Care2 Healthy Living/Jordyn Cormier: 6 Hacks to Make Your Periods Less Horrible

Care2 Healthy Living | 6 Hacks to Make Your Periods Less Horrible
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6 Hacks to Make Your Periods Less Horrible
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    By: Jordyn Cormier
    December 10, 2017

    About Jordyn

Ugh, THAT time of the month. Having your period is never, uh, fun. A woman’s period can range anywhere between being a mild inconvenience to an overwhelming pain in the uterus… and lower back… and breasts. No matter where you fall on that scale, odds are you don’t look forward to your monthly flow.

But your periods can be less horrible. All it takes is a few choice self-care tricks. Your period is actually an excellent time to step back, take a breath and reassess. It just takes a little conscious effort to give your body what it deserves. Here are 6 hacks that will support your periods, both in the immediate and in the long run:
Move

Although exercising might seem like the last thing you want to do when you are bloated and crampy, it can actually help period discomfort subside. Yoga poses like goddess, triangle, forward bend and pigeon work well to open constricted hips and provide relief for lower back tension. And, of course, finishing it all will a good savasana can restore a bit of mindfulness and inner balance (because we ALL need that).
Love This? Never Miss Another Story.

Related: 10 Yoga Poses for Menstrual Pain Relief

Even if you don’t practice yoga, a good bout of exercise can ease headaches, boost mood and reduce anxiety, all of which are hugely important for having a happy and healthy period. Plus, movement significantly eases cramps. As hard as it may be to get up off the couch where you are snuggled up with your heating pad, getting exercise is an absolute must for having a less-horrible period.
Eat medicine

No, I am not talking about downing a half dozen over-the-counter pain relievers. I’m talking about real food. Your period is a great time to focus on actively nourishing your body with vitamins, minerals, fiber, healthy fats and adaptogenic herbs. Consume plenty of lightly cooked leafy greens and veggies, and have lots of healthy carbs on hand to quench cravings, like sweet potatoes, squash and coconut rice. Excellent adaptogens that promote hormonal balance include maca (which promotes hormonal balance), ashwagandha (which can relieve cramping) and shatavari (which is known to boost cycle health and fertility).
Self-educate

The more you learn about your body, the easier it will become to adjust when your cycle is a little off. It is important to learn about the hormonal fluctuations you are going through throughout your cycle—and the profound effect your lifestyle has on these fluctuations. Woman Code by Alisa Vitti, of FLO Living, is a must-read and a great place to start your journey towards self-knowledge. For only around $8, it will completely revamp the way you see and treat your incredible body.
Take some ME time

You need to slow down during your period. Yes, you! Set aside time to read a book, meditate or nap, take a long walk, get your nails done and take a break from social media. If you want to binge on a few episodes of Friends in the evening and sip hot chocolate alone in bed, treat yo’self. There’s a lot going on inside your body. The best thing you can do to promote balance is quiet what is going on on the outside.
Relish in epsom salt baths

Baths are a must during your period. Not only can the hot, steamy water soothe cramps, but the magnesium from the epsom salts is easily absorbed through your skin to replenish low stores. Generally, if you are experiencing intense PMS symptoms and a lot of pronounced chocolate cravings, your body might be asking for more magnesium. So, sink in and relax knowing that you are doing your body a tremendous service. Bubbles optional.

Related: Are You Deficient in Magnesium?
Indulge

If you are craving chocolate, give your body some damn chocolate already! Small treats are important on your period, not only for quenching cravings, but for promoting mental balance and happiness! Not in the mood to bake yourself treats? I jumped for joy when I found out about Moon Cycle Bakery. Not only does Moon Cycle Bakery craft delicious treats infused with the adaptogens and minerals a woman needs during her cycle, but they ship them in a gorgeous package to your door when you have your period! That’s right, it’s a nourishing treat subscription service that syncs up with your flow! It’s a decadent and nourishing way to show yourself a little self-love every month. Even better, the treats are low-sugar, gluten and dairy-free, and incredibly tasty! Curious what their treats are like? Indulge in their gluten-free hazelnut brownie recipe at home. Stop depriving your body of the love and indulgences it deserves.

Allow your period to be a time of rest and reset. Thank your body for doing this wonderful thing, and then jump for joy and hit the grind again once it is over.

What is/was your most effective way to handle a horrible period? Share your best advice below!
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23 comments
Christine D
Christine D7 minutes ago

Thankfully those days are over for me but, if the idea doesn't gross you out, have sex. It really does relieve those awful cramps.
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Amanda M
Amanda Mabout an hour ago

I KNEW there was a reason I was jonesing for almond M&Ms this week. Chocolate and almonds-the best of both worlds! I must admit it's a switch-during the summer PMS week always gives me a craving for salt & vinegar flavor (such as pork rinds or almonds-I HATE potato chips, yuck!) for whatever reason. Must have something to do with the heat of summer and the need to replace salts from that disgusting Nestea-plunge pig sweat I do then. I just wish I'd had this back in my teenage years when killer cramps kicked my ass every time my period actually decided to show up (the word "regular" wasn't a part of my cycle's vocabulary until I went on the pill). Unfortunately, as a SAHM I don't have any such thing as "me time." Heck, I can't even take a bathroom break without somebody banging on the door or picking that moment to imitate the Hatfields and the McCoys! I wonder if bath salts mix with bubble bath? Now, if they can just make bathtubs deep enough to completely cover an adult's body! Anybody else sick of those "standard" tubs that cover a kid's body, but leave half an adult's body sticking out of the water?
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Leo C
Leo Cabout an hour ago

Thank you for sharing!
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Mark T
Mark Tabout an hour ago

Ty.
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Michele B
Michele B1 hours ago

too bad that I didn't have this article about 20 years ago. I'd have been golden
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Sonia M
Sonia M2 hours ago

Thanks for sharing
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Janet B
Janet B2 hours ago

Thanks
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Barbara P
Barbara P2 hours ago

I guess I should start using my Shatavari! A good magnesium powder helps and I find Raspberry leaf tea works extremely well, especially for cramping. I started using Shepherd's Purse for heavy bleeding and I'm finding that it works very well, along with a good combination of hormone balancing herbs and supplements.
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Ruth S
Ruth S2 hours ago

Thanks.
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Jan N
Jan N3 hours ago

So happy, happy, HAPPY to be done with this.
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view all 23 comments
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