Hey ladies!
Periods can be annoying and make you miserable.
When the pain hits it can even make you miss school or work.
Your daily habits throughout the month have a huge impact on your periods.
In today's video let’s discuss surprising things that could be contributing to your
period pain.
Will those crazy deadlines at work affect you?
What about that chocolate bar you had last week?
We are discussing all that and more...
1.
Start Exercising What if we told you that you can do something
right now that can change the course of pain when that crimson wave hits you?
Exercising can have an immediate positive effect on period pain.
While you might feel like curling up into a ball and being all cozy in a corner of your
bed, staying active will help promote blood flow.
Try to pick a form of physical activity you like.
It can be a class at the gym like kickboxing, dance class, or aerobics.
You will start feeling stronger and improve your physical fitness.
If this all feels like too much just start with a walk or a light jog around your block.
Doing a light workout actually helps during your period.
Pilates and swimming are some of the top choices for light exercise.
High-intensity training or weight lifting can contribute to more inflammation and cause
bleeding in some women.
A study found that practicing yoga for 30 minutes every day for 12 weeks showed a significant
improvement in menstrual pain of a few women.
Exercising will improve the blood flow in the abdominal area.
It will also stimulate the release of a chemical called beta-endorphin.
This chemical can double as a natural pain reliever.
How often do you work out?
What is your favorite form of exercising?
Sound off in the comments below and start a conversation with our bestie community.
2.
Stay hydrated Staying hydrated is the easiest thing you
can do to feel better during your period.
Water is by far the best drink on this planet.
A lot of factors like season, age, BMI, occupation, and temperature alter the amount of water
you drink every day.
About 60-90 % of adolescent females experience painful menstruation or dysmenorrhoea in medical
terms.
It is responsible for the loss of 600 million hours of work in the US.
That would mean losing a lot of money, too.
But these stats can be reversed by modifying your lifestyle.
There is a lot of fluid loss with every bleeding spell.
Replenish the lost fluid by having 3 to 4 liters of water daily.
Dehydration can make you lethargic and cause muscular pain even in the tummy muscles.
Before your actual period arrives, a hormone called estrogen is on the rise.
This can cause water retention and make you bloated.
When your period begins a hormone called progesterone( pro- jes-tuh-ron) increases, which has the
opposite effect of estrogen.
That means it lets go of all the water that your body might have retained.
Staying well-hydrated can make your period more bearable and shorter.
A study found that women in the reproductive age group who drank more than 1600 ml of water
every day experienced shorter menstrual bleeding.
The intensity of pain had also subsided
So ladies, listen to your body and start sipping on the miracle drink known as water.
You can also try some peppermint tea that will be easy on your digestive tract.
Chamomile tea can have the same calming effect, or try apple cider vinegar.
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3.
Don't skip sleep
Do you feel so exhausted that you have trouble sleeping, especially on your period days?
This is because of a spike in the hormone called progesterone.
It can cause fatigue and increase basal body temperature.
it becomes hard to drift off because you’re naturally warmer.
A good 8 hour sleep can counteract those pain hormones and make you feel refreshed.
Establish a nighttime routine and try to be consistent with the time you try to hit the
bed.
Needless to say that there should be no screen time before bed.
It might just signal your brain to stay awake for longer.
4.
Stop Smoking We are all aware of the hazards of smoking.
Young girls often believe that smoking cigarettes can help them drop weight.
The tobacco industry also advises smoking to be glamorous and attractive and a stress
reliever for some.
23 million females smoke cigarettes in the US alone.
Most of them are between 25 to 45 years of age and still have active menstruation.
There are just so many toxic substances present in cigarettes, nicotine being the most dangerous
of all.
It narrows the blood vessels and reduces blood supply to your organs and uterus.
Less blood means less oxygen and uncontrolled contractions of the uterus.
A study showed that women who smoked had a greater chance of menstrual disorders and
dysmenorrhea.
You could also be at a higher risk if you are inhaling cigarette smoke.
Quit smoking as early as possible.
If having a baby is a part of your plan, you must be very cautious of this dangerous habit.
It can cause all types of cancers from breast to cervical to vulvar cancer.
As long as we are on the topic of cancer, watch our video on 12 cancer-causing foods
you shouldn’t eat.
Now back to our discussion on all things period pain.
5.
Limit caffeine Your morning cup of espresso can be the ultimate
pick me up but not when you are in pain.
Caffeine is extremely addictive and going off-caffeine can seem impossible.
It can also hide in foods like soda, chocolate, energy drinks, and desserts.
