How I Survive My Menstrual Cycle
“Leaders bleed, period.” ― Silvia Young,
I have a rather disruptive menstrual cycle. Other than the obvious flow, my whole physiology appears to go into overdrive. I have pains in the pit of my stomach. Many times, I get bloated too. In the medical world, this is dyspepsia. I also have the attendant pelvic pain. I get migraine headaches. I bleed easily as I brush my teeth. To put it simply, I am very uncomfortable. Some ladies can relate to this. To ease their symptoms, they opt for contraception or Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs [NSAIDs]. I have a slightly different approach.
“If you can’t beat it, do something else about it.”
When it became clear to me that these symptoms were the norm, I knew I had to do something. So I read as much as I could on the topic. The flow worried me. But, my biggest challenges were the aches and pains. Why should a physiologic process be so disruptive? The worst part is when people around you sense something is amiss: “What’s wrong?” “ Period pains…” The next thing you hear: “Oh…” and then out of courtesy they say: “Sorry”. In other words, that’s normal. Mayo Clinic explains that the pains felt during menstruation are due to prostaglandins. These substances cause pain and inflammation and trigger uterine muscle contractions. Higher levels of prostaglandins cause severe menstrual cramps.
Most people use drugs like Advil. These drugs work at the cellular level to inhibit the action of the prostaglandins. They are effective. They belong to a class of drugs known as NSAIDs, which cause dyspepsia as a side effect. I have heightened dyspepsia during my period. If I use Advil or any drug in that class, then the dyspepsia worsens. A classic case of going from the frying pan into the fire!
Preparing for my monthly visitor
One to two weeks before my periods come, I start to cut my sugar and pastries intake. By the time the periods arrive, they are almost completely eliminated. Sugar and pastries[most processed foods] are pro-inflammatory. I do not want them to make things worse. Besides, because of the energy fluctuations sugar causes, my mood gets messy. I don’t need that. I ensure my exercise regimen is at a momentum I can sustain when the periods arrive. The exercises help to ease the pain by enhancing blood flow. It also boosts my mood and lessens water retention.
I start stocking up on green vegetables. My top picks are spinach and kale. Spinach is always available in the stores. Kale is forever crunchy. If either is unavailable, any green vegetable would do. The green vegetables are anti-inflammatory. They also contribute to my fluid intake and iron source. Kale also contains magnesium, which helps to ease headaches and cramps. For snacking purposes, I stock up on cucumbers. They contain over 90% of water and other essential nutrients.
By now, you might begin to wonder if that’s where it ends; No! I stock up on lean meats: beef, pork, or chicken. I need proteins, iron, and zinc. Meats are a good source. Remember, there is blood loss. For the most part, blood is protein and iron. I also stock up on sweet potatoes. I need them for fiber and their antioxidants properties. They are delicious by the way. Finally, I stock up on milk. My preference is almond and cashew milk. These options allow me to enjoy all the immense benefits of nuts. See the reference link below. I also need the fluid, the calcium, and the proteins.
I stock up on the following spices; oregano, turmeric, and ginger. They are all anti-inflammatory but I’ll focus on ginger. Remember the pelvic pain I spoke about earlier? It turns out ginger works well to ease the pain. I started experimenting recently and noticed that if I cut up a small piece of ginger and chewed it; the pain eased. Keep in mind that ginger feels quite hot in the mouth. Some prefer to drink it as tea. I am careful with how much I consume cos of dyspepsia. Experimental studies have shown promising results, though we still need high-quality studies.
I drink lots of warm water and decaffeinated tea. The more fluid my circulation is, the better. Sluggish flow worsens the pain. To reiterate;
- I cut down lots of sugar and processed foods,
- I exercise,
- I feast on green vegetables,
- I do lean proteins
- And I drink lots of water!
Menstrual cycles missing any or all of the above were quite difficult to go through.
