Staying on track when the menses attack
The headline may be a bit extreme, as I know menstruation is just a natural (some would say beautiful) part of life for women. But if you're anything like me, you dread the arrival of Aunt Flo because she has a tendency to overwhelm, if not annihilate, fitness goals during her stay. If you are one of those women in tampon commercials frolicking in a field of lavender in a white gauze dress or excitedly sitting on a bike in spin class, then this post isn't for you. Since I'm pretty sure those women only exist somewhere beyond the rainbow alongside the mythical unicorn, you may want to read on.
Now I can't claim to always successful in battling the bloat, especially when it sneaks up on me (like this month). However, if you can achieve success with ANY of these suggestions, then you've achieved *something*.
Arm yourself with the following items, 3-5 days before your period starts:
- Red Raspberry Herbal Tea
- Berries of any kind
- Watermelon
- Leafy Greens
- Apples
- Nuts/Seeds, Salted
- Sea Salt
- Vegan Dark Chocolate
- Denise Austin's Indoor Walk video
- Heating Pad
- A Bottle of Absinthe
Mmmmm....absinthe....
...but we will get to that in a moment.
Red Raspberry Tea
At least 3 days before you expect to start your period, start drinking 3 cups of red raspberry tea per day. Continue this through the last day of your period. Red raspberry is used to aid in the prevention and relief of cramps.Berries of any Kind
Eat handfuls of them a few times a day, either with a meal or as a snack. Loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, berries can also be used in the prevention and relief of cramps.Watermelon
Eat it, a cup at a time a few times a day. You can mix it with your berries for a nice fruit salad. Studies have shown watermelon to have muscle pain-relieving properties (also great to eat any time of the month an hour before a workout to aid in muscle recovery).Leafy Greens
Eat liberally, with every meal. High in iron, leafy greens can aid in replenishing the iron you lose while bleeding. They also tend to have a good amount of calcium and other nutrients.Apples
Mix with your other fruits for a fruit salad, or eat by itself to help curb appetite and reduce or eliminate cramping.Nuts and Seeds, Salted
Usually, raw unsalted nuts are best. But this time of the month, salted nuts serve many purposes. Before grabbing a handful of chips, grab a handful of nuts instead! They're packed with protein, calcium, omega fatty acids and other nutrients which makes them a superior salty snack to chips, which are just empty calories (chips are my downfall when I'm flowing!). Nuts satisfy the salt craving many women get, and they're filling. Try to fight the urge to quickly gorge on them! Eat them very slowly, savoring the salty flavor. Eating more slowly will help you to feel more full and hopefully reduce binges.Sea Salt
Ok, so you've eaten a handful of nuts, have eaten them slowly but STILL crave salt! Gargle with sea salt water, without swallowing. You will still be absorbing some of the sodium, so be careful how many times you do this and the quantity of salt you use. This method will give you the taste you crave, without ingesting all of the salt (which can make you more bloated).Vegan Dark Chocolate
Even if you're not vegan, opt for the vegan chocolate option here. Anything that contains milk contains the protein casein. Casein is addictive-it exists to ensure that infant cows will continue to nurse. If you stick with a casein-free chocolate when those cravings hit, you may be more likely to eat less of it than you would a milk chocolate or non-vegan dark chocolate.Walking Video
Now let's talk exercise. Menstruation is different for every woman, so listen to your body. You may be able to just take an aspirin and dive right into a high intensity workout. It's quite possible this won't be the case. If you feel how I feel, you're depleted of energy and your back and stomach hurt so badly that you want to make the couch your temporary home for a few days. No matter how awful and sluggish I feel, I try (note I said "try"; again, listen to your body. Over-exertion can make your menstrual experience worse) to at least get in a 15-minute walk. If you don't belong to a gym and don't have access to a treadmill, don't feel like going outside, watch this video. Segments are also available on Youtube. It's ridiculously easy, silly even. There are 3 levels on the video, and most beginners can follow any of them. They're equivalent to a 2-mile easy walk and you don't even have to leave your house. If you feel pain and discomfort, or if your body tells you to stop, listen to that body! But remember doing SOMETHING is better than doing NOTHING.Heating Pad
Self-explanatory, helps to provide comfort and relief to cramps and aches. When I use mine, I can reduce my dependence on aspirin. It's also comforting, like a good snuggle with a warm cat.Absinthe, when all else fails
Well, you've tried all of the above. You ate your berries, you tried your heating pad, you tried the indoor walk. You are still miserable. All you want is some relief, for crying out loud! Enter The Green Faery, Le Fae Verde, the little imp that hides inside the absinthe bottle. Mind you, alcohol is never recommended by anyone as a substance to be included in your health or fitness lifestyle, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Why am I suggesting absinthe over the popular red wine option? The answer is in the bottle. One of the main herbs used to brew absinthe is wormwood. Wormwood has been used for centuries in treating womens' issues such as period cramps. I can attest to the fact that it really does help with the pain. Absinthe has a very high alcohol content, so always dilute, sip sparingly, and you don't need much to help ease the pain. A glass or two is plenty. Make sure you drink plenty of water also, as alcohol is dehydrating.I'd be lying if I told you I hadn't just skipped to the final step on occasion.
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