Cut Back On Caffeine And Alcohol
Pre-menstrually, alcohol can enhance PMS symptoms like breast tenderness, mood swings, and bloating, says Dr. Bitner. And coffee can overstimulate the digestive tract and irritate the bowels, not to mention dehydrate you, which causes you to retain water. Hey, you’ll save some serious $ by bypassing your morning latte, too.
Is Bloating Or Gas An Early Sign Of Pregnancy
One of the very early signs of pregnancy in the first week is bloating. Even though it can be hard for many women to distinguish early pregnancy bloating and period bloating, most of them find it normal to be bloated during these times.
But what causes gas after conception? Is being bloated before period a sign of pregnancy? Not always, but if accompanied by other pregnancy symptoms, it is likely to be a sign that will be followed by a positive pregnancy test.
High levels of progesterone after ovulation reduce contractions in the gut leading to bloating and accumulation of gas.
Make Conscious Craving Choices
Donuts and ice cream feel good to soothe your emotional soul, but they arent doing your digestive tract any favors. Before you binge hard, try drinking a glass of water to counterbalance the need to fill up on sugary snacks.
Were not saying you have to swear off your favorite comfort foods, but try to make conscious choices. Instead of grabbing the whole pint of ice cream, scoop out a serving. Split half of a donut with a friend. Opt for berries or fruit in a smoothie instead of a milkshake.
In terms of gas, small choices go a long way in keeping you free of terrible toots.
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A Need For More Research
Davis emphasized that theres still a lot of research needed on this topic. Honestly, further research needs to be done to determine the true reason behind what causes digestive issues during womens periods. But, right now, hormones are the most likely explanation. Anything you can do to manage their fluctuation during your period is your best bet, whether its hormonal contraception or taking careful note of what youre eating or doing .
Even if you choose not to pursue these recommended routes, dont forget that theres nothing unusual or unnatural about symptoms like constipation, bloating, and gas during your period. Though period symptoms can sometimes make us feel out of whack, its completely normal to struggle with digestive issues during your period.
Sowhat Helps Pms Bloating
The good news: There are some seriously easy steps you can take to de-bloat during your period. Switching up the foods you eat, like swapping in more potassium-filled foods and nixing the caffeine for a few days, can do some serious remedying to your bloated belly.
You can also consider even simpler fixes, like getting more sleep or cooking at home more often. Just scroll though the options belowthere’s definitely a remedy in this list that will work for you.
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How To Prevent Queefing
Most of the time, theres not much you can do to prevent vaginal gas. Still, there are certain techniques that may help you figure out how to avoid queefing during sex or when exercising.
When you are engaged in sexual activity, try keeping the finger, sex toy, or penis inside your vagina with less in-and-out movement. This keeps air from getting into the vagina as easily. You can try keeping it inside while changing sexual positions as well, since this is an opportune time for air to enter the vaginal canal. Using the right amount of lube may also do the trick.
When doing yoga, strengthening and holding what is called the mula bandha or root lock can help. This is done by squeezing your pelvic floor and drawing your muscles up and in. Doing this can help stop air from entering your vagina. You can also avoid the postures that most commonly cause queefing during yoga, such as downward-facing dog and inversions.
When you are engaged in sexual activity, try keeping the finger, sex toy, or penis inside your vagina with less in-and-out movement. This keeps air from getting into the vagina as easily.
Some women also find using a tampon during exercise helps stop queefing.
And That Smell The Fuck
Hormones can also be blamed for the dead animal smell coming from your ass. The bacteria in our stomach changes with the cycle of hormones each month. The smell of your gas changes as the bacterial fermentation changes during menstruation. So as the progesterone spikes and the prostaglandins work to squeeze the intestines, you are not only going to fart, you are going to fart really smelly, bacteria-laced farts.
Also, its not like were able to show much restraint when it comes to food during those few days right before and after the bleeding starts. The cravings, the give-me-all-the-ice-cream-chocolate-and-pizza-I-dont-fucking-care-if-I-ever-see-lettuce-ever-again mood kicks in. We eat our way through foods heavy in carbs, dairy, and sugar. But these food groups dont break down until they reach the large intestine, causing us to release not just silent and deadly, but loud and lethal gas.
We bleeders really dont have a fighting chance. Probiotic supplements might help to pump good bacteria into the gut and reduce the power of period farts. Avoiding certain gas-producing foods like beans might help too. To help reduce the production of prostaglandins, reducing pain and cramping, OTC anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen can help relieve some discomfort. And if constipation is your problem, lots of water and fiber will help keep things moving.
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Don’t Skip Your Workout Routine
I get it: Working out is probably the last thing you feel like doing. But experts say getting your heart rate up is one of the best ways to alleviate PMS symptomsincluding bloat.
Bloating usually starts to kick in about one to two days before the start of a woman’s period.
People who live a more sedentary lifestyle tend to have more sluggish digestive systems, says Dr. Ross. Sweating it out can also help keep you stay regular and reduce constipation. Lighter workouts like swimming and yoga are your best bet, though high-intensity exercises may actually promote inflammation and, in turn, add to the bloat.
Increased Basal Body Temperature
Basal body temperature is your temperature as soon as you wake up and is influenced by hormones. An elevated BBT can be the first indication of pregnancy, even before your pregnancy test result is positive.
Some people continuously track their BBT for fertility purposes. It is a good indicator that someone is pregnant if the temperature does not fall back down to or below the cover line temperatures on a BBT chart.
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Signs You’re Having Contractions
Labor contractions have a rhythm. “You develop a pattern with labor contractions, where they’re coming every four to five minutes and progressively getting stronger,” says Paul du Treil, M.D., director of maternal and child health at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans. So break out the stopwatch and find out if the pain is coming at regular intervals.
