I’m sure all ladies will concur that periods can be a real pain, but for some these monthly visitors can pose more serious problems than mood swings and stomach cramps.

At some stage, most of us have experienced a period which has stopped us from maintaining our everyday activities, due to heavy blood loss or stomach cramping, so it’s easy to understand how debilitating such a period would be on a monthly basis. Such periods are more common among adolescent girls and ladies who are approaching the menopause. However, for some this is the monthly blight they face.

Menstrual periods with heavy or prolonged bleeding is medically known as menorrhagia. It’s important to always consult your doctor about heavy periods, as in some cases there can be some underlying issue, such as a polyp or fibroid, which could be causing the excessive bleeding.

The foods you eat can sometimes ease the symptoms associated with menorrhagia. Since the heavy bleeding can have a significant effect on your iron levels, it’s vital to keep this in mind when making dietary choices. Struggling iron levels leads to fatigue, shortness of breath and potentially anaemia.

One way to support your iron levels is to increase your intake of iron-rich foods, not only while menstruating, but throughout the month. Heme iron is best absorbed by the body and is found in red meat, liver and seafood. Non-heme iron, found in nuts, leafy green vegetables, beans and dried fruits, isn’t as easily absorbed as heme iron, but adding these to the diet helps to increase your overall consumption of iron.

A way of ensuring optimum levels of iron being absorbed from food is by including vitamin C-rich foods alongside iron-rich foods. A glass of fresh orange juice served with an iron-rich dish will be sufficient. Also, it’s advisable to abstain from the after-dinner cup of tea, as the tannin in the tea can hinder the absorption of iron.

To assist a healthy digestive system, and ease some of the digestive problems associated with menstruating, including plenty of fibre-rich foods in the days preceding and during menstruation, can really help. Foods laden with sugar and salt are best avoided, as they can add to the feeling of stomach bloating and aggravate the symptoms. To avoid dipping into the biscuit jar, have some healthy snacks on-hand. Even plain nuts act as a good snack, as they are nutrient-rich and are a much more filling alternative to biscuits or crisps.

Sizzling Beef & Green Veg Stir-Fry

Beef and coriander pair well together. Beef is one of the best sources of iron, while fresh coriander is rich in vitamin C, making the iron from the beef a little easier to be absorbed. The vegetables in this dish are stir fried quickly to maintain their colour, crunch and nutrients. The strips of beef benefit greatly from sitting in the marinade for a few hours or, if time allows, overnight.

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

450g sirloin steak, cut into strips

250g dried egg noodles

Olive oil

1 red onion, finely diced

125g green beans, trimmed

1 pak choi, roughly chopped

3 handfuls of spinach leaves

Handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped, plus extra for garnishing

1 Make the marinade for the beef by adding the soy sauce, sesame oil, smoked paprika and garlic into a large bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper. Stir to combine and add the beef strips. Stir well, making sure all the beef pieces are coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl with cling film and place in the fridge for at least four hours, to allow the flavours to soak into the beef.

2 Cook the noodles in boiling water, according to the packet instructions. Drain well and leave to one side.

3 Heat a dash of oil in a large wok over a high heat. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry until the beef is cooked through and nicely coloured.

4 Place the cooked beef and juices into a large bowl, and return the wok to the heat. Add another drizzle of oil and add the onion, green beans and pak choi to the pan. Stir fry, on a high heat, for about three minutes.

5 Add the spinach. Once it starts to wilt, return the beef to the pan with the cooked noodles and coriander leaves. Stir well to combine. Divide between four plates, sprinkle over a few extra coriander leaves and serve straight away.

Broccoli, Carrot & Cashew Salad

This deliciously fresh-tasting salad packs an impressive nutrient punch due to the vitamin and fibre-rich raw vegetables and nuts. It serves well as an accompaniment to grilled meats or fish, but has enough flavour and texture to be served on its own or piled onto a slice of brown bread. For the cashews to remain crunchy, they are best added just before serving, however, they still keep some of their bite when stirred through the other ingredients. This salad will keep for up to three days in the fridge, perfect to snack on when feeling peckish.

50g cashew nuts, unsalted

2 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1 red onion, finely sliced

150g broccoli florets, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely diced

Large handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

1 Place a frying pan over a low heat. Add the cashew nuts and gently toast, turning regularly. Once lightly coloured, remove to a chopping board to cool. When fully cooled, roughly chop.

2 In a large bowl, mix together the vinegar and the sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the finely-sliced onion and leave to pickle for a few minutes.

3 Add the broccoli, carrot and coriander. Season with a little salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Just before serving, sprinkle over the chopped cashews. CL