Besides mood swings, sometimes irritable, sometimes angry, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, which are influenced by hormonal changes, another popular symptom often found before and during menstruation is “eating” that changes. Many girls eat a lot, eat heavily, eat as if they never feel full, constantly craving food. Is there anyone else who also wants to eat spicy, sour, and tangy food? That’s really satisfying… especially during that time of the month.
The reason you want to eat spicy food like this is because your body is TOO HOT
Although it may seem illogical, research by János Szolcsányi, Professor Emeritus and former Head of the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University Medical School of Pécs in Hungary, confirms that when you feel hot or very hot, you may have an increased craving for spicy food because the capsaicin in chili helps regulate your body’s internal temperature. The spiciness of capsaicin causes the body to release heat in the form of sweat, which lowers the internal body temperature.
The reason for the heat before menstruation is due to hormones
The rapid decrease in estrogen and progesterone hormone levels before menstruation is the main cause that makes women’s bodies feel hot flashes, sweat more easily than usual, feel bloated, gain weight, have increased appetite, and many other symptoms. But the mind becomes fragile. Even small emotional triggers can cause joy! or tears! Mood swings that may cause headaches for those around. These symptoms are simply called PMS or Premenstrual Syndrome, which more than 80% of women aged 20-40 regularly experience.
“In summary, before menstruation, PMS may cause your body temperature to rise, which research shows increases cravings for spicy food. So guys, please understand if you see the woman beside you showing these symptoms. It is recommended to tolerate and let it pass. Once that time of the month is over, everything will return to normal.”
You can enjoy spicy food, but not too much because it may cause “more stomach pain”
Although that time of the month makes you crave spicy food, did you know that spicy food is actually classified as forbidden food during menstruation? Because during menstruation, the uterine lining stimulates the secretion of prostaglandin hormones, which cause the uterine muscles to contract. At the same time, this hormone also causes the intestinal muscles to contract, which is why women experience stomach pain or diarrhea during menstruation. Eating spicy food during this time, when the digestive system is unstable, can worsen stomach pain due to irritation of the stomach lining and may even cause diarrhea.