PMS Awareness: PMS Decoded

SPONSORED POST

When Tammy Wynette sang that "sometimes it's hard to be a woman", forget about standing by that no good man of hers, she must have really been talking about that time of the month. We love being women - we're bloomin' great! - but it's safe to say that no one really enjoys having their period.

While some gals are lucky enough that their Aunt Flo is a kindly soul who knits hats for kittens and leaves them alone for the most part, there are others from whom Uncle TOM is an artist in absolute torture. 

However, whether your period is a time of mild discomfort or a long stretch of day-off-from-work-needing misery, you need not dread the approach of that X on your calender. 

PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome. It's the name given to the different symptoms women experience before their period starts. These annoyances can start as much as five days before your period begins and will disappear when it arrives but, like, then you have your period. Some reward.  God, we're feeling mighty irritable.

Common symptoms include and are not restricted to - deep breath:

• bloating
• cramps
• breast tenderness
• fatigue
• insomnia
• tension
• anxiety
• irritability
• skin breakouts
• forgetfulness
• migraine

50% of Irish women are affected by PMS with over 3/4 having to take time off work because of it. (Wait, what, some people aren't affected by it? What excuse did they use to get out of PE?)

It's not because we can't do our jobs, it's not because we can't cope with pressure, it's all down to Mother Nature and sometimes we want to shake our fists wildly at her. Or wring her delicate throat. 

We hate when a day is ruined by some ignoramus blaming our not-so-cheery mood on 'women's troubles' but *sigh* we can't help feeling down in the dumps when we can't sleep because we're doubled over with cramps so we're exhausted the next day.

Whimper, whimper. Poor us. Why weren't we born men?

Ladies. Don't fret. There's good news! You don't have to accept that PMS is going to take over eight YEARS of your life - yes, that's the length of time estimated for how long women affected by PMS suffer with severe symptoms. PMS is a real thing for sure and its something that can impact negatively on your very existence. 

However, you can alleviate the pain by hugging a good old hot water bottle, by eating certain foods (including, wait for it, dark chocolate!) and avoiding others, by doing a little light exercise (even if it's the last thing you feel like doing) and - have you heard of Krill Oil?

Cleanmarine® Krill Oil for Women is a natural solution that contains all sorts of good stuff to help with PMS (and menopause) symptoms. We'll go through the ingredients because we know that you'll want to know exactly what's what. 

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids provide the overall benefits such as controlling cravings, improving anxiety and easing joint pain.
• Soy Isoflavones help ease headaches, cramps and back pain.
• Rosemary Oil is used for its mood enhancing effects.
• Vitamin D3 can also help alleviate mood disorders associated with PMS.
• B Vitamins help maintain healthy skin, hair, eyes and liver. They also help the nervous system function properly, and are needed for healthy brain function.
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) helps maintain a healthy heart.
• Vitamin B2 and Vitamin B6 help maintain healthy skin, energy levels and normal vision.

With proven results - in a recent study an average of 69% of Irish women reported improvement of symptoms - this could be just the ticket to a happier ride along the crimson tide. 

So, with that sorted, let's have some girl talk. Lookit, periods and PMS are facts of life and we can't help if they're unpleasant. The upside of these womanly wonders (the whole thing is pretty cool when you think about it) is that they make for a pretty good excuse to get out of things. We couldn't make a second cousin's hen party once because of our debilitating 'time of the month' and a week later we had to cancel our weigh-in at the gym because of, er, the same reason. 

Cleanmarine® Krill Oil for Women is Available in Health Stores, Pharmacies and online. You can win a year's supply of Cleanmarine for Women at www.cleanmarine.ie. 

What's the worst - or best - thing you've ever blamed PMS on? We're all friends here, let's dish!