When you eat small meals throughout the day, rather than three large meals each day, you should be able to maintain a high energy level. Going too long without eating can decrease your energy levels, making it important to eat small, healthy snacks between meals. When you eat a large meal, your body puts more energy towards digesting the food, which in turn can make you tired. Proteins help to create enzymes and hormones that keep you from feeling as fatigued. Eating lean proteins can also help to keep your blood sugar levels balanced so that you don't experience a peak (and subsequent crash) that could heighten your fatigue. Foods that are considered to be good sources of protein include: Poultry like chicken, duck, and turkey. Lean cuts of beef, ham and pork. Seafood like salmon, tuna, trout, and cod. Beans, peas, and processed soy products. Nuts and seeds like almonds or sunflower seeds. In your everyday diet, avoid eating carbohydrates and sugars and spiking your blood sugar. Researchers have linked the symptoms of PMS with low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. Although it would seem that you should eat more sugar and carbohydrates to raise your sugar level, it actually has the opposite effect. Within two hours your sugar level has plummeted again after insulin has metabolized all the glucose in your bloodstream. Often times women reach for comfort foods during their periods. Things like mac 'n cheese or a slice of cake may strike you as exactly what you need to help you feel better when you have your period, but it actually works against you by making you feel more tired. Do your best to resist cravings and comfort foods and reach for healthy snacks instead. Instead, it is important to eat foods that are high in healthy fats, which will stabilize your blood sugar and protect your heart from heart disease and stroke. These are not trans-fats found in baked goods, which are the worst type of fat that you can eat. The baked goods are also high in carbohydrates, which spike your blood sugar. Try eating complex carbs (like whole grain bread or a baked potato), a tablespoon of almond butter, low-fat string cheese, an apple or pear, or a handful of nuts when cravings strike. Sometimes a combination of blood loss and poor nutrition can lead to iron deficiency anemia, which contributes significantly to extreme fatigue. Women who have fibroid growths in the uterus, which lead to greater blood loss during menstruation, or those who have poor nutritional habits can experience anemia. Iron-rich foods, such as beef, dark green leafy vegetables, beans, and lentils will help prevent anemia from poor nutrition. See your physician if changes you make at home do not improve your symptoms or if you believe that your periods have gotten heavier over time. Up to 10% of women under 49 are anemic. Long-term effects of anemia can include negative effects on the heart muscle and increase the risk of cardiac conditions.
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One-sentence summary -- Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. Eat more protein to boost your energy levels. Eat fewer carbohydrates and sugars. Prevent anemia.

Some of the foods you should avoid include bananas, tomato sauce, beet greens, clams, prunes, avocado, oranges, as well as cooked broccoli and cooked spinach. Avoid brown rice and pasta as well as other whole grains (like bran). Instead, substitute white rice and bread as these are lower in potassium. You can also incorporate fruits like berries and grapes; for vegetables, you can enjoy kale, cauliflower, and corn. Lean proteins are compatible with a low potassium diet as long you eat them in smaller portions. If you prepare chicken, turkey, and pork, keep your consumption limited to fist-sized helpings. Many packaged foods will add potassium chloride as a substitute for salt. This is an especially dangerous ingredient to consume if you are trying to lower your potassium levels. If you buy frozen dinners or canned tomato sauces, make sure you check the ingredient list to ensure it is not included. Leaching is not effective at completely removing potassium from high potassium foods and it should only be used occasionally. However, if you are craving a food that is particularly high in potassium, you can use this method to help reduce your total intake of potassium. You can apply this method for potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and winter squash. Peel and place the vegetable in cold water so they won't darken. Slice vegetables so they are 1/8 inch thick. Then rinse in warm water for a few seconds. Soak vegetables for a minimum of two hours in warm water. The amount of water used for soaking should be ten times greater than the amount of vegetables. If soaking longer, change the water every four hours. Rinse vegetables under warm water again for a few seconds. Cook vegetable with five times the amount of water to the amount of vegetables.
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One-sentence summary -- Eliminate foods that are high in potassium. Incorporate low-potassium foods into your diet. Eat more lean proteins. Avoid packaged foods. Leach out potassium from food.

Sweet plantains give a little when you press them. Their skins are mottled yellow and brown. If you find green plantains, give them several days to ripe before you make your sweet dessert dish. Use a paring knife to chop the ends off the plantains. Use your fingers to pull back the peel and remove it from the fruit inside. Discard the peel. Lay the plantains on a cutting board and slice them into 1/2-inch pieces. If you like thicker plantains, slice them into 1-inch pieces. For thin, crispy plantains, slice them into 1/4-inch pieces. Pour the oil into a stockpot or frying pan so that it rises up the sides 12 inch (1.3cm). Heat the oil until a deep frying thermometer reads 340 degrees. For a less oil-heavy dish, add just a bit of oil to a frying pan and heat it until it sizzles when you add a bit of plantain to the pan. Lay them in the hot oil and fry them until they're brown and crispy on one side, which should take about 2 minutes. Flip them over and fry them on the other side until both sides are golden brown. The longer they fry, the sweeter they'll taste. Remove them from the hot oil and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain completely. Sprinkle them with sugar and cinnamon to taste. For a truly delectable dish, make a fresh batch of whipped cream to top the fried sweet plantains.
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One-sentence summary --
Pick out ripe, sweet plantains. Peel the plantains. Slice them on the diagonal. Heat the oil. Fry the plantains. Drain the plantains. Serve them hot with sugar.