A girl’s body goes through a lot of changes when she hits puberty. The onset of menstruation brings with it a lot of changes and therefore, she has to care for her body more than before, starting with nutritional needs.
SHE NEEDS HER MINERALS!
Iron is an important constituent of blood. Also, this iron is used for producing a substance in the red blood cells that enable them to carry oxygen. During menstruation, her body loses a lot of blood and therefore, iron. Many times, heavy bleeding can result in excess iron reduction which can cause tiredness and other problems as well.
SHE NEEDS MORE IRON!
Though daily consumption of food provides iron but many times it might not be sufficient. Unlike men, women require more iron due to the loss of iron through menstrual period. She loses 1 mg of iron for every day of bleeding.
IRON MAKES HER STRONGER!
Lack of iron in her blood can cause its deficiency. This could lead to anaemia. The signs of anaemia include tiredness and breathlessness. Therefore, she needs to take extra care during her menstrual period to understand her body’s needs. Add extra iron in her diet to compensate for the loss of blood.
BUT HOW TO REPLENISH HER IRON STORAGE?
If she’s a non-vegetarian, there are plenty of options- red meat, chicken, turkey, pork or fish. If she’s a vegan, hop some veggies on the table like spinach, beans, broccoli, peas, soybeans and lentils. There are iron supplements also, that help in replenishing the iron deficiency.
She has to listen to body, see the signs of change and make sure she works through them to keep her body healthy.
Source : SBL