The last piece of this puzzle is proper diet. Not only is this essential to a person’s physical well-being, it also helps alleviate the main dilemma that we have wanted to solve since the beginning – menstrual cramps.
Although some women are fortunate enough to find relief with pain medications, a more natural approach to alleviate menstrual cramps is through a good/healthy diet.



• Reduce your consumption of salt, sugar and caffeine
(especially during the week before your period).
Chocolates, coffee and soda are big NO-NO’s. =( I know.
I love them, too. =(


Take note, it’s only “reduce”, not “remove” sugar and salt. You could potentially suffer from low blood sugar and fatigue because of the blood loss during your period.


• Increase your intake of calcium-rich foods such as milk and yogurt. Calcium levels decrease about a week to 10 days before the start of your period which can cause PMS-related (premenstrual syndrome) cramping, sleepless nights and depression.


No need to worry, fellow lactose-intolerants. We have green leafy veggies and calcium supplements (remember to consult your doctor for safe and appropriate dosage) to save us from calcium deficiency.





• Avoid red meat (steaks and burgers). It can actually bring on the influx of prostaglandins (pain chemical that causes uterine spasm) into the tissue. Instead, choose low fat proteins like chicken and fish.


Having 6 small meals is what I prefer than 3 large meals a day. It aids in keeping blood sugar levels up and supplies enough energy to make it through the day (including my workout routine).


Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, healthful oils and (except lactose-intolerants) low-fat dairy products throughout the month to keep your body in balance and prevent menstrual cramps during your period.

..never thought i'd be able to go ziplining during my period!..  =)

Living healthy indeed has great benefits. It was through a friend who regularly works out in a fitness gym/center (who “was overweight” and “was” also suffering from dysmenorrhea) that I learned about the good news. Just give it a try and see for yourself.


But remember that these things only relieve primary dysmenorrhea, that which does not have any underlying cause (disease/disorder). In cases of secondary dysmenorrhea, it is best to consult your doctor and discuss treatment.

Exercises against Dysmenorrhea

Since time in memorial, menstrual cramps have always been such a big problem for girls everywhere. Being someone who has gone through extreme lengths (please refer to the previous post) just to relieve the pain, it was ultimately exercise and proper diet that finally allowed me to get rid of the monthly pain monster.


Menstrual cramps may actually be relieved by simple exercises that you can do at home (although it’s better to do it with the assistance of a professional fitness instructor to ensure proper posture and execution). Focus on relaxing (yoga, walking or jogging) and core-strengthening (lunges, crunches and squats) exercises; target the lower abdominal muscles nearer to the uterus.


• LUNGES

Starting position. Stand up straight with hands on waist. Position feet with a little less than shoulder width apart.


With dumbbells. Choose dumbbells of a weight that will enable you to complete the exercise sets you have chosen.Stand up straight with a dumbbell on each hand. Let your arms hang on each side,palms facing your thighs (hammer grip).


INHALE: Take a big step forward (with either leg) while bending at the knee until the front thigh is approaching parallel to the ground, and the rear leg is bent at the knee and balanced at the toes.  NOTE: Don’t let the knee (front leg) go past the tip of the toes. This can aggravate the knee joint if done too much.


EXHALE: Tighten your abs and PUSH back up to your starting position. It’s important to keep weight evenly distributed between both legs.


Complete reps before doing it with the other leg (set # 1). Execute 10-12 reps for 1-3 sets.




• SQUATS


Starting position. Stand with your feet a few inches wider than your shoulders and toes pointing outward at a 45-degree angle. Arch your back and stick out your chest.


INHALE:  Bend your knees. Tighten your abs as you go lower into a squat, taking your hips back, until your knees are at 90-degree angles. NOTE: Focus your weight on your heels. You can do this by slightly lifting your toes. Also, same with lunges, make sure your knees don’t go beyond your toes.


EXHALE: Stand back up to starting position. Complete 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps.


For safe execution, remember to always place your weight on your heels which should be kept flat on the floor. Also, you must maintain a natural arch on your lower back as you keep your shoulders back and your head and neck in a neutral position throughout the exercise.


• REVERSE CRUNCHES







Starting position.  Lie on the floor (mat) and place hands (palm down) on the floor or behind the head. Bring your knees in towards your chest (90 degrees) with feet together or crossed, hips flat on the floor.

With a ball. Sit on a mat and place a stability ball between your legs (at your calves/ankles). Squeezing the ball in place, lie back onto the floor, keeping feet just off the ground, knees bent.


EXHALE: Contract (squeeze) the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs towards the ceiling (or at least as far as you can go).


INHALE: Slowly lower to starting position without letting your feet rest in between sets.
Do 12-16 reps for 2-3 sets. It’s a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips. Avoid swinging your legs and creating momentum.


• BRIDGE (Pelvic Stretch)


Starting position. Lie down placing your back and feet flat on the floor with your knees bent (make sure your feet are under your knees), and arms on your sides (palm down).


EXHALE: Slowly lift your hips up creating a straight (diagonal) line from your knees to your shoulders. Remember to contract your glutes and abs.


INHALE: Gently lower yourself back to starting position. 


Execute 15 reps for 2-3 sets.


• PELVIC TILT EXERCISES


Starting position. Stand up with your feet hip distance apart and your knees slightly bent. Place your hands on your hips near the hip bone.


INHALE: Rock your pelvis forward. Hold for about 3 seconds.


EXHALE: Move your pelvis back to starting position. 


Perform 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps.

It can also be done seated on a chair or lying down on a mat.


Remember: AIR & WATER!


Oxygen and water are needed by your muscles to work on your exercises. Also, hydrated and well-oxygenated muscle tissue is less likely to cramp. So, don’t forget to breathe deeply and drink enough water.


Aside from these two, it is equally important to do some stretching before and after working out to prevent injury.

Wretched Womanhood

     

        
When a female reaches puberty, certain changes in her reproductive system and hormonal levels cause curves to appear (that’s the good part) and menstrual cycle to begin (it may have been good for some, but it wasn’t for me). 


 The monthly period, that’s what they call it. Not in my case. I call mine
“irregularly regular period” (I’d have two regular periods, then a pause
for a month or two, followed by another month or so of normal
menstrual cycles). No, it wasn’t normal. But I still think my “irregularly regular period” was a blessing. At least I didn’t have to suffer from the infuriating abdominal cramps that came with it (ALWAYS!) every month, 12 times a year. 


Dysmenorrhea (or dysmenorrhoea) is a gynecological medical condition prior to or during menstruation that interferes with daily activities, as defined by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). This may not be the most detailed, but for me, it is the best definition of menstrual cramps. It definitely interferes with my daily activities. It actually ruins not only my day, but almost my entire week.  


I already consulted an ob-gyne about my condition. I was young then, so not a lot of things were done (no rectal/vaginal ultrasound). She simply did some inspection, palpation, and percussion on my abdominal and pelvic areas, and prescribed painkillers (Flanax) that I should take regularly on the first two days of my period “before I feel the pain” (analgesics work best when taken before the nerve-endings/pain receptors were stimulated). 


The doctor’s instructions did not work for me. It was impossible for me to predict/follow my menstrual cycle. I was even brought to the ER once and was given multiple shots (I didn’t even know what they were then) before the pain left. 


My irregularly regular period and dysmenorrhea haunted me for almost a decade. NOT ANYMORE. 


My salvation: DIET AND EXERCISE. 


The next entry will discuss and illustrate exercises that work best with women who get annoying menstrual cramps. Here’s to finally putting an end to women’s dilemmas through safe and even extremely beneficial ways!