Unlike what some might believe, PMS is not a myth.

If you do a little Math you’ll find out that it touches a quarter of the world’s population at some time in their life. That’s over one billion girls/women!!

But what is PMS? Is it severe enough to halt and disturb a woman’s life and performance? Well, here is a simple ID of PMS:

Name: Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Ages of sufferers: between 12 and 50 years of age
Places it affects: The entire body and mind
Time of trigger: After ovulation and before the menstrual cycle begins
Symptoms: bloating, headaches, mood swings, cravings for certain types of food…
Consequences: Tiredness, irritability…well, not the best feeling you can have!!

This combination of physical and emotional symptoms that a substantial number of women get is due to a hormonal change when estrogen and progesterone levels begin falling dramatically if one is not pregnant.

So it is good, right? That is if you are not ready to go into motherhood yet!

Sadly, people around you are not aware that you are going through that phase, and hence may not be understanding enough!

You could be accused of being lazy, or simply seeking attention, which definitely is not the case.

So can we say that women should bear their discomfort quietly and not remedy it?

Not in the 21st century, you don’t!!

Here are some tips you can try to alleviate the pain and make this period as smooth as possible:

1. Yes, get some painkillers (Ibuprofen, Aspirin, simple over-the-counter medicine that can lessen headaches, cramps…). No need to be a masochist at this point, it is ‘dépassé’ and so 19th century!!
2. Homeopathy can help too (no need to burn sage yet!!) with a nice warm herbal brew prepared by your mom/partner. Peppermint, Fennel, and aniseed are very efficient, plus the mere aroma of those teas can have a relaxing effect on the mind.
3. Adopt a healthy lifestyle throughout the month (eat healthy food, exercise regularly, meditate, get enough sleep…) for this will help lessen the pain and discomfort when PMS hits.
4. Talk to friends you feel comfortable with. There is no shame in letting people know you are at that critical time of the month as they can understand and sympathize with you.

Remember, PMS is NOT a disease, nor a situation you need to shun away from but if you feel taking a day off can help, why not?! The world will understand.