Caffeine can narrow the blood vessels that feed your uterus.
The tightened vessels carry less blood and cause more pain and cramping.
Caffeine also causes bloating adding to the pain sensation.
If you are a regular coffee drinker getting rid of caffeine might be torturous.
Instead, start tapering the dose gradually.
So, if you drink 4 cups a day, try to reduce it by two.
You may have some withdrawal symptoms initially.
But try adding substitutes like smoothies and protein shakes.
Green smoothies can be rich in antioxidants and give the added benefit of fiber.
6.
Reduce stress
Have you noticed, some months you hardly care about what's going on below the belt when
you’re on your period?
But you will be in terrible pain when pressured at work or are just stressed about something
in your life.
Balancing work and life can be stressful.
And stress is a huge factor that causes more menstrual pain.
Stress can show up in many forms, from running late to family - stress is everywhere.
Your brain releases a hormone called cortisol in response to stress.
It further acts on every part of your body, even your reproductive hormones.
Chronic stress is related to more period pain.
A study found that few women who experienced more stress before their periods showed more
severe symptoms of menstrual pain.
It is important to identify your stressors and find coping mechanisms.
Do some relaxation exercises.
Take a warm bath or shower.
Meditate, listen to music or simply watch a light-hearted movie.
Just calm your nerves.
7.
Cut down on alcohol You might want to control your drinking if
you want a pain-free period.
Studies have linked alcohol as a risk factor for painful menstruation.
It affects the ability of your liver to metabolize hormones causing an increase in estrogen levels.
Too much estrogen can cause more menstrual bleeding and pain.
If you are used to having a glass of wine daily with your dinner you could alter your
menstrual cycle.
Alcohol causes dehydration.
Your body will have intense pain, with additional dehydration.
8.
Watch what you’re eating While you might crave a bag of chips to lift
your mood it could worsen the pain.
There is a big list of foods that you should completely avoid to have a happy period.
All those carb-rich foods like bread, pasta, and pizza lack fiber.
Fibre-rich foods act as a sponge to soak up all the female hormones that indirectly cause
pain.
Therefore whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, and quinoa should be your best friends.
A few fruits and vegetables are known to decrease inflammation during periods.
Stay away from fatty meats and dairy too.
Studies have shown that arachidonic acid found in these foods stimulates the production of
a pain causing chemical called prostaglandin ( pro-sta-glan-din).
A diet high in fish, eggs, vegetables and fruits will give you relief from pain.
Cutting down on salt and sugar is equally important.
Salt can cause water retention and bloating that can worsen existing pain.
Sugar and fat can increase the thickness of the uterus.
It will take more effort to shed it when your period starts which means more pain.
Instead go for or anti-inflammatory foods like berries, tomatoes, bell peppers, ginger,
garlic, and cherries.
Eating a diet that is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids will also be helpful.
So try to include fish, nuts, beans, and dark leafy greens to have a balanced diet.
Low-fat, high fiber is what you want.
9.
Other medical conditions
At times you could be doing everything correct and still experience painful menstruation.
This could indicate some underlying medical issues that might have gone unnoticed.
A few conditions like PCOS or Polycystic ovary syndrome where multiple cysts are formed in
your ovary can be the reason for pain.
Fibroids or non-cancerous lumps in the wall of the uterus can be another reason.
Likewise, pelvic inflammatory disease and adenomyosis(adeno-my-o-sis) go undetected
for years and cause pain.
You are not alone in this battle against pain.
Let your doctor know that you are struggling with cramps.
They will be the best judge to regulate your condition.
Hormones act as the control box of our bodies.
When this hormonal system is out of sorts it can wreak havoc in your system.
Let's keep the conversation going with a couple of more hormone-related videos, shall we?
Watch 9 symptoms of hormonal imbalance in women or 9 natural ways to balance your hormones.
Go ahead, click one.
Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about staying healthy.
What do you do to get rid of period pain?
