For those of you that have periods. Period.
This is a short post regarding periods, and how to minimise waste and general PMS pain. Having had some of the most painful periods, to date including vomiting, fainting, the works, I have done a lot of research into natural remedies, as well as minimal remedies to save you from the monthly trauma.
Let’s cut to the remedies first:
- Recently I have been taking evening primrose oil. I swear it has significantly reduced my pain to a level that amazes me.
Brand: Fushi Evening Primrose Oil, liquid form. Comes in a glass bottle from a natural and organic brand. Half a spoonful a day recommended.
- Obviously a balanced diet filled with greens, grains & goodness, alongside a regular sleep cycle and drinking PLENTY of water, works miracles. As a factor it’s harder to measure but correlates with my pain-(sort of)-free periods. So do keep that in mind.
- Exercise – I discovered this during my last period. I was taking evening primrose oil daily, and running ten minutes every other day. It had the best affect on my cycle. By comparison this month I’ve been ill and unable to run, leaving me 8 hours of quite intense cramps.
In summary that’s exercise alongside good nutrition and evening an primrose dosage. More than just the physical aspect, this has honestly changed my whole mindset towards my ‘womanly cycle’, which I had always dreaded and found exhausting. Now I’ve understood that it’s a fundamental part of my womanhood, and that it’s important to take time out, and not feel like your period is a negative and insanely frequent occurrence. It’s a rhythm. Accept it rather than distancing it – trust me, it’s taken me awhile to get to this point. Every painful period every goddamn month made me ask why being a woman was so difficult… I actually calculated that we spend 3 months a year bleeding. That’s mental. If we need the world, work, society to give us a break that it is totally okay: take time out, and understand what is happening with your own cycle. Literally, respect your body and nourish it properly.
Right – excuse my elaborate realisation of a positive cycle. Now onto tips for minimising waste during PMS.
I understand that during this time you will literally grab anything to reduce the pain, be it packaged food, pills, clothes – and no judgement. All the same, here are simple tips for prepping for that joyful occasion and not having to spend a thing:
- Moon cup – I will admit I’m still using up tampons & pads I purchased from TOTM (an organic and biodegradable company who I do recommend). But the moon cup is the next step. It can be reused over and over again as a silicone cup which is inserted during your bleed, requiring emptying once a day. As a one-off purchase (for your initial try-out anyway), it’s also a cheaper alternative to monthly pads.
- You can also purchase cotton reusable pads if the idea of inserting anything, during the painful times, is horrifying to you.
- Hot water bottle, rather than paracetamol.
- An old towel to protect the bed sheets if you hate any form of elastication around the stomach area. Or even boy’s boxers are a godsend. Also note: cold water gets out any stains, hot water doesn’t!
- I would just like to add this Who Gives A Crap loo roll, who give 50% of their profits to build toilets in communities all over the world and are super environmentally friendly. They also do a standing order so you auto-renew your loo roll supply every few months – perfect for any household.
- Finally, keep tabs on your cycle so you can prepare yourself with thoughtful purchases. I’m fortunate that my cycle is so regular – I can pretty much call it to the hour, every 28 days. But (on a side-note) if you are irregular (or experience irregular symptoms like incredible pain), still try to feel and understand your natural cycle (easing the process with natural remedies / diet changes as above), before resorting to more drastic options like the Pill. Altering your cycle artificially conceals your symptoms rather than allowing you to essentially understand your body, and contemplate why you are irregular in the first place.
It is possible to have a happy and so be it – healthy – period. It has admittedly been a work in progress for me, but I’m genuinely getting there. Take the plunge 😉
And there we have it – a happy -ish period plan!
Good luck,
As always thank you for reading,
Ellen xoxo