4 Ways to Make That Time of Month Better

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4 Ways to Make That Time of Month Better

Between hormonal acne, bloating, severe cramps, mood swings, food cravings, intense emotions, and nausea, PMS truly causes havoc in women’s lives on a monthly basis. And just when you feel you’ve recovered from the rain cloud that is a week of PMS and a week of being on your period, calendar wise you’re all too close to starting the hurricane beginning all over again. Many women choose to take vitamins for PMS which help alleviate hormonal acne, mood swings, cramps, digestive issues, and cravings. Preparing for a period and having a period take up such a majority of women’s time throughout a month that it becomes imperative to find ways to make sure they suck less. No one enjoys PMS, but at least getting some of those symptoms in check can make for a more manageable time that allows you to go about your routine and priortize some normalcy. As women, we must learn to manage our symptoms so they don’t manage us. So, what are some ways to make that time of the month better? We’ve consulted the experts and compiled a comprehensive list below.

1.   Implement Vitamins for PMS

Because so many of the symptoms that are wrapped up in hormones, a wholistic way to address those symptoms is to give your body what it naturally needs to balance out all that’s going on in your body. There are some incredible vitamins for PMS that exist out there made up of plant-based ingredients that have been shown to alleviate cramps, acne, and mood swings. When looking into vitamins for PMS, there are some key ingredients to look for. The first ingredient is Chasteberry which is traditionally used to alleviate hormonal acne and mood swings. Dong Quai is used for alleviating bloating and relieving cramps. Vitamin B6 has historically been known to reduce PMS mood swings and cravings. Lastly, make sure your vitamin has lemon balm in it which is best known for cramp, digestion, and stress relief.

2.   Utilize Exercise

We get that the last thing you probably want to do when you’re on your period is exercise. But there is countless amounts of evidence out there that shows that exercising to the point of getting winded is highly helpful in symptom relief. Exercise creates endorphins and endorphins counteract pain, therefore endorphins are your body’s natural pain reliever. Lots of doctors recommend taking a pain reliever for your cramps about an hour before you work out, that way by the time the medication fully kicks in you’ll be in your sweet spot for pain relief. If exercising feels too daunting, we recommend taking a walk instead at a steady pace. A slow workout even can help improve blood circulation. Additionally, make sure your hydrate a lot during your period, and especially after exercising. Your body will thank you!

3.   Track Your Period

Some people would prefer to ignore that their period is about to start, but without proper preparation you may just be left unprepared and completely wiped out by your symptoms. You might want to try keeping tabs on your cycle and schedule in a period tracker app that way you’re not left stranded in the bathroom without a tampon when the time does come. Additionally, lots of doctors recommend treating period symptoms up to 48 hours in advance can actually take the edge off of your cramps when they do inevitably hit.

4.   Try Seed Cycling

Seed cycling for hormone balance is truly all the rage right now. While seed cycling has risen in popularity recently due to the online dialogue about it circling everyone’s TikTok right now, seed cycling is actually an ancient practice that many women have been utilizing for centuries to promote hormone balance. Similar to vitamins for PMS, it is focused on giving your body the natural and holistic things it needs to balance and regulate your symptoms. Seed Cycling is related to giving your body what it needs during the the different phases in your menstrual cycle. The follicular phase is the first 14 days of your cycle, and the luteal phase is the last 14 days of your menstrual calendar. In the follicular phase (days 1-14), experts recommend you implement flax seeds and pumpkin seeds into your diet which improve estrogen levels and prevent excess estrogen. They are also high in zinc and lignans. In the luteal phase (days 15-28), experts recommend you implement sunflower seeds and sesame seeds into your diet which helps boost progesterone production. They also contain lignans to block excess estrogen. They are also high in vitamin E and selenium.