Your belly tightens up. Labor pains involve a big muscle contraction all along your abdomen. “There’s an uncomfortable tightening in the stomach during labor, where the whole stomach feels hard,” Dr. du Treil says. If your tummy hardens every time you’re experiencing pain, it’s likely a contraction, not gas.
There’s more happening “down there.” Contractions usually come with a host of other symptoms. “Bloody mucus or a change in vaginal discharge increases the likelihood that it’s real labor and not a false alarm,” says Bart Putterman, M.D., an OB-GYN at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women in Houston.
Something Is Stuck In My Throat
This has been the all-time confirming symptom in my pregnancies. I would have this thing stuck in my throat that I couldnt swallow down. The correct name for this symptom is GERD, which is an acronym for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.
What causes it? The LES is a ring-like muscle found at the bottom of your esophagus. Food passes through the LES into the stomach and this muscle works like a valve between your esophagus and your stomach .
If the muscle doesnt close properly, some of the stomach contents leak back, causing GERD. You end up feeling like your throat is tight or like there is food stuck in your throat, and I can tell you its no fun.
Is there anything you can do about it? Yes, you can see your doctor who will recommend the right medication to combat the reflux. Other things you can do include:
- Wear loose-fitting clothes.
- Steer clear of alcohol and cigarettes, which you should do anyway if you suspect youre pregnant.
- Eat small meals more frequently rather than two or three large ones.
- Avoid going to bed soon after meals. Try eating at least three hours before turning in.
- Do not lay down or recline for the first 60 minutes after eating.
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How To Get Rid Of Period Bloating
If youre feeling puffy and bloated, foods that contain potassium, like bananas and dark leafy greens, may help reduce water retention. They do this by counteracting high levels of sodium in the body.
Consuming lots of salty foods can make water retention worse.
Reducing the intake of refined sugars is also an important step for reducing period bloating. High-sugar foods encourage the pancreas to release a hormone called insulin, which can lead to water retention and bloating.
What Are The Signs You Are Getting Your Period
Women usually start noticing physical and mood changes about 1-2 weeks before period bleeding starts. Ninety percent of women have premenstrual syndrome symptoms at some point in their reproductive life. Some women have more severe PMS signs and symptoms than others.
Changing hormones are to blame for many uncomfortable or unpleasant period signs and symptoms like cramps and tender breasts. Brain chemicals are also involved, but itâs unclear to what extent.
Period signs and symptoms usually end about 3-4 days after bleeding begins.
Common signs that your period is approaching are:
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Oestrogen Is Ready To Cause Trouble
During your cycle, the levels of the hormone oestrogen will rise, peak, and then decrease. Simple, right? Well, not so much.
Oestrogen peaks around the 14th day of your cycle and then decreases steadily, but while doing it, it really does a number on your intestine. Oestrogen affects the receptors in your stomach and small intestine. Specifically, oestrogen reduces bowel motility, which means food moves more slowly through your intestine.
As such, it is common to experience some flatulence and constipation. And since your intestine is not working properly, theres a build up of gas which causes bloating.
Do you struggle with menstrual pains? Check some home remedies for period cramps.
Is Bloating A Sign Of Period Or Pregnancy
Bloating could be a symptom of either PMS or early pregnancy. Bloating before and during a period is triggered by changes in the levels of estrogen and progesterone. Hormonal changes in early pregnancy also cause a feeling of bloating, similar to common symptoms just before the start of your period. Bloating in early pregnancy makes some people feel more snug than usual in their clothes.
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What Even Are Prostaglandins
Yep, the partys not ready without prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are eicosanoids but since this is not a pop-quiz, lets just say that they act just like hormones, but arent hormones. Prostaglandins help your uterus contract to shed its lining every month, since one of their functions is to help muscles contract. Well, it happens that sometimes prostaglandins cause your intestines to contract as well, and this worsens gas build-up. And this is how you get bloating.As you can see, a powerful combination of oestrogen, progesterone and prostaglandins is causing you to be bloated and gassy during your period. Sometimes birth control helps, but you should talk to your doctor.
See what happens to your period when you are on hormonal contraceptives.
Does Pms Change With Age
Yes. PMS symptoms may get worse as you reach your late 30s or 40s and approach menopause and are in the transition to menopause, called perimenopause.11
This is especially true for women whose moods are sensitive to changing hormone levels during the menstrual cycle. In the years leading up to menopause, your hormone levels also go up and down in an unpredictable way as your body slowly transitions to menopause. You may get the same mood changes, or they may get worse.
PMS stops after menopause when you no longer get a period.
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Stay Away From Foods That Cause Gas
Yep, were looking at you, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. They may inspire your favorite healthy-eating Pinterest boards, but they also contain a complex sugar called raffinose. Humans lack the enzyme to help break it down properly, which leads to gas and bloat. Other dietary culprits in this category include beans, cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce, says Dr. Ross.
What Are The Symptoms Of Pms
PMS symptoms are different for every woman. You may get physical symptoms, such as bloating or gassiness, or emotional symptoms, such as sadness, or both. Your symptoms may also change throughout your life.
Physical symptoms of PMS can include:12
- Swollen or tender breasts
Talk to your doctor or nurse if your symptoms bother you or affect your daily life.
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High Basal Body Temperature
If youve been charting your basal body temp, you may be privy to one of the subtle signs of pregnancy that many women wont even notice: a higher than normal reading. When youre charting, your basal temperature peaks when you ovulate, then gradually decreases during the latter part of your cycle until your period begins. But if you get pregnant during the cycle, your basal temperature wont plummet instead, itll stay high.