Hey guys, I know its been a while but I'm back with another interesting post!
photo cred http://www.undergroundhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/Menstrual-Cramps-Cure.jpg
This post is going to be a little T.M.I. but it's something that we ladies need to talk about! Although I am a med student i'm not going to make this post extremely in depth concerning the cause of symtpoms and those mechanisms involved because in truth I know most of you don't want to hear a bunch of jargon. I am however going to let you in on my tips for success.
Each of us experiences the symptoms of our menses differently, some get bloating some don't. Some of us crawl on the floor because of cramps (i'm guilty), get really angry and irritable, hit walls, can't fit in our clothes, eat a ton of sweets, a ton of chips, pop a bunch of midol and tylenol and try homemade methods. For me I usually get really irritable the week before like REALLY irritable, slightly bloated, sore in the chest, have lower back pain, and cramps. And how can I forget the dreaded pimple that lets everyone know that I'm on my monthly. I know T.M.I. but if i'm gonna do this post i'm going to have to be honest. I'm always in search of natural products that don't contain a ton of ingredients or products that are multi use, to replace my go to items that aren't the best and are still effective in managing my symptoms. I've never been much of a pill taker but there have been occasions during my monthly where I have resorted to taking pills but I try not to let this happen often because I've never wanted to be totally dependent on them to get through my monthly. Most of us begin our monthly's at about 12 years of age and don't hit menopause until were about 50. That's a ton of periods in between there and that would be a whole lot of pills. As I'm always trying to find ways to green my life I thought why not this area too. I've already greened my makeup brushes, working on my makeup collection, greening my washing so what about more natural methods of dealing with the cramps and bloating. This year I really started working on a regimen that I've found to help me during my time of the month and I'm gonna share it with you guys. I feel as though if something's working for one of us we should let others know. So, here are my tips for navigating the monthly!
Tip 1- Cleanse
I find it so weird that before I get my menses I have a strange desire to exercise like more than normal. I mean like hard core exercise (plyometrics )and stretch. I feel kind of weightless and invincible before my menses, no lie. So a few days before I get any cramping symptoms and I have that extra push to exercise, I usually exercise really well and begin cleansing my body with one of my fave products, organic apple cider vinegar with the "mother". This is the brand I use. I add about a tbsp or two to my water and drink it for a few days. For me this lessons the symptoms I get before my actual period comes and gets rid of the heaviness that comes with the first day. I know you're thinking but its and acid, for me ACV balances my body out and is a great promoter of digestion. I also make sure to follow tip 2.
Tip 2 - Stay hydrated
Most of us get concerned about bloating and think it counter-productive to drink water but that's so not true. Increasing your water intake and decreasing your salt and caffeine intake decreases the chances of bloating. Salt and Caffeine increase stomach acidity which makes cramps worst. Remaining hydrated helps to reduce the headaches some of us get during our times of the month as well and increases digestion, preventing the water retention we often experience during our times of the month.
Tip 3 - Stretch
I don't do much heavy activity during my first couple days due to my flow but I do stretch until I feel comfortable to start exercising again. Everyone's flow rate is different so if you feel comfortable exercising then by all means do so. Since i'm really not about that life lol, i've found that some light yoga helps with lower back tightness that is common during this time.
Tip 4 -Molasses
Got this tip from HeyFranHey and OMG its amazing. At the sign of cramps I make a cup of tea which is my favourite carrier for molasses. You can however add it to other food stuffs or take a tbsp to the head but for me tea is my favourite not only because i'm a regular tea drinker but also because its kind of warming which instantly makes me feel better. It doesn't really matter what kind of tea, I use what's on hand and that means I often run for a cup of Lipton. I don't add any sweeteners to it but I add about a rounded tsp of molasses and sip on that. Black strap molasses is recommended but I often run for what's on hand and sometimes I simply use unsulfured molasses which does the same thing in my book. It takes about 5-10 minutes to be completely cramp free for me but it does the job and makes me mobile again for a few hours. If the cramps come back I just make another cup. I usually don't have a bad cycle but I do get a bit of PMS and bad cramps for my first day, with a kind of flow. The molasses is a winner in my book! If you want to learn more about it here's a video by HeyFranHey.
Lastly, if molasses isn't your steeze I also find ginger to be effective.
photo cred: http://www.nlj.gov.jm/FeastingontheHeritage/ginger.jpg
You can grate some ginger into hot water or tea with a bit of honey and drink that. If you don't have any fresh ginger on hand, you can add a tsp of essence of ginger, it does the same thing. I use this brand of essence of ginger because its readily accessible in the Bahamas and is like under $2. Since your only using a tsp or so it goes a long way. If you're not a warm beverage drinker you can add a few bananas to your diet. They increase potassium which fights against water retention and also contain a number of anti-cramping nutrients like b6.
I hope these tips help you to Successfully navigate that time of the month. If you have any additional tips that I could try let me know in the comments section below.
XoDrea
