PMS certainly isn’t my favorite topic, but it’s a necessary one– for the 85% of women who experience its physical and emotional symptoms each month and for the patient partners of 85% of women across the country. As someone with 25+ years of experience, nothing is worse than the dreadful combination of cramps, aches, bloating, mood swings, and an overall feeling of general discomfort in the same 5-7 day window. Luckily, as the product of two physicians, I realized early on that, from lifestyle changes to medications, there’s no shortage of treatments available to help you cope with whatever nasty PMS symptoms you may be experiencing. Here are 7 PMS survival tips for finishing your cycle unscathed: 

PMS Survival Tip #1: Stay Active

According to a fabulous article by Everyday Health, many women find that aerobic exercise, like cardio, helps ease sadness and anxiety, which are both common symptoms of PMS. Try to stay energetic with a fun activity, like dancing, jogging, tennis, kickboxing, etc, for at least 30 minutes each day. Even if exercise doesn’t totally alleviate your menstrual discomfort, an amped up level of activity will help you control your weight and reduce stress. It’s a win-win.

PMS Survival Tip #2: Relieve the Pain Naturally

If you’re experiencing any physical pain, try taking an all-natural supplement to mitigate the agony. I just started taking IntraNaturals herbal supplements, and Jayde Natural Pain Relief is my new BFF for soothing cramps, relieving muscle aches, and easing discomfort. It’s an 100% herbal, proudly vegan supplement with no wheat, gluten, GMO, soy, diary, egg, fish, nuts, corn, yeast, barley, sugar, starch, or preservatives, and after taking two capsules, it takes the pain away immediately. Sound too good to be true? I promise it exists, it works, and it’s made in a NSF certified GMP facility in the USA.

PMS Survival Tip #3: Resist Cravings

Although (spoiler alert) Tip #6 is to Treat Yo’ Self, try to resist too many unhealthy cravings. You’re so much stronger than you know, and you don’t need to rely on all ice cream diet in order to overcome your period. Maintaining a decent diet and exercise routine, even when you’re not feeling your best, will help keep your spirits high(er) and your anxiety low(er). Madeline Vann, MPH from Everyday Health suggests, “Up your intake of fruits, veggies, and whole grains and cut back on sugar, artificial sweeteners, fat, and salt. The complex carbohydrates in whole grains may contribute to a chemical chain reaction that supports mood-enhancing emotions.”

PMS Survival Tip #4: Relax

Although everyone’s symptoms are different, PMS can potentially make you more anxious and tense, so it’s a good idea to utilize popular relaxation techniques, like yoga, meditation, stretching, or massage, during your time of the month– and probably during the rest of the month, as well.

PMS Survival Tip #5: Don’t Wallow

Since PMS can exacerbate anxiety and negative emotions, don’t wallow alone in your room. Get up, get dressed, and go outside. You can exercise, meet a friend, go see a counselor, spend time in a peer support group– the choice is yours. Just don’t sit by yourself in the same pair of pajamas without showering for three days. From experience, I can confirm that it does no good.

PMS Survival Tip #6: Treat Yo’ Self

This tip is simple. When you experience PMS-related discomfort, treat yourself to something comfortable, whether it be chocolate, a fresh bouquet of flowers, a trip to the spa, or what have you. Being a girl is awesome, and you deserve a little extra glam once in a while.

PMS Survival Tip #7: Stay Positive

Finally, and most importantly, practice unapologetic self-love and try your hardest to not succumb to a mirage of irrational sorrows. It took me years and years of eating disorder-related outpatient treatment to realize that I am always in control of my thoughts. While I was working in finance, I ordered an embarrassing number of typography prints from Charm & Gumption, had them all professionally framed, and plastered them all over my office. I did the same thing in my home, as well. Whenever you’re feeling down, scan your wall or mirror or wherever you choose to display motivation and remember this too shall pass. Get it, girl. 

Do you have any PMS survival tips of your own? What works for you may work for others, so please feel free to share! Happy Monday, y’all!

_{Thank you to IntraNaturals for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.}