Periods. Each woman has a different way of describing their periods, but we all have one thing in common; that being we suffer under the hands of our female reproductive system. I remember being laughed at by a co-worker at work as I bent over in pain with period cramps and I told him “you wouldn’t be laughing if it was you” to which he shook his head. They can be quite painful, thinking about it now, it feels like Gru’s minions are having a dance-off on your ovaries. It’s not just pain we have to deal with, but a whole other list of pre-period symptoms.
Acne
Many ladies break out before their period starts, that break-out acting like an alarm clock to prepare you for what’s to come. Take this opportunity to ready yourselves by purchasing the feminine hygiene products that you need. Remember, the period life chose us, we didn’t choose it, so we don’t necessarily have to spend our well-earned money on expensive tampons and period pads. However, there is still no law against purchasing your favourite brand or favourite type of tampons or pads. Our periods throw us into a deep pool of self-consciousness so it’s all about finding the product that will make you feel more at ease and confident when menstruation begins especially when you’re wearing those stylish white jeans. As for acne, why not indulge yourselves with some clay face masks for your evenings at home, it’ll make you feel fresh and relaxed afterwards.
Cramps
They can either be bearable or horrifyingly unbearable. As painful as they can be, there are still solutions to make them ease up so you can go back to a world of feeling pain-free. A good investment would be a hot water bottle, a genius little invention that will become your best friend during your period. Placing it on your lower stomach/ abdomen area usually helps, but you must have patience as the cramps won’t ease within a matter of seconds, give it a few minutes and let your body relax. Other pain relief methods include yoga and exercising if you want to stay on the active side of things, but some girls just like to take it easy by having a hot bath. Another method would be to massage small circles with your palms around your lower stomach area while the hot water bottle is nearby. Let yourself decide which solution is best for you, you got this!
Chaotic emotions
Ah yes, the mood swings; one minute we feel happy, then we feel like we’re going to tear up and then we feel anger. It’s quite difficult to get a handle on all these emotions, but please don’t judge us, we simply don’t always have control over our hormones. The best thing to do is to not act against these emotions, let them be. A way to keep yourself in check is to do something nice for yourself; make a hot chocolate, read your favourite book, surround yourself with your close friends who understand how you feel, good company and laughter will take your mind off your mood swings. One thing is for certain, mood swings are perfectly normal so giving yourself a hard time over it should not be an option!
Cravings
Chocolate. Jellies. All things that are sweet and sour. We know these cravings all too well. Has anyone ever watched Cian Twomey’s video of his girlfriend’s impression of when she’s on her period? When he whines “I need Nutella” it feels like such a mood and we feel this huge sense of familiarity that we’ve all been there at some stage. If we give in to our cravings, there’s a sense of guilt that comes with it from binging on chocolate or all things sweet. Don’t feel guilty, it’s okay to have cravings, but there’s no need to over-do it. Personally, I keep some small chocolate bars with me in my locker at work and in my kitchen press at home and when those cravings start, then it’s okay to pop a little square of chocolate in your mouth and let it melt on your tongue, maybe sometimes even two squares of chocolate if I’m feeling cheeky.
