TMI GUIDE FOR HOW TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH PMS /for both genders/

TMI GUIDE FOR HOW TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH PMS /for both genders/
Today, I thought it?s about time that we went out of the comfort zone and discussed an issue that we have to deal with each and every month. And when I say ‘we’, guys, you certainly fall into that category too.
Has it ever crossed your mind why your girlfriend acts kind of crazy a few days before her period comes? Yes, that period when she picks fights for no particular reason, exhibiting extreme mood swings that could simply drive you nuts?
PMS we call it, and unfortunately there is no cure for it. But still, there are a few things you might consider doing to make your life easier during these premenstrual times. So if you’re a guy jump to Part 2 and if you’re a girl keep reading, doll <3

LTA’s PMS Guide For Girls

Are you sick of the bloating, extreme moodiness, painful cramps, and pretty severe food cravings?
Well, before sharing with you my suggestions for how to deal with all of the above, let me clarify why we actually have to experience PMS. Approximately 10 days prior to your menstruation, the hormones responsible for the brain chemicals associated with pleasurable activities and excitement and your blood sugar levels (endorphin, estrogen, GABA) go crazy, with the progesterone dropping down to its lowest level. No wonder why you’re experiencing some inexplicable and irrational (for your usual self) feelings and behaviours.

1. Pay Attention to Your Diet:

– Scratch the salt-heavy foods from your diet if you wanna decrease the bloating of your belly . Also, due to the fluctuating estrogen, you will experience quite ample cravings for sugary foods. Well, rather than indulging in gooey chocolate cakes, go for the whole grains and fruits topped with some honey. Not only will they satisfy your hunger for longer, but you’ll also save yourself these extra (and quite redundant) PMS calories.

-Also, rather than having 3 big meals a day, try and have 6 smaller ones at regular intervals. This will speed up your metabolism, further decrease the bloating and keep your blood sugar in line.
–Reach out for foods rich in calcium such as low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt, soy milk. However, at all times avoid cow milk as it it’s one of those foods that, unfortunately increase the belly-bloating.

-Make sure you give your body enough Vitamin D, as its lack is one of the main factors inducing

your depressive mood. And especially during winter when our bodies experience its deficiency (due to the lack of sun rays), you have to ensure to provide yourself with The Holly Vitamin D in an alternative ways. So without further adu – put the salmon in the oven and order some supplements containing vitamin D to take first thing in the morning.

– Cut down on your sodium intake and increase your potassium intake! This will have an immediate effect on how your belly feels and looks. Go for veggies high on fibres such as lentils, asparagus, eddplants, white beans, soybeans, and lima beans (rich in estrogen and protein). To facilitate your body get rid of all the toxins, stock your fridge with some celery, a veggie whose divine effects I only recently discovered. Also, in regard to the belly-bloat, during PMS you should have your veggies cooked rather than raw.

–Bananas are also a great source of potassium. Having a banana or two a day will help you get rid of the redundant fluids stocked in your body. And I know what you’re thinking – the bananas are high in calories and you might be getting fat. Well, if you limit your consumption to 2 bananas a day, there’s nothing you should worry about!

– Leave out of your life all processed foods! Rather than having a bowl of sugary cereal early in the morning, have some wheat bran with almond milk/yoghurt, or two poached eggs instead. Your belly will be satisfied and your sugar cravings during the day minimised.
–Avoid spicy foods and sauces as they will irritate your stomach and increase the bloat!

2. Liquids intake

You’ll be feeling tired and down pretty much all the time. However, caffeine, alcohol, and sugary drinks will do no good to your PMS self. Why? Well, caffeine will make you even more anxious and short-tempered, while the after work Margherita will add to the bloating and heightened your anyway irrational emotions.

So, to to minimise the consumption of the above, go for lots of water (here) and freshly squeezed citrus juices instead. Also, why not try having some water with lemon and cucumbers in it early in the morning? This simple, yet miraculous liquid, will further help you get rid of the unnecessary fluids that your body stocks during that time of the month.

3. Work out

I know – it seems pretty impossible to keep yourself motivated when all you wanna do is cry. However, during PMS, working out is not even about the calories burn. Believe it or not, engaging in aerobic exercises will reduce the feeling of fatigue and depression, while it will surely bring back the smile to your face. Choose any activity that will both pick your heart rate up and cheer you up. You?ll be surprised what natural relief for anxiety, fatigue, and headaches that actually is.

3. Say yes to the nature

Actually, as I used to rely on pain killers quite a lot to ease the severe period cramps, well, I ended up developing an allergy towards all tablets that contain iboprufen and paracetamol. Bliss, eh? So, if you have to deal with the same, or just are smart enough to restrain yourself from ingesting strong pain killers, then the natural remedies are what you’re looking for.

The Herbal Remedies that you need to stock your cupboard with are: cammomille, black cohosh, chasteberry, evening primrose oil, ginger, raspberry leaf, dandelion, or Jamaican dogwood (or (great for severe cramping). Personally, rather than black tea (contains lots of caffeine), during PMS I’d rather go for cammomille tea and add some fresh ginger in it. It’s a magical potion, I assure you!

4. Keep your Belly Warm

If you’re experiencing painful belly cramps, get yourself a heating pad or have a hot bath before snuggling under the duvet. I actually have a body position in which I tend to stay to make the cramps go away. So do the cat flow position in yoga, with the only difference that you have to stay on your elbows (rather than on your hands) and spread your knees a bit. I have no idea why, but the pain immediately goes away!
5. Reduce The Stress in Your Life and Get a Full Night Sleep!

