Living with your period, let’s talk about it.
The monthly flow can be debilitating in many ways. Cramps. Pimples. Breast Tenderness. Bloating. Cravings. Mood Swings. The list goes on, but not to worry, below are team flutters favorite ways to make you more comfortable.
Liquid Elixirs
Tea. We swear by it. Try a soothing peppermint or ginger - both work wonders on your tummy. Not sure what kind you’d prefer? DAVIDsTea also has an incredible tea sampler package called “caffeine-free all day and all night,” that is filled with tummy healing herbal teas such as “mother’s little helper,” “peppermint amour,” and “super ginger,” among others.
Wheatgrass is also a great liquid elixir during that time of the month. No really, the superfood has even been recognized as an effective solution to troubled hormones since it helps flush out blood clots and regulate menstrual bleedings (more on that here). So, stop by a Juice Generation post workout with your besties and toss that little green sucker back!
Finally on our list of go-to liquids, water. While your body tends to retain water during your cycle (it’s true, check out what Dr. Raquel Dardik, M.D., gynecologist at NYU Langone Medical Center says here), it is still important to drink MORE water . When you’re bleeding your body retains more water because it’s afraid of not getting enough. Calm your body’s fears by shooting for two quarts of water daily. Tip: smartwater is a great bottled water to choose because it is filled with electrolytes, which helps rehydrate you faster.
Vitamin E
If breast tenderness is what ails you, pop the daily dose of vita e, which is often recommended by ob/gyn’s for females suffering from fibrocystic breast disease, aka constant lumps and tenderness (source). Foods that are high in vitamin e include: nuts, seeds, and green leafy vegetables.
Heating Pads
Cramps are the worst; but heat wraps make it all better, you can even wear them under your clothes at work - no one will ever know. In so much pain you feel like staying in bed? Fight that fetal position with a plug-in heating pad, hot water bag, or a DIY rice bag (like this adorable one from blogger, Fellow Fellow).
Girl Time
The monthly blood run is rough, but luckily all us girls go through it, some of us at the same time (menstrual synchrony). So, take time to catch up with your girlfriends - drink some wine (Malbec is #tdf), gossip, and watch that movie you’ve been wanting to see. Places to grab that glass of vino:
- College town rejoice! Beacon Hill’s Bin26 Enoteca has been listed by U.S. News as one of the top wine bars in the country (Boston)
- If you love bubbles, check out Portland’s Ambonnay, which is devoted to sparkling wine and champagne
- Like options? Check out Veritas Wine Room in Dallas, TX, featuring more than 400 wines from around the world
Puppies
Play with one. Borrow one. Steal one. Puppies make everything better. And if you can, adopt.
Chocolate
It’s your time of the month, indulge! As women we know chocolate makes everything better. Keep some chocolate at your desk and pop a piece when you need a pick me up. Or - treat yourself to…
Some Raw Chocolate Ganache at The Butcher’s Daughter (NYC), a piping hot cup of hot chocolate at Xoco (Chicago), a full on chocolate meal by the bald man at Max Brenner (locations worldwide) and a vegan chocolate chip cookie we swear by from Erin Mckenna’s Bakery (NYC).
Music
Make a new relaxing playlist that will both distract you and ease those pains. It is scientifically proven that music can have a profound effect on both the emotions and the body (check out this interesting article from Scientific America for more on that topic). Upbeat music can make you feel more optimistic (hey Sonny & Cher) and positive, while slower tempos (Sup José González) quiet the mind and relax your muscles. For musical muses, we recommend checking out Anthropologie’s Spotify account for an inspired selection of curated playlists. For those more optimistic vibes, we recommend checking out Slice of Summer and for those slower tempos, tune into Rainy Day Revere.
Related Posts
The PMS Mixtape Volume 1
There are variety of moods one goes through when experiencing PMS - sad, angry, tired and vulnerable, just to name a few. So we’ve decided to create some playlists to match how you may be feeling. Yes, it’s The PMS Mixtape!
Instead of going with anything obvious like “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” this first mix is a much more subtle collection of soothing female vocals, starting off with Jenny Hval’s beautiful ambient musings on menstruation. The vibe is tranquilo, Spanish for “Take it easy,” so put it on when you want to chill things out a bit.
Related Posts
| Prep Time | 30 min |
| Servings |
bites
|
Ingredients
- 1 cup cup dried apricots
- 2 tsp water
- 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- 1/4 cup ground pistachio
Ingredients
|
|
Instructions
- In the food processor, add the dried apricot and blend on high until a ball forms.
