5 Foods that Ward Off PMS Headaches

Do you get PMS headaches? 

Are your periods typically short (1-3 days)? 

If your answer is yes to both of those questions, eating certain foods can help you reduce headaches, or avoid them altogether.  

It all comes down to giving your body what it needs to make blood. Our founder, Kirsten, explains in the 1-minute video below.  (Tip: if you’re not into video, scroll down for the transcript.)

For our not-into-video friends, here’s Kirsten’s answer, typed out:

You might get headaches during your cycle and want to find out what causes them and how to get rid of them. Right before the end of your menstrual cycle, in the PMS phase, a lot of your blood is accumulating to make your uterine lining in case you're trying to get pregnant. And if you don't have quite enough blood, it can lead to headaches. 

If you’re going for an ideal cycle, you want to have four days of bleeding, soaking a regular tampon or pad every four hours. If you bleed less than that, you're more likely to have headaches and severe PMS. Especially if your period is only about one day long.

How can you address that? You can, of course, use supplements like our PMS Support, which improves both liver and digestive function and helps your body make the blood it needs. But that’s not the only option. You can also improve your PMS headaches (and your period!) by paying attention to your diet and eating more blood-building foods. 

Some of my favorite blood-building foods are: 

• Parsley
• Dried apricots
• Organic red meat
• Sockeye salmon (the redder the better)
• Dark berries (like blueberries and blackberries) 

All of those are super rich in iron and can help your body make more blood, which in the long-term can help you to reduce your headaches, so you can feel way better and go out and kick some serious ass.

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PS: If you’re wondering what foods you can eat to help with other PMS symptoms (digestive issues, emotional rollercoasters, acne, etc.), check out the PMS section of our Healthy Period Handbook.