and white peony—may help regulate menstrual cycles and reduce PMS symptoms 26 27 28.

Vitex has the strongest evidence, particularly for hormone-related mood and cycle issues 29, and combination herbal formulas appear to be safe and more effective than single herbs 30.

Progest-Harmony is a convenient herbal formula containing vitex, licorice, and white peony—a good choice for women with period symptoms. 

Your Next Period Can Be Better

It’s possible to start seeing symptom improvements in just one monthly cycle.

To support hormone balance and have an easier time with your period, focus on an anti-inflammatory, whole-foods diet every day—not just during your period. Prioritize healthy fats, leafy greens, legumes, and iron-rich foods. Limit sugar, processed foods, and alcohol.

For best results, pair your diet with stress reduction practices, probiotics, and targeted herbal supplements. 

If you need guidance, we would love to hear from you—reach out to our virtual clinic anytime.

The Ruscio Institute has developed a range of high-quality formulations to help our clients and audience. If you’re interested in learning more about these products, please click here. Note that there are many other options available, and we encourage you to research which products may be right for you. The information on DrRuscio.com is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.