There’s always that time of the month we usually dread, the one where our body apparently needs to remind us that we’re definitely not pregnant and that we’re made of human blood—a lot of it. Don’t get me wrong, our period is actually a lot more important than a simple reminder, it actually pushes out any unnecessary tissue in our bodies. Which is great, kudos to the human body for being amazing and figuring out all that, but man oh man, is it still a pain.
Usually, to make ourselves feel better, we might end up feeling pretty tempted to eat the whole junk food drawer and Netflix till our days of hibernation are over. However, as brilliant as that sounds—it’s not the greatest idea unfortunately. Instead, here’s a couple of tips that could help make this whole period dilemma a lot easier (don’t forget though that Netflixing and eating sweets here and there will always be acceptable).
- Healthy Food
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So eating healthy food should probably be an everyday thing, but it’s definitely highly recommended especially during menstruation. It’s probably not very surprising since eating healthy is always good for you, but due to the high sodium levels in many processed and sugary foods, it can be even worse to eat junk food during a period. Salt may cause bloating or discomfort, which will only intensify during a time when our body is grumpy as heck. Dairy intake should also be decreased or avoided since they may worsen cramps. Now, just because way too many delicious foods might not be our buddy, it doesn’t mean there’s nothing that’s good to consume. Of course, eating junk food is fine in balanced quantities, but there are also certain foods that can help us! Foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids may help with reducing inflammation, found in the form of either supplements or foods such as salmon, tuna, or walnuts. There have also been studies that point out fruits and vegetables as great helpers in decreasing period pain overall! So I guess the biggest lesson here is eating healthy is a good idea all the time, and junk food’s cool as long as we’re balancing well.
- Water, Water, Water!
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I’ll have to say that drinking water is definitely one of the highest priorities in our everyday life, especially in Arizona. Dehydration is always bad and can lead to dizziness, weakness, and even worse things (heat stroke anyone?), so I can definitely understand why it helps during menstruation. During that time, we actually are more likely to retain water, thus the gross bloated feeling. However, staying awesomely hydrated helps our body remove all that useless tissue out of our bodies. This may lead to less of that bloat-y feeling and help with cramps!
- Exercise
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When I mean exercise, I don’t necessarily mean running marathons or doing anything too extreme (unless you like doing that, which in that case, good for you). However, since exercise is known to release endorphins which reduce perception of pain, it makes sense why it’s not such a bad idea to try out a little workout during our period. Of course, during days when the flow is heavier, there’s no need to be forcing ourselves to do anything uncomfortable, but maybe when it’s lighter, a little light jogging might help. Or even yoga, since I do recall many friends feeling pretty relaxed after their sessions.
- Hot Pack or Just Hot Stuff in General
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According to Jessica Shepherd, an assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Illinois, she told Self, putting something warm on the lower abdomen is “such a therapeutic way of decreasing cramping.” I didn’t actually realize this was a thing until one of my past roommates had this funny looking hot pack (reminded me of a whoopee cushion in a way) that she used during her periods. It helped her to relax while she did homework or just chilled around the room. However, I do know we can’t be chilling all the time, but luckily the hot thing can work both ways—inside and out! Sherry Ross, a women’s health expert told Self drinking warm things can help as well, such as tea.