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Why Do Women Get PMS Food Cravings?

5 mins read

If you find yourself getting strong food cravings and the urge to eat more around certain times in your menstrual cycle, you’re not alone! About 1–2 weeks before your period begins, fluctuations in your hormones can cause many side effects, including food cravings, increased appetite, bloating, fatigue, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and irritability. These side effects are collectively known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMS. 

 

Understanding the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and why they happen can help you understand your body and prevent food cravings from controlling your life. Keep reading to learn more about why women experience PMS food cravings and what you can do to lessen the impact they have on your diet and wellness. If you’re struggling with severe PMS symptoms, consider making an appointment today with our expert women’s health team at Great City Medical in New York City.

 

Why does PMS cause increased appetite?

why does pms cause increased appetite

During the 1–2 weeks leading up to the start of your period, dramatic hormonal changes can cause an increase in your appetite. There are three main hormone changes that are responsible for this: estrogen, cortisol, and serotonin.

 

Estrogen levels increase in the days before your period begins. When estrogen levels increase, so do your cortisol levels. Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, puts your body in a state of high stress during this time. This can put your body on high alert and stimulate your metabolism, increasing your appetite and causing cravings for foods that are high in fats and carbohydrates. 

 

Also during this time, serotonin levels can drop. Serotonin is a hormone associated with happiness, feeling good, and overall feelings of well-being. If your serotonin levels are low, your body will signal to you to seek out things that can help you feel better, such as eating your favorite comfort foods. With the effects of the combination of high cortisol and low serotonin levels, it is no wonder that period cravings and increased appetite are such common symptoms of PMS.

 

How early can PMS cravings start?

how early can pms cravings start

PMS cravings tend to start around 7–10 days before your period begins, but they can start as early as 2 weeks before your period begins. The exact timing and intensity of your PMS cravings will depend on your individual hormone levels and cycle schedule. PMS cravings tend to start at the same time that any other PMS symptoms begin. If you start to notice any other PMS symptoms, this can be a helpful sign that you need to start being aware of your cravings and being more intentional about what you eat. The cravings can last for several days and usually disappear once your period begins.

 

Is it Good to Indulge Your Food Cravings?

Is it Good to Indulge Your Food Cravings

You may have been taught to feel shameful about your PMS cravings, but there is no need to be ashamed of your body’s natural cycles. It is important to listen to the signals that your body is giving you. An increased metabolism and other changes in your body may mean that you do actually need to eat more calories than usual during this time. Undereating can also raise cortisol levels and worsen your PMS symptoms, so be sure to give your body what it needs.

 

That being said, it is important to provide your body with the proper nourishment and nutrition. Instead of reaching for comfort foods that are high in sugar and simple carbs that can cause spikes in your blood sugar levels, reach for complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber. Try replacing sugary snacks like ice cream, chocolate, or potato chips with whole grains, dark chocolate, fruit, brown rice, oats, lentils, and other healthier foods. Watch your food intake and try to avoid binge eating or overindulging regularly to avoid excessive weight gain and other negative side effects from letting your cravings take control of your diet.

 

What foods help with PMS?

Eating big meals with too much refined sugar, simple carbs, and salt can actually worsen PMS symptoms and make you feel awful. These comfort foods might give you a temporary boost in serotonin while you’re eating them, but the effects will be short lived. The resulting drop in blood sugar levels that inevitably come afterwards can leave you feeling more depressed and sluggish than before. 

 

Eating several small meals throughout the day can help keep hormone and blood sugar levels stable (this can help keep your mood and energy levels stable too!). Focus on eating plenty of lean proteins, complex carbs, fruits, and vegetables. Foods that are rich in vitamin B, magnesium, calcium, thiamine, and riboflavin have been shown to help reduce PMS symptoms. These foods can include whole foods such as whole grains, brown rice, legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts, etc.), nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, and dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, etc.).  If you are concerned about your nutrient levels, you can also talk to your doctor about talking supplements such as a magnesium or calcium supplement. It might sound counterintuitive, but drinking plenty of water can also help reduce cravings and bloating.

