For most women, a monthly period — along with the dreaded week or two that precedes it — is just an unfortunate fact of life that we’ve learned to live with. Sure, there are some blessed souls who somehow remain consistently unscathed by their flow, but most women suffer from some cocktail of assorted symptoms during that time of the month. Cramps, tender breasts, seemingly out-of-the-blue mood swings that require major damage control, and of course an insatiable appetite matched with endless cravings and belly bloat are just a few of many common side effects that we get to experience as a woman with a cycle.
As if that weren’t enough, some women also experience more severe behavioral and physiological symptoms around their cycle that can significantly impact multiple facets of daily life, from relationships to performance at work. Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and loss of energy are also common PMS symptoms, and while they may only last for a week or two, they can be downright crippling when your just trying to live. If your period and PMS symptoms are impacting significantly interfering with your life and overall sense of well-being, you may be suffering from a fairly uncommon disorder called PMDD (Premenstrual Dysmorphic Disorder).
Of course, if you think you might have PMDD, it’s important to speak to your doctor about possible treatments and lifestyle changes may help you feel more like yourself during the time of the month. However, if you’re looking for an over-the-counter fix to help put you out of your misery (besides wine and chocolate), there are a few natural supplements, herbs, and vitamins that have been clinically shown help make the time of the month suck a little bit less. See below for some of our favorite natural supplements to help you stay sane and ache-free pre-period.
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