Here's Why You Crave Chips and Chocolate Before Your Period -- and What to Drink to Feel Better

Ladies, we've all been there!

When *that* time of the month is looming, we want to eat everything in sight.

No, really, EVERYTHING. (Chips, chocolate, pizza -- you name it!)

Well, Dr. Sherry A. Ross -- OB to the stars and author of She-ology! -- is here to tell you that you're not to blame.

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In fact, she says that most women gain between 5 and 10 pounds before their period.

"The hormone progesterone increases before your period, so that's why we have compulsive eating," the celebrity doc explains. "Estrogen, on the other hand, acts as an appetite suppressant.

"But that peaks [during] ovulation and decreases right before your period," she goes on, "so it's like a double whammy of food cravings."

Ah HA!

"It's all hormonal," Dr. Sherry assures. "It is not your fault."

(Well, phew!)

Now, with that said, if you want to avoid all the pesky symptoms that Aunt Flow tends to bring along with her, you may want to consider fighting *certain* cravings.

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Here are the top 5 things she says you should try to avoid eating and drinking around your period:

1) Dairy

"Unfortunately, [dairy] has a cramp-inducing arachidonic acid that make us get inflamed," the gyno says.

2) Salt

"Salt makes us retain water," Dr. Sherry says. (A.K.A. the bad, bad bloat!)

3) Sugar

"[Sugar] causes mood swings, bloating and headaches," the OB/GYN explains.

4) Caffeine

"Caffeine causes tension," she says. "It also causes our blood vessels to constrict, which makes our cramps worse."

5) Alcohol

"[Alcohol] is a diarrhetic," the doctor explains, "but it also causes us to retain water, so it's not good."

Okay, so what CAN you have, you ask? Dr. Sherry's special hot green tea with cinnamon (an anti-inflammatory) and ginger (which is great for nausea)!

Watch her make it in the video above.

"It's great for bloating [and] is very calming," the OB/GYN says.