With Valentines Day fast approaching and all the hype around what you are going to do for your partner, we as women can often be affected by this and not always in a good way.
The pressure is on to come up with some romantic idea for the night as well as the Valentines Day gift hype that haunts your mood and at the end of the day it can become wearisome. On top of being a super mom, super partner you must now be visited by that super blue depression that puts a damper on your superwoman personality turning you a into a super drab queen! This is now all on top of your job, home life and Valentines Day, so out of sheer desperation and thorough consideration, I have decided to write a few tips on how to beat those premenstrual blues.
During research I came across an article that stated there was no cure for PMS. I had to really laugh out loud! A cure! Is it that bad? I often feel that is the case during the days when I am about to swing a baseball bat…and not at a ball neither.
PMS is caused by low levels of zinc, fatty acids, magnesium and vitamin B. This causes the swift up’s and down’s that women experience. I also heard that as your body disposes of these nutrients to create more, your blood sugar declines. This is also why we crave chocolate. There is something in chocolate that our bodies crave, except we eat all the sugary sweets instead of eating the 100% coco chocolate. All the sugars we eat build excessive levels in our bodies, thus causing the mood swings as well as skin breakouts.
So here are a few things that you can start to do from approximately a week before your cycle begins.
For Bloating
• Avoid sweets and refined sugary sweets
• As salt causes water retention, keep your salt intake to a minimum
You may wonder why we women swell up like a balloon being filled with helium. The reason for this is because women tend to retain water just before you start your cycle. Your oestrogen levels riser which in turn cause kidneys to retain more water and salt.
Exercise is a great way to boost your mood as well as reduce bloating by forcing the body replenish the water that moves from your tummy to other parts of your body.
Meal Consumption
• Eat fish at least twice in the week as your body needs the omega
• Eat foods that are rich in iron, zinc, vitamins and magnesium
• Dont skip meals – maintain your blood sugar levels
• Eat at least 5 small meals a day
• Eat protein at least twice a day
• Avoid caffeine
• Eat lots of foods that are rich in calcium
For Depression and Mood Swings
• Vitamin B-6 is what helps the body produce dopamine which is a mood neurotransmitter. So it is best to eat foods that are rich in this vitamin.
Since foods that are high in B-6 are healthy in other ways too, there is no reason not to eat more of them.
Some good sources of vitamin B-6 include lean beef, pork, chicken breast and salmon. Other foods that provide high levels of B-6 are fortified cereals, oatmeal, bananas, lentils and white potatoes with skins on.
Because you are premenstrual and your body is losing nutrients you should increase your calorie intake to 500 calories per day.
As with each and every day, women should drink plenty of water. This will help your digestive system work faster and keep you clean and hydrated.
So now that you have a few eating tips for both the time you are on your period as well as just before, we can look at some easy tips on feeling beautiful and not like a convict in the making.
Firstly, avoid stress. Stressing about stuff will only add fuel to the fire and whom ever is in your way will feel your wrath which will only feed into your emotional state. Wear clothing that is neither too tight nor too loose. If your clothes are too comfortable, you might find that you are thinking that you are getting fat. This in turn is often why women are mislead and actually end up skipping exercise and ll these options that aid in remedying the situation.
Lastly, pamper yourself. Even if you are a mom that can’t afford time as a luxury, set a date and tell daddy you need this night for you. Do your hair, paint your nails and unwind with a nice glass of Merlot…remember, don’t have too much! We wouldn’t want you to regret anything!
And so there you have it ladies! Some great tips for you to turn your blue day into nothing more than just another “red day”!
Article by: Sheena Graskie