So a little back story. When it first came at 13 they were a walk in the park. They lasted three to four days with little discomfort. Fast forward about eight years and they became the bane of my existence. A constant dread that followed my sunny skies threatening rain and thundershowers. They progressed in intensity till I could tell the day before it came by the sudden onset of a piercing headache. On the first day that headache became a migraine. I would be bedridden in a dark room with a pillow over my head, fan on high setting afraid to move my head, afraid of noise and light. By the third day I’d be able to return to some semblance of a normal life but the headache would be replaced by stomach cramps. This went on for years, but then I had one pleasant period and was blown away by how simple “that time” could be. I must admit I thought it a fluke but by the time the second came around the realization dawned that I had found the remedy to my pain and suffering.
So here are the four steps I took over the years that made significant changes in my monthly experience.
1. Exercise
Yes yes, I rolled my eyes at that thought too. After our honeymoon my husband suggested that the “E” word might help. I looked at him with contempt. But despite my penchant for proving him right I must admit that exercise did help. What type of exercises did I do? Just walking as a start made a considerable change but the exercises catered to the abdominals made the most difference. (Hey I’m no fitness guru and this isn’t a fitness blog
)Of course the type of exercise you do is dependent on your health and physical conditioning and a consult with a doctor is recommended before starting a new regiment. In my humble opinion the goal of exercise should never be weight loss but to improve overall fitness and health.
2. Drink More Water
I feel like I cannot emphasize this enough. Our bodies are made up of water to a substantial degree and therefore requires water to function properly. So here goes people, DRINK!!!! MORE!!! WATER!!!
I changed bottles, tried straws, drank it room temperature, drank it cold, until I found a method that helped me to turn up the volume. If your schedule is predictable and regular then being properly hydrated the two days before your flow does wonders. For best results however drinking water all month long is advisable.
3. Check What I Eat
Fast food. Yes I said it. Fast food. It tastes good but we all know that that’s as far as it’s benefits go. Reducing the quantity of unhealthy foods and increasing healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and my fav salad, keeps the bowels going and that helped to relieve much of my PMS symptoms. Simply replacing store bought with home cooked does wonders for the waistline not to mention your pockets.
4. Change My Sanitary Choice.
The last piece of the puzzle was to switch brand of sanitary napkin. This was quite accidental, got to a store I don’t usually frequent and they didn’t have the one particular product I used. I bought another that was similar and was blown away but the reduction in cramping. These days I’ve given up pads altogether and taken to Menstrual cups. A menstrual cup is a type of feminine hygiene product which is made of flexible medical grade silicone, worn inside the vagina during menstruation to catch menstrual fluid. They have been in use for 80+ years.
Yes it sounds ……different, but it’s not too different from using a tampon. The decision to switch to using menstrual cups has done wonders for my period, my pockets and the environment. I’ve taken to cruising the sanitary napkin isles giving side-way glances to all the pads and tampons I’ll never need to purchase again. Think about it. How many pads or tampons do you use in any given period, how much do you pay every month, year on disposable solutions when there’s a hygienic reusable option. To learn more about the menstrual cup I use
Have you used any of these methods and seen improvements? What other methods have you used to reduce your discomfort during your period? Comment below.