- Add the water.
- Blend again. You will see the apricot paste start sticking to the sides.
- Using a spatula, transfer the apricot paste into a medium sized bowl. Add the coconut flakes to the bowl and mix until it becomes more uniform.
- In a separate small bowl, add the crushed pistachio.
- Using your hands, take some of the apricot mix and roll it in your palms until it forms a sphere. Make them as big or small as you like but try to keep them similar in size.
- Take each sphere and roll it in the pistachios until is coated from the outside.
- Place in a bowl and enjoy!
| Cook Time | 30 min |
| Passive Time | 30 min |
| Servings |
oatmeal triangles
|
Ingredients
- 1 cup steel-cut oats
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk (or substitute nut/rice/soy milk)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Toppings:
- maple syrup
- strawberries (optional)
- walnuts (optional)
- shredded coconut (optional)
Ingredients
Toppings:
|
|
Instructions
- In a medium pot, with a heavy bottom, add the water and the almond milk and bring it to a boil.
- Turn down the heat so the liquid is simmering, and add the oats, sea salt and cinnamon. Cover.
- Take an 8 inch square pan and line with parchment. Set aside for when the oats are done.
- Cook the oats for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally during the first 20 min. In the last 10 minutes you have to stir constantly so it doesn’t stick to the pot and it gets creamy.
- As soon as they are done, pour the oats into the parchment lined pan. Level it out evenly using a spoon.
- Cool for 30 minutes on the counter. Then pop in the fridge for another 30 minutes. This will allow the oatmeal to firm up and set.
- Lift the parchment out of the pan carefully and set on a cutting board. With a large smooth knife, cut into four squares, then cut those squares into triangles.
- Heat a large pan with the olive oil, once hot, add the triangles. Don’t crowd the pan and work in batches if needed.
- Cook each oatmeal triangle for 3-4 minutes per side until browned.
- Add to a serving platter and sprinkle on the strawberries, coconut & walnuts. Drizzle the maple syrup on top and enjoy while still warm.
| Servings |
skewers
|
Ingredients
- 8 cups cauliflower florets (around half a cauliflower head)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 6 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cilantro (packed)
- 2 tablespoons lime
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- salt to taste
Ingredients
|
|
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into florets big enough to skewer.
- In a big bowl add the garlic powder, turmeric, oil and salt. Mix well.
- Add the florets to the marinade and mix well. Make sure all the florets are coated.
- Add 4-5 florets per skewer.
- To make the sauce, add the cilantro, lime, tahini and a pinch of salt to the food processor. Blend on high until smooth. Set aside in a small bowl.
- Heat the grill on high, and then add the skewers. Cook the cauliflower on medium heat 4-6 minutes per side.
- When done, add the skewers to a serving platter and drizzle some of the sauce lightly over using a spoon. Save the rest to serve for dipping.
Recipe Notes
If using bamboo skewers, soak them for half an hour before use so they don’t burn on the grill.
If you want to grill them inside, use a griddle or pan and add some sesame oil to prevent sticking.
Related Posts
| Prep Time | 30 min |
| Cook Time | 50 min |
| Servings |
people
|
Ingredients
- 1 beet medium or large
- 1 tsp olive oil (to rub the beet with)
- 1 large garlic clove
- 2 cans chickpeas (3 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup water (to be used as needed)
Ingredients
|
|
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash the beets, rub with olive oil and wrap loosely but securely (so the steam doesn’t escape) in tin foil. Place in a pan in the oven and bake for around 50 min or until the beets are tender. You can gauge the doneness by sticking a fork in the beet (through the foil). If the fork goes in easily, they are done. Remove from the oven and let them cool.
- After they cool, using a knife, peel and discard the outside skin, and cut the beet into cubes.
- If you are using canned chickpeas, put them in a colander or strainer and wash them well. Make sure they are well drained.
- Place the garlic in the food processor and pulse until it is ground up. Then add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and salt. Let the processor run for a few minutes. Occasionally, push down the chickpeas from the edges to make sure it all gets processed. This is the point to gauge how thick or loose you want the hummus. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water at a time and let the processor run, check the consistency, and adjust with more water as needed. Once it is the consistency you like, let the processor run for a few more minutes to make it as smooth as possible.
- Finally, add the cubed beets to the food processor and blend until it is smooth again.
Recipe Notes
Even though the recipe calls for one beet, make as many as you like and reserve for Greek salads, or snacking. Add more beets to increase the flavor as you like.
We recommend adding a variety of thinly sliced vegetables instead of chips or crackers for a healthy snack.