Here at Green Vegan World, we are big fans of self-care practices and we believe in honoring our body as much as possible, enhancing our overall well-being and replenishing our inner balance. Today we want to talk to you about how to take good care of yourself during menstruation while keeping your hormones in check. So, if you’re interested in minimizing the discomfort you experience when that dreaded time of month rolls around, these wellness tips can be very helpful.
Here are some great ways to give yourself some extra care while on your menstruation. We hope they will leave you feeling way better than usual.
One of the first things that need to disappear from your self-care routine are conventional tampons and pads. Did you know these intimate care products contain plastic and other synthetic materials that are known to affect your hormonal balance and make your period worse? More than this, one single pad contains the same amount of plastic as 4 plastic bags.
Luckily there are a lot of organic alternatives on the market but ENROUSH are our all time favorite organic tampons and liners. They don’t contain plastic, synthetic materials like rayon or polyester and the cotton they use was not treated with pesticides or insecticides. Not to mention that they look so cool! They also have a subscription that is a good investment and it can take all of your period woes. With ENROUSH you can customize your own period kit depending on your personal flow and have all of your goodies delivered right to your door, just before your period.
- Get outside:
If you don’t feel like exercising or following your workout routine, it is recommended to go on a really long walk instead. Outdoors can really help you boost your mood while decreasing the stress level and increasing your energy. So instead of eating three tablets of chocolate a day and watching Netflix, take your dog for a walk or go in a park and enjoy nature and it will really help you feel better.
- Don’t forget about magnesium:
The reason you’re craving chocolate during menstruation is part because of its sugar content, part because chocolate is rich in magnesium. In fact, one tbsp. of cacao contains 40 mg of magnesium. And this mineral is known to reduce cramps, aid migraines and relax your muscles. So the next time you crave for chocolate, take a magnesium supplement or add in your diet magnesium rich superfoods.
- Take iron as well:
On our period, we all lose a lot of blood and this leads to a decrease in irons levels as well. You can try to keep your irons levels high by eating red meat or adding more leafy greens or black beans into your meals. Did you know that a half of cup of black beans contains 20% of the RDI of iron whilst a half of cup of ground beef contains just 15%?
But wait, we have a better idea. What about some flow supportive brownies? They are healthy, easy to make and the perfect way to indulge during those days.
All you need to make these amazing brownies
- 1 1/2 cups of black beans
- 2 tbsp. of cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup of oats
- 1/2 cup of maple syrup
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 2 tsp. of vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. of baking powder
- Pinch of Salt
- 1/2 cup of chocolate chips + more for decoration
And a little creativity!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 x 8 pan
Add in a good processor all ingredients except the chocolate chips and process everything until you obtain a smooth mix.
Now you can stir in the chocolate chips
Pour the mix into the pan and sprinkle the extra chocolate chips on top
Bake for 16 minutes and let them cool for another 30 minutes
Slice, dice, and enjoy!
- Add healthy fats:
During menstruation prostaglandins can cause muscle spasms and increase your body’s sensitivity to pain. What you eat can increase the level of bad prostaglandins so instead eating processed foods when your body is craving fats, you should eat nuts, salmon, eggs, avocado, olive oil and other healthy fats that can decrease the level of bad prostaglandins.
- Slow down a bit:
You already feel exhausted during menstruation and with no motivation to do anything so why not stop beating yourself performing at your maximum capacity. Better make time for good rest without guilt or shame and do just the tasks that come easy to you.
- Non-toxic beauty routine:
Although you should always use non-toxic products in your beauty routine, your period is a good reminder to make more time for your beauty routine, especially if you need to combat that hormonal acne you can’t get rid of. You can either put on a face mask with honey and aloe or matcha, either take some natural supplements that can fight off the inflammation. We recommend Youth Fountain from ALLKME, a plant-based collagen booster packed with antioxidants that can banish all skin issues while fighting the signs of ageing.
- Anti-inflammatory:
If you struggle with inflammation or have a diet with a lot of sugary things in it or processed foods, you can try balancing your hormones with anti-inflammatory foods or take some medical drugs to reduce inflammation.
- Warm up:
If you suffer from hormonal imbalance and your hands and feet are always cold, use heat to warm up. It will also aid cramps. So enjoy a warm bath or snuggle under a warm blanket with an extra pair of fluffy cute socks.
- Keep a journal:
It will help you notice the main triggers that make you feel tired, bloated or inflamed. This way you’ll know what foods to eliminate from your diet, how much you need to exercise and what can help you regain your inner balance.
Do you have any other tips to help women enhance their self-care routine during their flow?
