The Skinny on Surviving Your Period

This one is a touchy subject, but here’s how I learned to survive my ridiculously intense periods and PMS symptoms.

Anyone who menstruates will probably tell you that it’s brutal. From PMS mood swings, cravings, cramps and nausea to, well, bleeding for days on end and it absolutely zapping your energy, periods are no fun for anyone, and I’ve been having particularly rough periods since I was about 15 years old.

Yep, 15. A DECADE of brutal periods, and I’m only now starting to figure out precisely how my hormonal birth control affects my cycle, how what I eat and do affects my cycle, and beyond. So, how do I survive the monthly onslaught of cramps, debilitating nausea and fatigue-met-with-brain-fog? Let’s dive in—

Surviving your period part one: keep moving

I’ve found that exercise, as hard as it may be to begin when I’m not feeling super motivated due to period fatigue and the like, does help relieve symptoms almost instantly once you get into it. Exercise releases endorphins which have been proven to ease pain (so, cramps-be-gone!), boost your mood (and bye-bye, mood swings!) and energize you overall. Even when it’s hard, sometimes you just have to get moving, but be gentle, and do what makes your body feel good (and don’t try to overdo it).

Surviving your period part two: eat well and research supplements

Apparently, what we eat has a huge role to play in how brutal our period symptoms like cramping and bloating can be. This should’ve been obvious to me, I suppose, but it wasn’t always— I ate whatever I craved on my period, which is fine sometimes, but I did find that certain foods (like white carbs) triggered much worse bloating and cramps in my sensitive GI system during that time of the month. That said, eating more fresh, whole foods and grains that help regulate blood sugar and sustain energy (without causing excess bloat) may make you feel better on your period, as well as certain supplements, like Love Wellness’ “Bye-Bye Bloat” (which I take daily!) that’s filled with dandelion root, ginger, and other herbs proven to help reduce bloating and water retention. Of course, always talk to your doctor before trying a new supplement routine, but see if this does the trick for you by making some small dietary changes during that time of the month (because I’ve found it does wonders for me).

Surviving your period part three: relax

When you need to relax, relax. Honor your body, and don’t push it beyond your comfort level. Sure, exercise and the endorphins it releases can help, but sometimes you just need some R&R, and if your body is asking for that, then just. let. it. relax.

So, do you have any period hacks to help survive the worst time of the month? Let’s discuss,

Xoxo, MM.