And I do know how difficult it is to let yourself relax and worry a bit less about all the work and chores you have to do. However, during these depressing times, it’s really worth the try! Make sure to find some time for yourself and spend it in full relaxation. Why not dedicate your lunch break to an aromatherapy massage?

6. Go shopping

Well, we all know what a great remedy that is. Especially in regards to the terrible moodiness during the PMS! However, I suggest you hit the store to purchase solely things that you DON’T have to try on! Yes, it’s time to lay your hands on some new beauty essentials which you might be needing. Get a new moisturiser or rejuvenating lotion to remove the remove the signs of fatigue (insomnia is another PMS symptom) and deal with the PMS break outs. Going shopping for clothes, on the other hands, is something you should postpone for later on this month. During PMS your body does holds some fluids and you won’t be satisfied by what you’ll see in the mirror. Rather, wait for your PMS to go away before you hit the store in the hopes of finding the perfect evening dress.

7. Surround yourself with positive people and do more of what makes you happy!

Each and every month I go through a stage of PMS depression, with the negative thoughts eating quite a lot of my energy, leaving me feel absolutely drained with no motivation to do anything but sleep. However, rather than staying at home in self-pity, I rather force myself to leave the flat and have some fun times instead. I go to the cinema, have some frozen yoghurt topped with berries, and just do whatever it takes to make myself feel better again. So, make sure to engage yourself in pleasant social activities that will make you laugh and give you some positive vibes!

BOYS:

Well! Despite all of the things I just said, guys, don’t be surprised seeing your girlfriend scalfing down a huge Dominos pizza and then moving on to the Nutella Jar. And please, do not, in any case, point out to her that it’s her PMS is the reason behind her weird behaviour. Instead, stock on lots of patience and be ready to pretend that there’s nothing wrong and unusual taking place.

So after turning on your survival mode, move on to the next couple of steps:

1. Forget about joking and rubbing in her face that she has PMS!

Keeping a mental calendar for your own sake for when she’ll be in her PMS is a good thing, letting her know that – absolutely not! If you wanna avoid getting into pointless fights (as until you consent to her wishes she won’t be backing off) just remind yourself that in a few days time your sane girl will be back.

2. Save any grand news for later if you look for an adequate reaction from her side.

No matter whether the news are good or bed – wait until the PMS symptoms are all gone until you share anything that might evoke a negative reaction. You need your sane girl back if you wanna let her know that you’ve been promoted and offered a job in another town. And if you wonder whether you should make her any nice surprises – well, a bouquet of flowers or a ticket to a concert is something that might certainly cheer her up. However, anything grander that may not meet her expectations is a definite no-no. She’s mentioned that she want a new couch? Great, wait until the PMS is over and take her with you to IKEA as believe me, no matter which couch you choose – it will most certainly be the wrong shade of beige.

3. Don’t make her wear any tight clothes => any posh social activities should be at all cost avoided

When we’re PMS-ing we bloat and gain a couple of extra pounds, and no, we don’t wanna expose our ‘not that best selves’ in front of anyone, especially tucked into a tight evening dress. Aw, and inviting your friends over is far from a sensible solution either! Acting like a hostess is yet another chore that we don’t have any incentive and motivation to deal with. So, rather patiently wait until she hints that she’d rather stay alone, and kindly give her that time, going for a quick (QUICK) drinks with the guys. Just make sure to drop her a text and remind her how much you love and miss her.

4. Are you surrounded with ‘the hungry beast’ vibe?

Well, unfortunately, a few days prior to the period, our motivation for leading a healthy living lifestyle will most certainly crack. During PMS the only thing we crave for is sugar and fat. But rather than pointing out to her the empty packs the moment she remarks how fat she is – kiss her on the cheek and take her out for a walk. Meanwhile, if you stumble upon any suspicious items hidden in the cupboard whose packaging shouts ‘ GMO’ , throw them away and if questioned pretend you have no idea what she’s talking about. She’ll be thanking you for that later. And if you wanna step up your ‘great boyfriend’ game – just cook her some dinner using the foods from the table above. And for dessert – rather than getting the all time favourite Oreo cheesecake, just grab some organic dark chocolate instead.

5. Time to do some chores

Even if she normally doesn’t mind doing most of the chores at home, during the PMS period make sure to help her out as much as you possibly could. Throw out the trash, do the dishes, go to the grocery store and get her some fruits. And don’t forget to place down the toilet seat and put your socks away. Just beware that during that tricky time of the month, she’ll be upset over both what you do and what you forget to do. Aw, and dismissing to get her mom a bouquet of flowers for the family dinner you’re about to attend – that’s certainly not a minor thing. So stay focused! At all costs!

And honestly, I can only imagine how annoying it might be to have to adjust to that PMS situation and walk on eggshells for around a week. However, it’s certainly worth the effort if you wanna avoid getting into any pointless arguments that could escalate into a massive fight.

6. Be supportive while giving her some distance without going way too far!

Damn, we’re complex creatures aren’t we? So, ultimately, you don’t have to understand PMS to find a way to deal with it. Be understanding in your oblivion – that’s the formula to success. Never even hint that that it’s PMS that makes her overreact, as that’s when you’ll be getting quite of a reaction.

The best thing you could do is to stay neutral and avoid conflict at all times. And while letting her be hormonal, stock your your fridge with some booze. You’ll certainly need that too. And to finish it off – that’s a video you might enjoy watching 🙂

Do you have any other tips and tricks to effectively deal with PMS?

Cannot wait to read them in the comments below,

Lots of love,