Ah, chocolate. How could anyone resist? We all have our moments of cravings. One day it’s chocolate. The next, goreng pisang and ice kacang! While the hunger might be for different foods, it always creeps up on you when your period approaches.

One common symptom of premenstrual syndrome is craving particular types of food. For some women, this food is chocolate! Just like other PMS symptoms, such as cramping, bloating, and moodiness, cravings are likely caused by fluctuations in your hormones. Right before you start your period, the levels of the hormones estrogen, serotonin, and cortisol in your body will shift. For many women, these hormonal changes result in cravings. Some women crave salty foods, others sweets and others fatty foods. The thing is, it’s completely OK to indulge! As long as you do it in moderation. We don’t recommend going overboard on the pigging out, because it’ll make you feel more bloated and uncomfortable than ever.

The key to managing your cravings during this time of the month is to try to prevent yourself from going overboard. Rather than eating an entire carton of ice cream, treat yourself to an ice-cream cone. Instead of the super-sized candy bar, just have a mini one (or two)! Try to drink a ton of water and get some form of exercise to help deal with it. Pump up the fruits and vegetables too, to see if it fills you up enough to leave only bit of room for your food cravings. Just remember, don't beat yourself up about it! If you had the chocolate --sundae and you're feeling guilty, get on the treadmill or dance around in your room for a bit and work it out.

The good news is that this kind of moderate "indulgence" is unlikely to have much of an effect on your weight. Scientists have also demonstrated that most girls and women burn extra calories just prior to starting their periods. So, as long as you keep your chocolate "fixes" small, you should find that you can include them as part of a balanced, healthy diet.

Source disclaimer: Article is adapted from original article source U by Kotex - USA