 

Other lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity and better quality sleep can also help curb PMS cravings and other symptoms of PMS. 

 

Please make an appointment with our gynecologists today

At Great City Medical, our women’s health specialists want to help you stay healthy and feel your best throughout your entire menstrual cycle. We are here to help answer any questions about your sexual and reproductive health and find healthy solutions that work for you. Contact us today to make a NYC gynecologist   appointment and speak with a doctor about managing your PMS cravings and other PMS symptoms.

 

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Testimonials

My first time at this location, availability is always open. Staff and doctor were very pleasant and attentive. Sign- in was quick and easy! If your looking for a gynecologist this is your place.
Jennifer P.
Jennifer P.
15:45 27 Mar 24
A very friendly and attentive staff. Everything was practical and quick. Affordable prices. I’ll definitely be back for more procedures!
Marina P.
Marina P.
15:41 27 Mar 24
Fue un excelente servicio ☺️
Carolina M.
Carolina M.
13:27 26 Mar 24
The staff,Nursees and Doctor is of utmost professional quality and care
Charles J J.
Charles J J.
20:33 25 Mar 24
Today was my first visit to the office. All staff were very pleasant and thoughtful. The level of professionalism is top tier. I feel welcomed and secured in the knowledge given by the physicians. Looking forward to making this my forever gyn office. Definitely different from the rest!
JamilaMoneka
JamilaMoneka
20:09 25 Mar 24
DR.GRANA IS THE BEST
A Luis S.
A Luis S.
18:32 25 Mar 24
The Whole staff were friendly and very helpful, I didn’t have an appointment but they saw me the same day! From the Receptionist, nurses and Doctor… Great Job TEAM!
Raul V.
Raul V.
18:12 25 Mar 24
Muy buenos servicios, tanto en el front desk como en el personal médico . Excelente servicio, mucha amabilidad. 😍🥰
Martha F.
Martha F.
22:18 20 Mar 24
Le doy la Gracias a Dios por a verlo encontrado es la mejor Ginecologa que conozco estoy feliz con ella mi doctora favorita Gracias 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Allalive C.
Allalive C.
17:53 14 Mar 24
Great visit with a great Doctor!She makes time to listen to my concerns and goes even further to answer all of my questions.Overall experience was 10 out of 10!!!
latia H.
latia H.
18:32 13 Mar 24
Everything was great, excellent service
Jose Luis Guerrero G.
Jose Luis Guerrero G.
19:46 06 Mar 24
Great place Dr is very informative and the service is superb they don’t have you waiting for hour’s
Beth H.
Beth H.
23:55 04 Mar 24
Great Doctor and staff
Diana G.
Diana G.
23:15 04 Mar 24
U the best
Tukoy G.
Tukoy G.
17:55 28 Feb 24
Pricing reasonable & appointments quick.
Yolande M.
Yolande M.
22:15 26 Feb 24
It’s good all over and everyone is helpful
Ranjana T.
Ranjana T.
20:01 22 Feb 24
Me encantó la amabilidad d todos muy atentos muchas gracias x todo
Francis F.
Francis F.
20:33 21 Feb 24
I have been through a lot and not been able to care for myself for a while. Today I saw my doctor and was able to get the care started that I need. The staff made me feel human and even moved my appointment up to see me sooner. Great City Medical thank you and God bless you all.
Chele From The Block (.
Chele From The Block (.
17:08 21 Feb 24
Excelente
Dennys O.
Dennys O.
22:25 19 Feb 24
Staffs are awesome, friendly, and calm. Thank you so much!!
Ana B.
Ana B.
15:36 19 Feb 24
Excellent service from the beginning to understand all the process, solve questions and doubts. The CRM is excellent, and the medical exams are really efficient. The doctors and their staff are so kind and professional. I had my first visit on Monday, and on Friday, I got all the results. Excellent service, highly recommended.
Juliana R.
