Menstraul Health

Oh, that lovely time of the month - I know it’s annoying no matter if you have PCOS or not. The bleeding, mood swings, water retention, cravings, and pain. While periods can be a pain and sometimes miserable there are ways to make it a little easier by knowing what’s happening and why they happen and what you can do to help yourself.

Cramps 

So why do women get cramps during their period? They happen due to a hormone-like substance, prostaglandins, which causes the uterus walls to contract and then shed their lining, resulting in your period. If prostaglandin levels are higher, more pain is often associated with the cramps. Because the uterine wall is made up of smooth muscle cells, it’s still a muscle nonetheless and we should treat it as such! What helps our muscles after a workout or ensures we stay hydrated? Electrolytes! What are electrolytes made up of? Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, and Chloride.  

Taking Magnesium and Potassium regularly is important for women both with and without PCOS, however, it’s especially important to up your Potassium and Magnesium intake during your period because while on our period, we don’t absorb as many nutrients as we do when we aren’t on it. The next time you’re feeling cramps coming on, take Potassium and Magnesium supplements. 

Link for those here: 

Note: I don’t get anything for recommending products I use - I’m not an influencer nor benefiting from this in any way. I’m just providing info on products I use myself that help.

Migraines 

I personally deal with horrible migraines and have been since I was 14. They are related to my period and happen because of hormone fluctuations so they happen right before it starts and as it ends. My migraines are very debilitating, to the point I am needing to get under a blanket on the couch with a cup of Chamomile or Peppermint tea with a Magnesium Pill with no noise and as little light as possible. If necessary I’ll go into the bedroom where we have blackout curtains and lay there until it goes away. Along with my migraine's ability to shift my tolerance of light and sound, I also get incredibly nauseous and sometimes vomit ( hey we’re all being honest here). Migraines are never fun. 

To reiterate for migraines similar to the ones I experience; 

• Chamomile Tea or Peppermint Tea

• A dark room or get under a blanket, no surrounding noise.

• Magnesium

• Time - Sometimes It’s healthy to take time for this blow-over. My migraines can last hours so it’s important for me to focus on healing. You need to take care of yourself first before taking care of anything else.

Chamomile/Peppermint Tea I use; 

https://www.fivemountainstea.com/shop/organic-tea-sachets/herbal-tisanes/ChamomileTB.html

https://www.fivemountainstea.com/shop/organic-tea-sachets/herbal-tisanes/PacificPeppermintTB.html

You can order these on Amazon or find them at Whole Foods.

Note (I linked this because not all teas are created equal! The majority of companies use bleach and other harsh chemicals (such as dioxin and epichlorohydrin) for their tea sachets! Now imagine these chemicals becoming activated when you pour boiling water and steep? It seeps into your tea. This company doesn’t do that to their sachets as their sachets are made of vegetable cellulose, are free from glues, staples, and petroleum-based plastics. 

Mood Swings 

I admit I struggle with this sometimes as I have PMDD (yes along with PCOS) which is Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. It’s basically PMS x’s 10. Normally women will PMS for about a week then start their period for a week. For myself I PMS for 2 weeks (Water retention and mood swings are the severe symptoms I experience during PMS and mood swings). I am grateful to say that my mood swings have been far and few in between thankfully. I may have a really good 3-4 months without losing my shit, but on occasion, it does happen, however a lot less than what I used to experience. How? Well a couple of years ago, my boyfriend watched this documentary called Letters from Generation RX; 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B073JP9SM2/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

This Documentary focuses on people who have personal experience with mental illness - Depression, Anxiety, Bi-Polar Disorder) etc and were prescribed SSRIs or (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor). Many people found that their symptoms were getting worse. One man who lost his wife to suicide -the root cause being mental illness- and almost lost his daughter and son to the same issues took the initiative to try to figure out what went wrong. He did research and tested the theory that micronutrients, minerals, and vitamins can help fix these mental health issues on his own children by having them take a cocktail of micronutrients. Nutrients that our bodies need to thrive. In the documentary, you can see that both children (adults) felt like a fog had lifted and that darkness that once loomed over them had finally dissipated. Long story short, after seeing the success in his kids, he went through the process of creating a company called TrueHope that is home to its own brand of supplements. These supplements are a blend of 36 essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that help bring back that balance to the body. (This documentary is incredibly informative as it talks about the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture these medications and how sinister they truly are - I highly recommend that you give it a chance and watch it - the stories of the people here are truly inspiring and eye-opening. )

 I personally have been using this supplement for over a year now and there is a MAJOR difference in my mood. I have never been diagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder, and the like however it seems that my mood fluctuations have had an impact on me and my loved ones where there is a noticeable change in my mood since taking these supplements. It may sound cliche to say it’s been life-changing, but it honestly has. There’s no supplement I recommend more. 

Here is the exact bottle I buy and you can go through the site to see other products they offer.

https://store.truehope.com/us/empowerplus-advanced.html

Water Retention

One of the worst symptoms that I experience during the week I PMS and the week I have my period is water retention. Sometimes I feel like I look like a completely different person because I gain up to 10-15 pounds in water - which sounds like an exaggeration, but it isn’t. Oh, how I wish that was the case! Why do we gain so much water during that time of the month? Well…. It’s due to an increase in the hormone progesterone. Progesterone activates the hormone aldosterone, which causes the kidneys to retain water and salt. 

I find that my water retention can be minimized a smidge by drinking a lot of water, taking magnesium, and limiting the salt I put in my food (I do that already) - but I’ve never been one to find overly salty foods appetizing such as chips, junk food, etc. 

Products that are lifesavers!

PADS/TAMPONS/CUPS

So every woman is different and we have our own preferences when it comes to feminine hygiene products. I personally like to use pads and buy from this brand called Rael. And don’t fret to those who prefer tampons! They have those too AND they have menstrual cups if there are some of you who prefer that. 

https://www.getrael.com/collections/pads

The reason, why I love this company, is because of how they go about making their products. This might be a shock to some, BUT there are brands that use dioxins, synthetic fibers, and petrochemical additives on our feminine hygiene products. Our skin is the biggest organ of the human body and anything you put on it will end up IN our body. 

Let’s take a deeper look and learn what these are; 

• Dioxins and furans: linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, and reproductive toxicity. These are byproducts of the bleaching process.

• Pesticide residues: linked to cancer. These have been detected in products made with traditionally grown cotton.

• Undisclosed fragrance ingredients: which may contain chemicals linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, and allergies. Many pads, and sometimes tampons, come in scented varieties.

These products are in contact with some of the most sensitive and absorptive parts of a woman’s body. These can wreak havoc on your hormones and endocrine system. It might not seem like a huge deal when you’re looking at one single pad or tampon, but take that and tally up how many you use a day then multiple that by 7 days you have your period. Then multiply that by 12 so you get your total yearly amount. Women usually get their periods between 11-13 years (nowadays girls are getting their’s much younger as they are more exposed to harmful products/food that affect their endocrine system) old and start menopause in their 50’s. Multiply that yearly amount by 45 years… See how much that adds up? 

It’s incredibly vital that we stay vigilant about the products we use. With Rael, you don’t get the harsh chemicals that disrupt hormones and there are no carcinogens. With each product, they provide info by breaking down the product and listing ingredients so there’s full transparency on what you’re buying. 

Feminine Wipes

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with maintaining cleanliness and these wipes help get that job done! Here are wipes I use even when I’m not on my period because I am a little OCD on being clean so I have these on me all the time. 

https://www.getrael.com/collections/wash/products/natural-feminine-wipes

If you have any questions, send me a message and I’ll try to get back to you promptly!