PMS affects (almost) all women and no, it’s not a whim

If in the days leading up to your period you often feel tired and nervous, don’t worry. This is absolutely normal. All those feelings of malaise that coincide with sudden changes in mood, constant craving for chocolate or junk food and persistent abdominal bloating, respond to what is commonly defined as premenstrual syndrome: a disorder that affects about 75% of women of childbearing age and which, therefore, is more common than one might think.

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Therefore, the next time they ask you “but must it come to you that you are so sour?” and be sure that someone will do it, answer with a dry yes. Well done if you can eh, these phrases usually make me even more nervous. After you have calmed down, however, (in this case I always recommend a sweet to rebalance the sugar intake), you can explain to your interlocutor that, if in those days you are a little more irascible, it is not because you went crazy all of a sudden. , but it’s all the hormones’ fault. All this – for (un) luck – it doesn’t last forever so no, menstrual syndrome is not a whim, but not even an excuse to do what we want.

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Attention, not all evils come to harm. In fact, with the increase in estrogen, our desire to have sex also grows. For this reason, during the pre-cycle phase, it can happen that we even feel happier and more attractive. Ovulation is the time when we are most fertile and it is normal to want more intimacy. Although, unfortunately, the manifestations of the disorder are not the same for everyone: many of us accuse bearable annoyances such as irritability, poor concentration, aggression, exhaustion, tension in the breasts and abdomen, heaviness and anxiety. For other women, however, PMS can be so intense and all-encompassing that it compromises not only the mood, but the regular performance of moments and activities of daily life. If you have also been stuck in bed due to pain, you are part of this percentage. The phase preceding the menstrual cycle has repercussions on both the body and the mind. Not to mention the imperfections, which become more pronounced: the classic pimple that appears just before menstruation depends on this.

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Ok, we are in 2021, a rover of the NASA comes up Mars to find out if there are other forms of life, yet there are still too many prejudices against those suffering from this syndrome. Why? It is a question of cultural heritage, but this now all too deeply rooted mentality needs to be changed. Pay attention to it: if we talk about hormones, then the male ones are often traced back to strength (think of testosterone), while for women the hormonal cycle is more stereotyped and linked to psychological disorders. Fortunately for us, there are those who take this problem seriously: in 1980, the World Health Organization included it in the conditions of the genitourinary tract. Then, over time, scholars have included it in the Diagnostic Manual among persistent depressive disorders because, in some cases, premenstrual syndrome may require targeted pharmacological intervention. But don’t worry: in addition to the classic grandmother’s remedies, today there are herbs and food supplements with natural components that help alleviate the manifestations of the disorder.

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To reduce the more unpleasant effects of the pre-cycle phase, doctors recommend increased physical activity, a low-sodium diet to counteract swelling and some healthy rest. This is because lifestyle, nutrition and stress affect how we feel. To get better, we must learn to know and respect the rhythms of our body. For me this golden rule applies: if I feel like it, if I’m strong, I can do anything. If, on the other hand, I feel tired and down in tone, I take more moments of relaxation without feeling guilty. Because PMS affects (almost) all women and no, it’s not a whim.