I must brag that I have light and easy periods. Mine usually only last for 3-4 days, are quite light and painless, and I only get grumpy mood swings in mild form. But last month was a horror for me. I felt bloated, gassy, my stomach was huge, and I was retaining water for days…noticeable in my chubby cheeks. (I was also travelling, so that didn’t help!) I was wondering what was causing this bloat, as my periods usually go through with little affects.
I think we’ve gotten to the point where we are watching sugar and fat content, but it’s easy to ignore sodium intake. During my period, I was so bloated, and I thought I was gaining weight, but now that I am over my period, and my stomach is back to normal, I’m thinking it’s the salt. What is the use of having a low fat or modest diet, when certain times, we will just “blow up” from water retention? It’s just not fair. Isn’t there enough foods out there to avoid, now salt is also on the list? But how much does salt affect water retention? Probably only a bit, but during vulnerable times like that time of month, it seems to affect it a lot.
Our bodies are like sponges. It can decide to hang on to water, or to shed it like mad. An example would be long ago when I had just delivered my child, I was married at that time and my wedding band would not come off my chubby fingers. They were swelled! I figured it was all the bodily stress and post delivery medicine I was on that made me retain water like crazy. Then after a few weeks, after getting on with my normal life, I could not stop that ring from falling off. My body was shedding water fast.
If only my body could always be in that state of slimness! I can’t believe that fat is not always responsible for feeling chubby! It’s also salt now. Who knew?! What are some ways that you avoid gaining water weight during that time of month or in general? Drink a lot of water to flush it out? Cranberry juice as a diuretic? No salt at all? No coffee or alcohol? What will work?
Dreamy Reveries: a journal of make-up and fashion 