Vegan Diet = No Cramps

Since finishing the Master Cleanse, I've stopped eating all meat and dairy products except for fish. I've felt a lot better and lost a little bit of weight, and my skin has cleared up quite nicely.

Earlier this week, I stumbled upon yet another benefit of the vegan diet: no menstrual cramps. None. Not even a little.

Typically, I at least have one crappy crampy day every month. It's rarely excruciatingly horrible, but it's usually pretty uncomfortable and annoying. However, this month, I had zero symptoms. No cramps at all. I figured it might be a result of the diet changes, and I found this article.

In short, researchers found that women on a low fat, high fiber vegan diet reported fewer and less intense cramps than those on a non-restricted diet. Apparently the reduced fat keeps the body from producing as much excess estrogen, which is the crampy culprit. And, the extra fiber helps flush out any excess amounts that are created. The vegan diet participants were not allowed to eat avocados or peanut butter, but I've been eating a fair amount of both and seem to have achieved the same results.

Apparently, participants in the study also reported fewer concentration problems. as well, but I'm still waiting for that to kick in.