Let us know in the comments below!
number three don't skip sleep do you feel so exhausted that you have trouble sleeping
especially on your period days this is because of a spike in the hormone called progesterone
it can cause fatigue and increase basal body temperature it becomes hard to drift off because
you're naturally warmer a good eight hour sleep can counteract those pain hormones and
make you feel refreshed establish a nighttime routine and try to be consistent with the
time you try to hit the bed needless to say there should be no screen time before bed
it might just signal your brain to stay awake for longer
number four stop smoking we are all aware of the hazards of smoking young girls often
believe that smoking cigarettes can help them drop weight the tobacco industry also advises
smoking to be glamorous and attractive and a stress reliever for some 23 million females
smoke cigarettes in the us alone most of them are between 25 to 45 years of age and still
have active menstruation there are just so many toxic substances present in cigarettes
nicotine being the most dangerous of all it narrows the blood vessels and reduces blood
supply to your organs and uterus less blood means less oxygen and uncontrolled contractions
of the uterus a study showed that women who smoked had a greater chance of menstrual disorders
and dysmenorrhea you could also be at a higher risk if you're inhaling cigarette smoke quit
smoking as early as possible if having a baby is part of your plan you must be very cautious
of this dangerous habit it can cause all types of cancers from breast to cervical to vulvar
cancer as long as we're on the topic of cancer watch our video on 12 cancer-causing foods
you shouldn't eat now back to our discussion on all things period pain number five limit
caffeine your morning cup of espresso can be the ultimate pick-me-up but not when you're
in pain caffeine is extremely addictive and going off caffeine can seem impossible it
can also hide in foods like soda chocolate energy drinks and desserts caffeine can narrow
the blood vessels that feed your uterus the tightened vessels carry less blood and cause
more pain and cramping caffeine also causes bloating adding to the pain sensation if you're
a regular coffee drinker getting rid of caffeine might be torturous instead try tapering the
dose gradually so if you drink four cups a day try to reduce it by two you may have some
withdrawal symptoms initially but try adding substitutes like smoothies and protein shakes
green smoothies can be rich in antioxidants and give the added benefit of fiber number
six reduce stress have you noticed some months you hardly care about what's going on below
the belt when you're on your period but you will be in terrible pain when pressured at
work or are just stressed about something in your life balancing work and life can be
stressful and stress is a huge factor that causes more menstrual pain stress can show
up in many forms from running late to family stress is everywhere your brain releases a
hormone called cortisol in response to stress it further acts on every part of your body
even your reproductive hormones chronic stress is related to more period pain a study found
that a few women who experienced more stress before their periods showed more severe symptoms
of menstrual pain it's important to identify your stressors and find coping mechanisms
do some relaxation exercises take a warm bath or shower meditate listen to music or simply
watch a lighthearted movie just calm your nerves
number seven cut down on alcohol you might want to control your drinking if you want
a pain-free period studies have linked alcohol as a risk factor for painful menstruation
it affects the ability of your liver to metabolize hormones causing an increase in estrogen levels
too much estrogen can cause more menstrual bleeding and pain if you're used to having
a glass of wine daily with your dinner you could alter your menstrual cycle alcohol causes
dehydration your body will have intense pain with additional dehydration number eight watch
what you're eating while you might crave a bag of chips to lift your mood it could worsen
the pain there is a big list of foods that you should completely avoid to have a happy
period all those carb rich foods like bread pasta and pizza lack fiber fiber-rich foods
act as a sponge to soak up all the female hormones that indirectly cause pain therefore
whole grains like brown rice oatmeal and quinoa should be your best friends a few fruits and
vegetables are known to decrease inflammation during periods stay away from fatty meats
and dairy too studies have shown that arachidonic acid found in these foods stimulates the production
of a pain-causing chemical called prostaglandin a diet high in fish eggs vegetables and fruit
will give you relief from pain cutting down on salt and sugar is equally important salt
can cause water retention and bloating that can worsen existing pain sugar and fat can
increase the thickness of the uterus it will take more effort to shed it when your period
starts which means more pain instead go for anti-inflammatory foods like berries tomatoes
bell peppers ginger garlic and cherries eating a diet that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids
will also be helpful so try to include fish nuts beans and dark leafy greens to have a
balanced diet low fat high fiber is what you want number nine other medical conditions
at times you could be doing everything correct and still experience painful menstruation
this could indicate some underlying medical issues that might have gone unnoticed a few
conditions like pcos or polycystic ovary syndrome where multiple cysts are formed in your ovary
can be the reason for pain fibroids or non-cancerous lumps in the wall of the uterus can be another
reason likewise pelvic inflammatory disease and endometriosis go undetected for years
and cause pain you are not alone in this battle against pain let your doctor know you're struggling
with cramps they'll be the best judge to regulate your condition hormones act as the control
box of our bodies when this hormonal system is all out of sorts it can wreak havoc on
your system let's keep the conversation going with a couple more hormone related videos
shall we watch 9 symptoms of hormonal imbalance in women or 9 natural ways to balance your
hormones go ahead click one everybody out watch both and learn more about staying healthy
what do you do to get rid of period pain let us know in the comments below