How do you feel good when your peroid is on ?

ANDY'S ANSWER: Having a "happy period" (as one femine hygiene company advertises) can sometimes be a challenge. Aside from the nuisance of having to wear pads or tampons , there can be cramps, bloating, mood swings and just a general feeling of blah.

Yes, you can do some things to make yourself feel better. Seeing your menstrual cycle as a time for some extra pampering that you don't do for yourself regularly can (almost) make it something to look forward to.

Mild exercise can help with the cramping and also your mood. I recommend a walk someplace where you can appreciate nature, like around a park, or along the river. It gives you a chance to take some time to focus on you and your relationship to the earth, breathe some fresh air and allow yourself some down time.

After the walk, how about a nice hot bath? Ever seen pictures of women soaking in a tub full of bubbles with candles around and a good book in hand? How nice would it be to look forward to a little pampering like that once a month?

Eating poorly can make unpleasant symptoms worse, so leave the junk food , salt and caffeine alone and make yourself a nice fruit platter with yogurt to snack on while relaxing on the couch with a good movie and a heating pad. Treat yourself to a piece of dark chocolate to help boost your serotonin. Drink ice water in stemware, or herbal tea from a special, favourite cup.

We all know that life goes on whether or not you're having a period, but there's no reason why you can't plan in a few special perks around it that time of the month to make it a little less stressful for yourself.