This post is all about how I deal with my "Period Blues"! That pesky "time of the month" that demands you get your artillery together consisting of pads/tampons, chocolate, tissues, and aspirin! This is also a way for me to vent and rant because I'm on mine right now and it has been nothing, but an "emotional rollercoaster", and I ain't having fun!
I don’t know about you, but for me it tends to vary from time to time; meaning sometimes are easy and sometimes it’s a pain in the you-know-what. They can be light or heavy and they can either go by in a breeze or make you feel like it’s the longest week of your life. I’m sure it has something to do with getting older as you go up in the ranks. When I was in my early teens I didn’t take aspirin for cramps and wasn’t emotional like I was going to pop at the slightest thing or just in general. Now, I’ve always been an avid chocolate-lover, but since I’ve entered my 20s it’s gone to another level. When I’m on my period this is when I allow myself to indulge...to an extent. To compensate for my moment of overindulgence, I exercise before bed by doing walking exercises (less dramatic physical movements, but still affective). I recommend checking out Jessica Smith’s YouTube channel. She offers a great selection of walking exercises that are between 15-30 minutes in length and at the end of the workout you have done a mile of walking consisting of different cardio/interval routines.
This helps me feel better and to keep the extra pounds away. According to livestrong.com, the reason behind “chocolate cravings” “(...) is often because of higher levels of hormones that are triggered as insulin increases. This causes low blood sugar. When blood sugar is low, the brain sends signals to the body that it needs more fuel, which is often a misguided message to eat chocolate and other types of sweets.” They suggest that in lieu of chocolate, “(...) increase the intake of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains instead.” Thus, assisting with countering fluctuating blood sugar levels, which in turn helps lessen cramps. https://www.livestrong.com/article/110754-chocolate-menstrual-cramps/
And when I’m not enjoying a chocolatey guilty pleasure, then my emotions are taking me for a ride!
This cycle that I am presently on has been different from the rest because I’ve never felt so sensitive before. The second day of my period (when the flow is heavier) I was complaining to myself and prayerfully complaining about my face (“Battle of the Bumps”) and body (I’m always caught off guard when I’m bloated, I always think I’ve gained weight but when my period is over I look slim again and think I lost weight, lol); so much so that I broke into tears. I recovered minutes later remembering that it’s my period getting the best of me and that I am actually a care-free confident woman who doesn’t get caught up so easily on a bump or two or my love-handles. Menstruating, in my opinion, can be mastered and that is simply by embracing it. Embrace the tears-guilt free, embrace the spike of confidence in being a woman, and the beauty of our sensual nature as women. Embrace the chocolate fix while you watch your fave chick-flick, embrace venting about every little thing that is ticking you off that very moment. No one can say they’ve written the "official" book on this stuff because mine is different from yours, but we can relate to each other and share our experiences. That’s how we know that we’re not the only ones; you’re never really alone because there’s always someone who can relate.
Now, I leave you with 5 interesting facts about “La Period” that you may not have know. Also, feel free to vent your experiences in the comment section below!
1. A woman will spend approximately 3,500 days menstruating{which totals to nearly 10 years}!
2. When a girl is born, her complete potential egg supply is born with her. In the womb, she creates about seven million egg cells. At birth, she has two million. By puberty, there are only about 400,000 left and fewer than 500 are actually released.
3. According to activebeat.com, “During the average period duration, a woman will commonly emit 2 to 4 tablespoons of blood in total. While it may seem like much more due to water retention, most women do not actually suffer excess loss of blood because of “heavy flow.” However, during a so-called “heavy period,” a woman may lose twice as much blood as she normally would, though even very heavy menstrual bleeding does not normally pose a serious health risk.”
4. You can get pregnant while on your period: sperm stays within the vagina for about a week and there is a higher risk of pregnancy if you have sex at the end of your period cycle.
5. The human female egg is the largest cell in the entire human body and the only one that can be seen with the naked eye.
Comments