We’ve
all been told (probably numerous times) that our worst period problems —
cramps, PMS, super heavy flow, blood clots, migraines, teenage-like
acne, bloating, and exhaustion — are completely normal. Yup, just part
of this whole “being a woman” thing.
Well, ladies, we’ve been lied to for a very long time.
For
years I had most of these symptoms, and every time I saw my doctor,
she’d always say my complaints were nothing to worry about. She’d tell
me some of her patients were in bed for days, so I should feel lucky
that I could pop some ibuprofen and still function.
Um, really?!
Then she’d push the birth control pill on me as a solution to my period woes.
None
of this sat well with me. It just seemed like such a defeatist approach
to my health. I didn’t want to be prescribed birth control pills and
painkillers as a bandage.
Instead, I wanted to know why
I was plagued by all these problems in the first place. I knew
something was really wrong, and I wanted to know what I could do to
actually fix the root cause of my symptoms.
I’m
not the type of person who can just accept the status quo, so naturally
I decided to do a little digging on my own. What I found out blew my
mind, and I think it will blow yours, too.
I
know you’ve been told you just have to “deal with it” — but that’s not
actually true. In my research and training, I discovered a variety of
easy tips, tricks, and practices you can implement to naturally fix your
most frustrating period problems.
Get to know your flow
The first step is to become your own period expert. Start tracking your menstrual cycle using an app like Clue, Kindara, or Dot. Track when your period arrives, how long it is, and what it looks like.
Don’t
forget to make a note of fluctuations in energy levels, changes in
bowel movements, sex drive, moods, cravings, and sleep. This personal
data will help you determine what’s normal for your particular body.
Magical magnesium
If there was ever a mineral I’d recommend for women, it’d be magnesium.
I refer to it as natural Valium, because it supports the nervous system
and addresses feelings of nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, and
irritability. No small feat for us modern girls, right?
Leafy
green vegetables are rich in it — think kale, spinach, Swiss chard,
broccoli. But if you’re deficient, you can also opt for a magnesium
glycinate or magnesium citrate supplement.
Get enough Zzz’s
Many
of us are walking around with a sleep deficit, which continues to grow
when we skimp on much-needed nightly rest. Signs of sleep deprivation
include feeling tired when you wake up, that “tired but wired” feeling
at night, and energy slumps throughout the day (around 10 a.m. and 3
p.m.). Any of this sound familiar?
Melatonin
— the nighttime hormone that helps dictate our circadian rhythms — has a
big impact on the menstrual cycle. In fact, supplementing melatonin may
improve ovulation and fertility and treat chronic pelvic pain in endometriosis.
Address
your sleep debt by reducing your light at night, too. Use
light-blocking shades or curtains, put tape over the lights on your
alarm and TV, and stop using your phone and computer after 9 p.m.
Turn on night mode/night shift on your phone and get f.lux
for your computer. Both of these adjust the blue light to a more
reddish hue. No kidding, it helps protect your melatonin supply.
Cycle your seeds
This may sound far-fetched, but bear with me for a minute. Seed cycling
is a practice of rotating between four different types of seeds —
pumpkin, flax, sesame, and sunflower — according to the phases of your
menstrual cycle. Many women are deficient in the essential fatty acids,
vitamins, and minerals found in these seeds that can support their
periods.
I recommend seed cycling for women who have:
- irregular periods
- anovulatory cycles
- missing periods
- period pain
- short luteal phases
In
the first half, from day 1 to 14, eat a tablespoon each of ground
pumpkin seeds and flax seeds every day. From day 15 to 28, do the same
with sunflower and sesame seeds.
For women with no periods or
irregular periods, switch back to day 1 seeds after day 28. Once you get
your period, start over with day 1 seeds.
Remember, your period
problems may be statistically normal, but they’re not biologically
normal. We often suffer for years because we’ve been conditioned to
believe that this is just our “lot in life.”
These tips are a
great first step to fixing your period, but if you continue to struggle
with disruptive period symptoms, I suggest you dig a little deeper to
find out the root cause.
Written by - Nicole Jardim
Source: Health Line
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