Juliana R.
16:22 16 Feb 24
At first it was hard getting through to Great City by phone. I soon discovered the chat. I was verily informed about everything from the costs right down to the procedure, that being examination for immigration purposes. I was kept up to date by Antony all the way up until it was time to pick up my form. The staff were very friendly as well. I should also mention too that the cost was the most inexpensive out of all the places I checked.
Mitsy D.
Mitsy D.
18:30 15 Feb 24
Escelente
Gilberto P.
Gilberto P.
13:34 15 Feb 24
Excellent service it’s a lot better than what it used to be and I am grateful for that.. doctor is wonderful.. and the PCA’s that work there are the best all of the women are caring and patient.. they make you feel welcomed.. Dr Marly Granna is the best .. you don’t meet doctors like her anymore these days 🙇‍♂️🙏
Thomas R.
Thomas R.
17:10 14 Feb 24
Amazing!!
Taqazua P.
Taqazua P.
00:08 13 Feb 24
Me gustó muy atentos
Irairis M.
Irairis M.
20:29 07 Feb 24
Excellent service and nice personal🤗
Elizabeth B.
Elizabeth B.
16:03 07 Feb 24
Very safe space , quick and give you all the answer’s you need
Diamond F.
Diamond F.
16:28 01 Feb 24
Great place, nice people. Good attitude Very helpful
Elvin A
Elvin A
20:36 31 Jan 24
I like this little clinic a lot! Very friendly stuff, Dr. Grana seems to be a very professional. Been going there for almost a year now. Highly recommend!
Yulya Y.
Yulya Y.
19:35 31 Jan 24
Staff was professional, courteous and informed me of anything along the way. I would definitely go back. I also waited 5 min before being seen on a Monday morning.
Sabrosa V.
Sabrosa V.
22:22 29 Jan 24
Great experience each time I go . Professional clean and very respectful office. Staff always pleasant. Doctors very caring.
Juanita R.
Juanita R.
19:30 24 Jan 24
I am so appreciate Dr. Tsyba and the whole team. You are the best 👌
Alla M.
Alla M.
23:05 22 Jan 24
Las atenciones excelentes, desde informacion y registro, tanto como el personal medico, solo deben mejorar el tiempo de espera para ls citas.
Wanda R.
Wanda R.
00:10 17 Jan 24
Excellent Service
Sathyanarayana Rao Mallur Venkata R.
Sathyanarayana Rao Mallur Venkata R.
01:04 11 Jan 24
From the front desk to the medical assistant, to the lab, and down to the doctor and whoever you passed by, it was excellent customer service. It was topnotch. I think the entire staff took extra customer service classes.
ibro D.
ibro D.
12:52 05 Jan 24
Super mega maravilloso las atenciones
Mildred Yajaira E.
Mildred Yajaira E.
17:22 27 Dec 23
Todos muy amable y comprometido por la salud del paciente .ame este grupo
Veronica R.
Veronica R.
17:56 26 Dec 23
They are very nice and friendly. The appointment didn’t take too long. The only thing I didn’t like is that I’m a transgender woman and all the time they used masculine pronouns which makes me feel uncomfortable. They could just try to be neutral or call me by my name instead.
jose
jose
15:53 22 Dec 23
El trato de todo el personal es excelente
Miosotis M.
Miosotis M.
19:53 20 Dec 23
Great service. The intake with the nurse was pleasant and fun. The time with the doctor was very comfortable, she listened very attentivet all my concerns, she was very gentle and professional.They have late afternoon appointments wich is a plus.The final step was the scheduling of the next appointment wich was fast!My mom was right to recommend her and I recommend them as well.
Juana G.
Juana G.
22:31 19 Dec 23
No long wait times staff is professional and pleasant Doctors are amazing and very knowledgeable
Denise C.
Denise C.
14:43 19 Dec 23
Excelente las atenciones y un personal medico de primera
Carlos F.
Carlos F.
18:11 15 Dec 23
Stagg was friendly doctor listen and communicated clearly….overall good experience
Ayasia K.
Ayasia K.
12:56 12 Dec 23
