A Girl Thing

Oh no! It's now back after a few months of absence (I should've felt relieved, right? lol). And the pain is so indescribably excruciating. Everytime 'that' time of the month comes, I'll be facing abdominal pain, backaches, constant bloatedness, and a series of bad moods, and maybe tantrums, too. Sometimes it's bearable, sometimes it's just too much I just can't stand it. I hate the rotten feeling of trying to get on with normal everyday life when I have period pain. All I really wanna do is crawl into bed, lie comfortably under my duvet, with hot water bottle nestling humbly on my tummy and me sipping warm water to ease the pain, and wait for it to pass but reluctantly I still have to go out and face the world.. right?

Trust me, it can be worse for certain women. A friend of mine doesn't even have the energy to leave her bed. Another even faints sometimes. Maybe due to blood loss. Ha-ha. Another gets emotional easily and sensitive unnecessarily. It depends, really.

Well, we’re always told that it’s just a part of being a girl and that we should just put up with it. So what can we actually do? One good tip I got from Mom is to avoid cold drinks and drink plenty of warm water. This works wonderfully! Personally, I'd suggest women not to go for menstrual pills for God-knows what effects it could bring to our health. Apart from these, I did a lil research and discovered that there are some very simple ways to help ease period pains:

A QUESTION OF HEALTH: THE LOWDOWN - Six ways to ease period pains (Kavalier, 2005)

Get the right painkiller
Ibuprofen is good, because as well as killing pain, it is an anti- inflammatory which works by decreasing the levels of prostaglandins, which cause the contractions that are often the reason for painful periods.



Take vitamin E
Doctors in Iran found that teenage girls who were given vitamin E daily experienced less severe pain.



Go on the Pill
The Pill can ease period pains by preventing ovulation. Without ovulation, the lining of the uterus remains thin and levels of prostaglandins are lower.



Take exercise
Exercising during your period increases blood flow to the uterus and helps loosen the muscles in your abdomen, thighs and back. It also causes you to release endorphins, the body's natural painkiller.



Get warm
Warmth relaxes muscles, so you may get relief from a hot-water bottle or a bath.



Change your diet
Essential fatty acids, vitamin B6 and magnesium have all been shown to reduce period pain. Eat nuts, pulses, oily fish and whole grains. Cut down on refined carbohydrates and animal proteins.

And of course, if all else fails, feel free to consult your doctor immediately. Do not suffer in silence.

p/s: All you guys out there, this is the time for you to show your love to your gfs and wives by pampering us with massages and breakfast in bed okay.. lol