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PMS Relief for Active Women

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Does that “time of month” get you down? Keep moving throughout the month with these tips on PMS relief for active women

Does "time of month" have you down? Keep moving throughout the month with these tips on PMS relief for active women and discover some new ideas for relief - @TheFitCookie #health #wellness

Photo by Becky Pickrel

PMS and period discomfort is certainly not a glamorous topic, but it’s definitely one that I feel is important for active women to discuss openly about. As I shared in one of my last posts, about 85% of women in childbearing years have at least one PMS symptom.

For women who love to stay active, PMS can make it challenging to stay active before and during menstruation. If you get PMS and feel like it slows down your active life, what’s a girl to do?

Disclaimer: this post is for informational purposes only and is not meant to replace the advice of your medical professional. Seek medical advice before beginning a new exercise program or workout

I know for me personally PMS and the first few days of my period are very difficult to stay active: my quality of sleep suffers, I get very sleepy, I have very low energy, my cravings are through the roof, and my strength is noticeably reduced.

Some research has said that a woman’s athletic ability is not affected by her period, but I find that this is simply not true for me. This isn’t true for every one, but my athletic performance is definitely impacted by PMS and period discomfort. Everything becomes twice as difficult!

Of women who have PMS, 5% suffer from extreme PMS and PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder). Extreme PMS and PMDD is a completely different ball game, however, and not something we will touch on today. We’re just going to be talking about average PMS symptoms and relief for period discomfort.

Exercise through PMS and menstrual discomfort

It’s okay to take it easy! If you are dragging through your week, can’t get enough sleep, and coffee just isn’t helping, then stick to gentle exercise like yoga, walking, or a lower intensity version of your favorite workout. If you feel up to doing intense workouts, then by all means stay with it! But remember: there is nothing wrong with taking an easy week to rest and recover, you can always get back to your regular routine when your energy and strength returns.

Does "time of month" have you down? Keep moving throughout the month with these tips on PMS relief for active women and discover some new ideas for relief - @TheFitCookie #health #wellness

Yoga is great PMS relief!

What causes PMS?

Fluctuating hormones are the biggest cause of PMS (of course!), but another reason that PMS causes so many issues is that hormone changes lead to digestion changes, and the body doesn’t absorb all the nutrients quite as well as it normally would.

This can be compounded if you have IBS or other GI problems. So it’s a double whammy: hormones causing mood swings, cravings, etc. then lack of vitamins and minerals that just makes those things a bit worse.

Does "time of month" have you down? Keep moving throughout the month with these tips on PMS relief for active women and discover some new ideas for relief - @TheFitCookie #health #wellness

What Works for PMS and period discomfort

While a lot of recommendations for PMS suggest cutting back on caffeine, but it’s hard not to have some extra-strong coffee to keep you moving! But just keep in mind that too much caffeine can aggravate digestive problems and increase irritability. Here are a few other things that may help:

For Digestion:

Avoid foods or supplements with laxative effects
Avoid spicy foods
Add fiber

For Cramps:

Calcium
Magnesium
(too much magnesium can have a laxative effect, so watch this)
Electrolytes

For Mood:

Omega 3s
B Vitamins
Vitamin D

For water retention:

Vitamin C
Dandelion root
Stay hydrated!
Avoid too much sodium

A few natural PMS Products I have tried that seem to work well for me:

Yogi Tea Woman’s Moon Cycle tea
Traditional Medicinals PMS Tea
Natural Max PreMenstrual Solution (herbal blend)
NOW Foods Righteous Raspberry Tea
Dandelion tea
Hibiscus tea

Other good ideas

This list is nowhere near comprehensive: there are lots of other good things to try! Some people seem to get relief with a heating pad, essential oils, massage, naps, ginger for nausea, etc. Mayan abdominal massage is another option, too. Mayan abdominal massage has been around for many years, and has brought relief for PMS and period discomfort, and it can help with digestion and bladder issues as well.

The best part is that you can do it for yourself – no need to hunt down a special practitioner if you don’t live near one. Remember to always check with your doctor before trying out these things to be on the safe side.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace medical advice or medical care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your doctor. Always consult a physician with any questions or concerns.

10 thoughts on “PMS Relief for Active Women”

  1. Great post! I feel SO lethargic and low-energy the first couple days, and a heat pack for my abdomen normally feels nice 🙂

    Reply
    • Getting out to exercise is the hard part! I have a really hard time exercising those first few days on my period, I usually end up taking ibuprofen to take the edge off my pain and that helps me to feel better exercising. That’s pretty much the only time I use ibuprofen since I don’t think it sits well with my stomach

      Reply
  2. So much great info here! My worst symptoms seem to happen before my period starts and once it does, exercise helps a ton. I recently heard chocolate cravings were a symptom of magnesium deficiency. I need to look into that!

    Reply
    • Thanks Marcia! I have heard that about chocolate cravings too, and that chocolate cravings can also be linked to love B vitamins. I was listening to a podcast with Jade Teta and he suggested whisking a tablespoon of cocoa powder with water and drinking it to help. I bet it would work with milk, too, and a bit of Stevia. I get sugar cravings and fat cravings, and feel like I constantly hungry when I PMS

      Reply
  3. I suffer from TERRIBLE periods and PMS. I’m pretty sure I have PMDD as well along with sporadic cysts and possible scarring or endometriosis; regardless, the pain is unparalleled and puts me on my butt from a couple days to a couple weeks.

    Thank you so much for sharing this great article! It really does have some great tips and tricks that will hopefully help woman get some relief 🙂

    Reply
    • Check out the Mayan abdominal massage, maybe you could get a little relief from it. I was doing that for a while, but kept forgetting. It did seem to help when I remembered to do it. It is supposed to be done all month except for during your period. You can find massage therapists that will do that, but people can do abdominal massage for themselves if done properly. It can even help men with prostate problems too, and can help with reflux and IBS, so I need to get back into it!

      Reply
  4. This is some really great information and came right on time for me. Something that should be addressed more openly so we won’t have to suffer so much! Thanks

    Reply
    • I’m so glad you found this helpful! It’s such an important topic for women to talk about. I have a hard time staying active when I’m going through PMS and I know other women struggle with it to some degree, so it’s nice to have good resources, especially for women who love to workout.

      Reply

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