Period Struggles: Tips on How to Banish Period Symptom Blues

How do you know when you are about to start your period? Do you feel bloated? Do you experience cramping? Do your emotions go crazy? Like, one minute you’re totally fine and the next you’re ugly crying over a puppy commercial? We’ve all been there. Period symptom blues are real. Fortunately, there are ways you can ease the pain–physically and emotionally.

Common Period Symptoms for Women of All Ages

There are many signs your period is coming. For most women, period symptoms begin one to two weeks before menstruation starts. The most common period symptoms include bloating, cramping, face breakouts, sore and enlarged breasts (for better or worse), exhaustion, and, of course, mood swings. Luckily, there are several ways to banish those period symptom blues and get back to feeling like yourself.

Eat Less Sugar, Salt, and Caffeine

I know this is probably not what you want to hear, especially because sugar cravings are yet another common period symptom. But eating a tub of ice cream to try to ease your PMS symptoms might actually make them worse. Hear me out: the inflammatory properties in sugar can make your bloating and cramping intensify. Not to mention, period or not, “sugar crashes” can increase mood swings. Salt can also make you feel more bloated and increase breast soreness, as can caffeine. Cutting these three things out of your diet can help minimize intense period symptoms.

The good news is there are some foods you definitely can and should eat to help alleviate your period symptoms. Leafy greens and avocados (hello, healthy fat) have a bunch of nutrients in them, including iron, which you need before and during your period. Avocado toast for breakfast, anyone?

Move It, Move It

While exercise is probably the last thing on your mind when you’re experiencing period symptoms, movement can actually help ease the pain and regulate your mood swings. Movement releases endorphins and–in completely non-scientific terms–endorphins make you happy. This natural mood booster will work wonders for those period symptom blues.

Use High-Quality Feminine Products

There is no such thing as a perfect vulva. Actually, there is–everybody’s is perfect just the way it is. And to keep it that way, there are a variety of feminine products you can use to ease period symptoms and keep your vulva healthy and clean before, during, and after your period.