PMS Tips For Men

Posted in PMS, PMT, Quick Tips by HappyMonth

It’s just as important for men to understand about PMS, as it is for women.

Awareness of PMS and how it can impact someones reaction, mood or physicality will only bring positive benefits to yourself and to those who suffer with the condition.

Ignorance is a recipe for disaster, recovery from PMS is ultimately in the hands of the sufferer but support from loved ones makes a huge difference!

So below are my Five Top Tips For Men wishing to help themselves and their loved ones with PMS:

Be aware of your loved ones cycle, make sure she puts a star on the calendar, indicating roughly when her PMS phase will start – If she is not open with her cycle, you will be clueless, which is really not fair on you!
Try to avoid mentioning PMS in the middle of an argument, even if you know that it is the cause – wait until you have both had time to calm down – if you can!
Laugh about PMS, avoid belittling the condition – but a sense of humor, always helps to ease the tension in any situation 🙂
Discuss PMS with your loved one, when she is NOT in her PMS phase !! – normally discussions only happen when the topic is primed due to an argument, caused by the condition.
Instead I recommend being proactive and speaking about PMS when the phase is over, where you can both have a constructive conversation, allowing you to put positive plans in place for the next phase e.g. swapping of chores that may help ease the pressure etc.
Of course #5 is… read http://www.happymonth.co.uk – Knowledge is Power!

Do you have a plan?

Posted in PMS, PMT, Quick Tips, Uncategorized by HappyMonth

“A goal without a plan is just wish”

I think this is a great quote, it simply highlights that we can have all the goals in the world, but without knowing the steps needed to accomplish them, it really is wishful thinking!

By reading this blog, i’m assuming that your goal is to reduce and eventually heal from PMS..

To be able to do this, I highly recommend implementing an action plan.

An example could be:

Daily Tasks:

Meditate
Drink plenty of water
Actively be aware of the stage that I am in, with regards to my monthly cycle
Move, seek fresh air, breath and relax

Weekly Tasks:

Research case studies and recovery strategies from Books and the Internet
Adapt food to be consumed, to benefit the current stage of my monthly cycle
Adapt exercise regime, to benefit the current stage of my monthly cycle

Monthly Tasks:

Add a mark on my calendar, highlighting next months PMS phase.
Celebrate success when a happy month has been had, due to a well thought out and delivered plan!

So get planning! and of course, if you need help, feel free to contact me:

Chrissie@happymonth.co.uk

28Jun2014

Adapt your Fitness Plan to your Menstrual Cycle

Posted in Health by HappyMonth

If you are a fitness fan like me….then you will be very familiar with how PMS can make you feel when you are trying to exercise!
I tend to describe this feeling as “training in toffee”, where every movement feels like your whole body is stuck in a river of toffee, making any form of exercise exhausting and not that enjoyable!

The main reason for this sensation is the Hormone “Estrogen”, which tends to increase during the last two weeks of your Menstrual cycle and this rapid rise in the Hormone can make you feel sluggish, tired and lethargic… meaning you may feel more motivated to sit in front of the sofa rather than to attempt any kind of sit-up!

But there is a workaround!!…………….I suggest adapting your fitness plan to your Menstrual cycle, which will allow you to keep fit and energised throughout the whole month rather than just for the first two weeks.

Regular exercise has been proven in a number of studies to reduce stress levels, as when we exercise our Happy Hormone “Serotonin” increases and this Hormone controls areas such as our mood, social behavior and temperature regulation, which are all areas that need a positive boost during the last few days of our Menstrual cycle…

So by sticking to your fitness plan or even starting a new one, you can combat the emotional imbalances PMS causes and start a real energised step to reducing your PMS symptoms!

Below is an example of how you can plan your exercise for the whole month, picking high energy sports at the start and moving to more low impact options towards the end of the month:

Example Fitness Plan

Days 1-14 of a typical 28 day cycle
(Classed as the Follicular Phase of the Menstrual Cycle)
Plan to take part in exercises that include anything that is fast paced or intensive such as running, sprinting, interval/circuit training, martial arts or Zumba.

Days 15-28
(Classed as the Luteal Phase)
Plan to take part in exercises that include anything that is low impact for example yoga, a slow jog, swimming, cycling or dancing round your living room!

By adapting your fitness plan to your monthly cycle as suggested above, you will notice a reduction in your PMS symptoms, mainly because of all that Happy Hormone being produced…..but remember:

“PMS requires ABM (Action Before Motivation)”

So if you are suffering with PMS, really push yourself to start exercising! I guarantee, if you do and even if it’s just dancing around your living room, you will feel so much better and very glad that you did it!

Happy Training 🙂