By Lauren Zielinski, MSN, CNM

Bloating during your period? I know the story well. Your period comes around, and suddenly those pants that fit like a glove a few days ago are feeling a little tight. If you’re tired of that puffy feeling and bloating during your period, I’ve got you—or at least a few game-changing tips. The culprits in question: Estrogen, progesterone, and their big shifts throughout the month are to blame for the swelling that many of us experience around our periods.

Rest assured, we can combat bloating with some beautifully effective lifestyle, diet, and exercise changes that help these hormonal shifts hit a little less intensely. If your bloating just won’t budge, there are also a few medications you can ask your doctor about to treat more extreme cases.

Something to keep in mind: It’s not always possible to totally get rid of cycle-specific water retention. But we can certainly give de-puffing our best shot and curb the effects.

Feature image by Michelle Nash.

Lauren Zielinski is a certified nurse-midwife with over 11 years of experience in women’s health and birth. She studied medicine at The University of Colorado-Denver with a focus on community health and birth center work.

Have you ever seen an illustration depicting hormonal fluctuations over a single month in the life of a menstruating woman? It’s essentially an entire mountain range of ups, downs, spikes, and steep drop-offs. There are some major body changes, symptoms, and frankly uncomfortable inconveniences that accompany our periods each month.

If you’re like me, you want to know exactly what sends your body into a spiral of puffing up. There are two key parts to the puzzle: estrogen and progesterone. Relative to estrogen fluctuating, our bodies retain water. This causes bloating, usually somewhere between two and five days prior to the start of our periods. In that same time frame, progesterone is quickly dropping, which can slow down our gut motility (medical talk for causing constipation).

Less gut movement mixed with increased water retention may cause you to feel like you’ve gained weight, especially around your midsection, arms, and legs. It can also cause clumsiness—wait, say what? Yep! When you retain water, you retain it everywhere in your body—including your brain. Even minuscule levels of water retention may cause brain fog a few days before you start your period. Be mindful of creating space to tune in to symptoms like these. You’ll be blown away by how accurate they are at letting you know your period is on its way.

The week before your period is the prime time to ramp up the bloat-fighting lifestyle and dietary interventions. Let’s start with the easiest changes first.

If you’ve ever taken chemistry, there’s a general truth about sodium that you’re probably familiar with: where salt goes, water will follow. This is true for your body as well. Keep this in mind when choosing what you’ll be eating prior to your period. Processed foods, fried foods, and many restaurant choices are loaded with salt. Keep an eye on sodium content in everything you eat so that you can have an idea of what’s going into your body. You might be shocked by the amount of salt you’re consuming—many Americans are! Strive to consume no more than 1500 mg per day. Eating lean protein, fruits, veggies, and whole grains can create a strong foundation to pave the way to bloat-free success.

Set a goal to get at least 80 ounces of water per day. This is much easier when you have a big ol’ cup or water bottle that you take with you everywhere. The bigger the better so you don’t have to refill as often. If you’re not a water lover, try the following tips to make it more appealing.

While commonly used and accepted in our society, we don’t often talk about how tough both caffeine and alcohol can be on our digestive system. Ever been hungover in bed with terrible acid reflux or GI distress? It’s pretty common due to the fact that both of these substances cause increased acid production in the stomach and gut. This can lead to temporary inflammation and swelling. It can also add to your baseline increased ability to bloat from hormones. Consider laying off these (admittedly tasty) treats the week before you bleed. 

If you’re moving, your gut’s moving, too. Research shows that exercise causes increased activity in your intestines, assisting trapped wind as it makes its way out of your body. Conclusion: reduced bloat! Working some cardio-focused activity into your routine helps your heart pump stronger and work harder and will decrease your body’s ability to retain water. Swimming is another great option. The hydrostatic function and pressure of the water on your body helps reduce swelling and increases circulation, both functions that are helpful to relieve bloat. However you choose to move your body, you won’t regret it!

If your bloating is feeling out of control, keeping you from functioning the way you would like, or causing discomfort that feels intolerable, it might be a great idea to ask your doctor about prescription medications to help ease the bloat. Additionally, there are a few supplements on the market that may help.

There are an abundance of naturally diuretic foods available in the supermarket that may help decrease bloating. Try drinking a fresh juice full of diuretic properties each morning the week of your expected period and through the first few days of your cycle. This juice is amazingly zingy, zesty, and delicious. You can feel how clarifying it is just by smelling it! It can be made easily at home with a juicer. If you don’t have one, try placing a custom order at your local juice bar. 

I’m hoping a few of these tips help you feel a little more comfortable in the coming months and beyond. Don’t forget to think ahead and focus on movement, healthy eating, and supporting your body to function at its highest level to help reduce bloating. Perhaps with some more background info, you’ll be able to pinpoint what kind of bloating you’re dealing with and apply the right remedies, or even get meds to help. And hey, it’s also not the worst thing to live in leggings for a few days.

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