To let go: How to make life easier during menstruation
Text: Karina Sembe
MENSTRUATION - Natural PROCESSThis is not easy for many of us. The lack of information and the ability to speak openly on this topic makes us perceive mood swings, body aches, changes in appetite and other related signs as something wrong or shameful. Often, because of this, we ignore the needs of our body and every month we decide to endure instead of trying to alleviate our lot. Remember: most women face similar problems and can be solved. Here are some proven ways to make life during menstruation easier and more enjoyable.
Choose the best hygiene product
The cause of discomfort during menstruation is often the wrong hygiene products. Many of us are simply accustomed to the products that we met in our teens, but since then the development has gone forward. Now there are plenty to choose from: from organic cotton tampons, which reduce the risk of developing toxic shock syndrome, to various menstrual cups, which are placed in the vagina to collect secretions. The latter serve for a long time, most of them are eco-friendly, besides, you can not worry about replacing them all day - others can be worn for up to twelve hours, but you need to be guided by the recommendations of manufacturers and the amount of emissions.
Carry wet intimate wipes with you to solve the hygiene issue anywhere and anytime. If you often have leaks, carry a spare set of underwear with you. But, most importantly, do not forget that menstrual blood is as natural as sweat or tears. Do not be ashamed of your discharge, the need to use hygiene products or the fact that at this time you look or feel differently.
Consult a doctor for help.
In some cases, severe PMS and painful or heavy menstruation can be a sign of illness. Do not neglect the medical examination: if there is a problem, it is unlikely to disappear by itself and can lead to consequences more serious pain in the lower abdomen. In addition, the gynecologist will suggest ways to make menstruation less painful and, if necessary, reduce their duration to normal.
The appointment of birth control pills helps many women. They contain progesterone and estrogen - two steroid hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle and determine the nature of menstruation. In the material on menstruation, we talked about combined oral contraceptives designed to reduce the number of menstruation from twelve or more to three or four per year, and subsequently eliminate them altogether. In any case, each organism has its own characteristics and needs, and different types of QA courses should be appointed with special care - taking into account all possible contraindications and side effects. If necessary, ask the doctor to choose the best painkiller - their self-designation is also not recommended.
Pay attention to your body
Please and relax whenever possible. Take a warm bath with salt - just let the water be not too hot, otherwise the vessels will expand and the bleeding may increase. Think of the delights of daytime sleep and the importance of a night’s rest. Do not forget to care for your skin. Due to a change in the level of hormones, its needs may vary, so determine which special means you can enter during this period. Someone during the menstrual period increases sebum production and rashes: perhaps, soft cleansing lotions with acids or balancing serums can help. In others, the skin becomes dehydrated and flakes off, and intensive moisturizing is required.
Escape and reduce pain will help physical activity. Gynecologists believe that horizontal position reduces the tone of the uterus, increasing pain. So during painful periods, lying down is not the only way out. We also do not recommend running on a crossfit or squatting on the first day, but if you feel strong, take a quick walk: the blood supply to the pelvic organs will improve and the spasms will decrease. Light stretching on the floor or leisurely yoga will help relax the muscles of the back, abdomen and hips. If the monthly flow without deviations, sex with penetration and masturbation also does not hurt - for many it even helps to ease the pain.
Take care of emotional comfort.
Easy to say, harder to do. We have already said that in terms of emotions, PMS and menstruation is not easy and certainly not funny. Not only that everything hurts - feelings and reactions are aggravated, and it is not always possible to control them. Modern scientists consider premenstrual syndrome as a disorder of the central nervous system, which is influenced by external factors, congenital or acquired lability of the nervous and endocrine systems, and hormonal changes within the cycle. During menstruation, such instability may persist, so for the beginning it is very important to accept this fact and not blame yourself.
At work, they rarely give time off directly because of painful periods. But if you know that it’s usually difficult to carry them, find a way to explain to the management the need to work from home. Those who are still forced to endure the pain and a broken condition on their feet, we advise you to postpone a couple of days of trying to solve all the problems at once and give yourself at least an emotional day off. If possible, postpone the questions that are guaranteed to increase anxiety, and if you still have unsolved problems to worry about, grab them, having planned everything. Do not restrain your feelings too much so as not to aggravate stress, but remember that it is important not to violate other people's borders.
Eat meaningfully and in pleasure
Regardless, eat regularly. If you are nauseated and there is no desire to cram into a full-fledged meal, do not fight with yourself: fresh vegetables, a couple of cereal breads, yogurt or sour fruits will completely go for food. The main thing - do not give the body exhausted. If during the month you are always hungry and you can easily swallow a jar of "Nutella", accept your desires, but control the quality and quantity of food eaten. We have already told how to eat is useful, reducing the amount of sugar consumed and not too restricting themselves.
In any case, do not blame yourself: chocolate will bring much more pleasure and perhaps less harm than permanent self-restraint. Nutritional recommendations for menstruation are very different and often contradict each other. We only note that scientists do not recommend leaning on dairy products: cheese and milk are often over-saturated, and casein contained in them is associated with the development of inflammatory processes. However, sensitivity to casein, lactose and other components of milk is individual. The most important thing is not to deny yourself that you love, because inner comfort is more important than respecting the norm of calories.