Everyone was very positive and reassuringly guided us through a rather complicated process. A great shoutout to Patricia for going above and beyond to make everything less stressful for us.
Ntani G.
Ntani G.
12:10 12 Dec 23
I went to have a immigration physical exam. Prior to visit, the chat/email service via their website was clear on my existing vaccinations and what paperwork/proof that would be sufficient. The staff was transparent in the cost and what to expect for the actual physical. The visit went smooth and the waiting time was within 10- minutes. Highly recommended
Jacky H.
Jacky H.
01:07 02 Dec 23
Clean facilitie staff are very professional doctors is awesome he explained everything clearly I understood everything he said to me it was a excellent experience I’ll definitely go back there
Kerry L.
Kerry L.
22:42 01 Dec 23
The experience was great Patricia was so nice dealing with me an my sister an so professional
Kwame L.
Kwame L.
19:29 27 Nov 23
Dr. Tsyba is one of the most greatest GYN there is. I couldn’t ask for a better DR.
Gordiva C.
Gordiva C.
22:54 22 Nov 23
Excelente servicio, la atención al cliente y el seguimiento al paciente muy bueno.
Edwin S.
Edwin S.
20:02 13 Nov 23
It’s always a welcoming experience.
Mr.M A
Mr.M A
22:30 09 Nov 23
Súper confortable and the stuff very sweet and professional!!
Elizabeth C.
Elizabeth C.
10:52 08 Nov 23
From the front deck to the Doctor are very easy to talk to, is a great experience visiting them
Azeez O.
Azeez O.
18:46 07 Nov 23
Fast , professional and great experience. I highly recommend this place for anyone who needs to do immigration medical exam . 10/10
adelina T.
adelina T.
23:36 26 Oct 23
J’ai eu une bonne impression a Harlem Gynecologist, l’accueil au top,le personnel au top,rien a dire
diaby H.
diaby H.
18:28 25 Oct 23
My MD is great! Very attentive to my needs. Great listener and good bedside manner.
Rhonda M.
Rhonda M.
18:06 24 Oct 23
I highly recommend Great Medical!they are amazing.
Julio C.
Julio C.
17:48 20 Oct 23
My first time visiting this practice. They were very through, from intake, which was done by a Dr. that I assumed was a nurse because he was so young lol. I wound up seeing Jaime who is a GYN NP, she was awesome. They asked a lot of questions about my history, which I really appreciated. Labs and Sonogram are done on-site. I will be returning.
Shay S.
Shay S.
01:13 20 Oct 23
The ladies are very polite and the doctors are really nice😊
Sheribel C.
Sheribel C.
19:45 12 Oct 23
I’ve been coming here for years and my doctor shows true concern about all my health issues staff here are also great
Trina M.
Trina M.
17:26 12 Oct 23
They e the best and I lov my dr Grana
jorge B.
jorge B.
16:40 09 Oct 23
I have been there about 5 times and I must say , they are very Professional and friendly. From front desk , nurses and doctors.
Wendy W.
Wendy W.
11:05 06 Oct 23
Patty the sono tech and Dr. Yelena Tsyba are excellent care givers. They were kind courteous and answered all my questions
Elisa T.
Elisa T.
20:55 05 Oct 23
Amazing and fast serviceEveryone is so kind and friendlyThank you
Anastasiia T.
Anastasiia T.
17:33 05 Oct 23
I had a great experience at Great City Medical. My appointment was scheduled right away, the staff is very nice and professional, communication was great and prompt. Highly recommend!
Stephany B.
Stephany B.
00:35 27 Sep 23
Great and fast service.. very friendly doctors and assistants..
Mohammed Y.
Mohammed Y.
19:40 26 Sep 23
Great place and Friendly staff .Dr. Tsyba is awesome
Elizabeth M.
Elizabeth M.
16:54 21 Sep 23
Muy buenas atenciones 👍🏽
Mateo Rosario H.
Mateo Rosario H.
16:22 21 Sep 23
The doctor and staff were truly amazing. They are friendly, caring and very professional. I was seen immediately and felt very comfortable in the calmenvironment.
Daysi P.
Daysi P.
00:31 15 Sep 23
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