wellness-guides

Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Periods: How Food Affects Cycle

An anti-inflammatory diet for periods targets prostaglandin production — the mechanism behind cramping and heavy bleeding. Here's what to eat, what to reduce

Every recommendation in cycle health eventually comes back to inflammation. But inflammation is not a vague concept here — it's a specific biochemical process driven by specific molecules, and those molecules are partly determined by what you eat. The Prostaglandin Connection Prostaglandins are lipid compounds synthesized from arachidonic acid — an omega 6 fatty acid. The prostaglandins most responsible for period pain are PGF2α and PGE2: PGF2α causes uterine smooth muscle contraction (cramping) and vasoconstriction (reducing uterine blood flow, creating ischemia) PGE2 causes uterine contractions and has additional inflammatory effects; it also stimulates aromatase in endometriotic tissue People with severe dysmenorrhea have higher prostaglandin levels in their menstrual fluid than people with mild cramping. This isn't purely genetic — it's influenced by diet. When EPA and DHA (omega 3 fatty acids) are present in cell membranes, cyclooxygenase enzymes act on them instead of arachidonic acid, producing PGE3 and PGI3 — prostaglandins that are 10–100x less potent as inflammatory agents than their omega 6 counterparts. This is the foundational mechanism behind anti inflammatory diet re