Women spend most of their lives dreading that “time of the month.” For a good reason, too, periods and all the rainstorms of symptoms that come along with it are often enough to shut down your plans or ruin your Saturday. If it’s a work day, women have to squeeze into their pair of slacks and pretend not to curl up into a fetal position at their desks.
For something so universally awful, it’s surprising how many women accept their pain and symptoms and don’t do anything to aid them. Is the bar so low on the quality of life for women that we have just accepted our lot that a week before our period and the week during our period is going to suck?
This is simply no way to live. 14 days of misery out of a 28-day cycle is not a ratio we want you to live by. Many women are choosing to implement vitamins for PMS, which seeks to address the hormonal imbalances in your body and give your body the natural supplements it needs to ward off those pesky symptoms.
Now more than ever, women can take control of their symptoms and help alleviate pain in their menstrual cycle. There are so many things out there that now can help with period symptoms, and it’s time we as women seize our options and make the most of our months!
Taking the time to supplement your diet with natural plant-based ingredients, which take a proactive approach to symptom relief, is the number one way women fight and reduce their PMS symptoms.
When looking into vitamins for PMS, make sure you are looking into Allstar ingredients such as Chasterberry to help with hormonal acne and mood swings, Dong Quai, which helps cramps and bloating, Vitamin B6 to help with mood swings and cravings, and Lemon Balm, which helps with cramps, digestion, and stress.
By knowing the natural herbs you can supplement your diet with leading up to your period, you can hopefully pull from the benefits of their anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic compounds to reduce muscle contractions and swelling associated with menstrual pain.
Heat can be a highly effective way to keep those pesky cramps at bay. You might want to try applying heat to your abdomen and lower back with a heating pad, a heating patch, or a hot water bottle. Applying helps significantly is relaxing the muscle contributing to cramping. Some women prefer to soak in a warm bath, but if you are in the office, a heat patch might be the ultimate way to go as they are discreet and small and can be applied underneath your clothes.
When you’re in pain, exercise may be the last thing you want to do. Many women think treating their period symptoms means laying down on the couch until the pain subsides. While some rest is good, leaving your body stagnant may actually be making your period cramps worse.
Exercise on the other hand, stimulates your body and releases endorphins. Those endorphins might just be the key to reducing pain, as the release of endorphins is known to help block your body’s perception of pain.
If your period cramps are severe enough to be drastically life-altering, you may want to try talking to your OBGYN about your symptoms. Although not uncommon, many women face period symptoms that cause them to throw up or lay in a fetal position. By speaking to your doctor, you can get a better feel for the options out there to make your symptoms more bearable.
Some hormonal birth control medications are actually used to treat menstrual cramps and the pain that accompanies them. Sometimes severe menstrual cramps can reveal insight into a more intense gynecologic condition such as Endometriosis. This is why staying in communication with an expert can help you know what resources and treatment options are available to you.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS are the type of pain reliever medication you should be keeping an eye out for when scanning the shelves. NSAIDs are good at helping with menstrual pain and heavy menstrual bleeding.
Popular NSAIDs are Ibuprofen (Advil) and Naproxen (Aleve), though there are other medications specifically geared to fighting period pain such as Midol. With these more specific medications, you might want to check the ingredient list to ensure it still contains an NSAID.
Next time the period cramps hit, it may be an excellent idea to topically apply essential oils to your abdomen that are known to alleviate period pain. Many studies have found that massage therapy and aromatherapy with essential oils can reduce menstrual pain. Fennel, Rose, Peppermint, and Lavender are good places to start. Many essential oil brands will make a blend geared specifically towards pain relief for the menstrual cycle.
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