Give me some Minerals! I've got PMS!!

PMS.. PMS... Lately I've been researching and writing about it because I've noticed many women are simply clueless about the way PMS might make them feel and what an impact it can have on their life.

One thing is for sure, everyone especially women, must ALWAYS pay attention to their bodies. Keep track and take notice of every little change and feeling. Anything from feeling more tired, anxious to (sssh...) hot flashes... Trust me, after a very short while, you'll automatically notice everything and you'll be keeping a mental note. That alone will bring so many answers to a lot of answered questions in the past.

YOU NEED TO GET TO KNOW YOUR BODIES LADIES. MIND AND BODIES. You'll be SO glad you do from here on forward. It helps even when it comes to SEX ;-)

Ok, so here we go, supplement number one, Magnesium. 

Magnesium may be one, if not the most important health nutrient you've never heard of. OK, maybe you've heard of it - but maybe you haven't heard nearly enough about it. Its importance to your health is greater than that of many nutrients you're likely to hear much more about. Like vitamins D, C, and B; calcium; phytonutrients and antioxidants; and other super-nutrients are indeed important. But they, too, receive so much more media attention than magnesium, which deserves at least as big a spot in the super-nutrient "Hall of Fame."

Magnesium may well be the most important and most overlooked nutrient and mineral. There's a good chance you don't get enough magnesium in your diet, and the consequences of this are very real for you and your health. Magnesium can help reduce premenstrual symptoms including bloating, cramping, aches and pains, and possibly even depression. But too little magnesium also leads to atherosclerosis and other heart diseases; diabetes and pre-diabetes; generalized muscle pain; osteoporosis; and a slew of other common health problems. If you suffer from PMS or PMDD, you should be sure to seek out dietary sources of magnesium, and/or take a magnesium supplement. It is hands-down one of the simplest, best steps you can take towards better health.

Magnesium: The Vital Mineral

Calcium and magnesium work together throughout the body, whether it's in your bones, your nerves, your muscles, or your heart. Many women struggle to get enough calcium in their diet. However, it's at least as common for women - and indeed everyone - to get enough calcium but too little magnesium. Unfortunately, this combination may be just as unhealthy, or even worse, than too little calcium.

Think of calcium and magnesium as partners in your body: wherever one is needed, the other likely plays a role. Magnesium is the only mineral that plays a vital role in over 300 different chemical reactions in your body. While it is relatively easy to get adequate calcium in your diet, especially if you eat dairy foods like cheese, yogurt, and milk, magnesium is much more difficult to get from foods.

Furthermore, too little magnesium has been implicated as a cause, or at least an important factor, in many of the health problems from which we suffer most: diabetes, pre-diabetes, chronic fatigue and pain, and heart disease. This means that magnesium ranks right up there with fiber, fruits and vegetables, exercise, and not smoking as an almost universal panacea for what ails us. And yet, when was the last time you heard anyone in the media extolling the importance of magnesium? Magnesium really is one of the best-kept secrets to health.

Magnesium for PMS & PMDD

There are a number of reasons why magnesium is helpful for PMS and PMDD. First, we know that calcium helps PMS and PMDD. As we said before, wherever calcium is helpful, magnesium is important also. No one should ever use calcium supplements without also including magnesium - they go together. In the case of PMS and PMDD, the combination of calcium and magnesium is greater than the sum of its parts. As is often the case, the two work better together than separately. Synergetic!

Cramps are a common premenstrual and menstrual symptom. This is because the uterus, one of the largest and most powerful muscles in your body, can go into spasms at that time of the month, a bit like a charlie horse. Both calcium and magnesium can help muscle cramps, but magnesium is the superior remedy here. Magnesium may also help relieve premenstrual bloating, migraines, stress, anxiety, and depression. It really is the Swiss army knife of nutrition and of premenstrual relief.

A Natural Magnesium Solution

An easy and pleasant way to get magnesium, especially for people who have trouble taking pills, is an Epsom salts bath. In your usual bath, pour 1-2 cups of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) into your bath water, and then agitate it so that it dissolves. Epsom salts are a type of salt very different than table salt, which is sodium chloride - so don't do this if you have any open cuts or wounds. It might sting. Make sure to linger in the bath rather than quickly hopping in and out, to give time for your body to absorb the magnesium through your skin. You can actually get super-nutrition from your bath!

While Epsom salts are not a replacement for taking a magnesium supplement - you'll absorb much more from taking a magnesium pill than you would ever absorb through your skin - it's pleasant and relaxing. For people who, for whatever reason, are unable to take a magnesium supplement, Epsom salts baths are the best alternative.

Ideally, you wouldn't do this only when you have cramps. Like taking a vitamin, it's important that the magnesium have a chance to be absorbed into your cells, steadily, over a period of time. To accomplish this with Epsom salts, you should try to take an Epsom salts bath 2-3 times per week.
Epson salt baths are a great way to relax. They help ease those tense achy muscles. Nothing like a regular bubble bath.

Quick Tip: Adding whole milk to your bath will help soften your skin AND it has calcium as well :)

Enjoy!

XOXO
Marysinn

Online Love

On the crowded streets of LA, it can sometimes be challenging to spot a single individual (Where's Waldo?) not engulfed-via-smartphone in the world of the Internet. Almost everywhere you go including the gym, people are looking down either with a straight face or making faces at their phones, mini iPad or tablet. 

When seen through our 21st-century lens (particularly for us younger folks), these situations seem mostly commonplace, perhaps mildly off-putting. Our brains have internalized that information-technology is ubiquitous now -Internet in the palm of everyone's hand, 5-year-olds with smartphones and 2-year-olds with iPads. So what? Many people hardly raise an eyebrow.

"Her": A "Boy Meets Computer" Love Story

But a fair few of us are given pause and feel faintly uneasy about some of these phenomena. And then something like Spike Jonze's film, "Her", comes along to provoke serious reflection. The award-winning 2013 film presents a barely-sci-fi world that closely resembles our own, but in which technologies like Artificial Intelligence, virtual-reality gaming, and Apple's Siri have eclipsed their real-world counterparts in significant ways.

Despite its aesthetic of pastel hues and futuristic sleekness, this world begins to feel surrealistically eerie when we find out that the plot revolves around a lonely, heartbroken writer, Theodore Twombly, (played masterfully by Joaquin Phoenix) who falls in love with his Operating System's disembodied AI personality, "Samantha" (whose tragically innocent and alluring voice is supplied by Scarlet Johansson).

Theodore and Samantha bond over oh-so-human conversations about existence, love, music, and people. He brings her places (in his phone) and shows her things via phone-camera. She, being a computer, is ever-attentive and constantly becomes more personable (or personalized) as she learns about Theodore and human beings in general. They even have sex (you'll have to watch the movie to see how that works).

The couple's often charming and/or moving dialogue contrasts with and deliciously complicates the seemingly absurd nature of the relationship. Our first instinct -that the situation is decidedly unreal and sort of pathetic- gives way at times to a vaguely unsettling sense of plausibility, familiarity, and maybe, even, dare I say, desirability.

Our impression of this unorthodox relationship and this world is imbued with shades of the uncanny as we begin to identify in some ways with Theodore's adoration for the unwavering interest and affection of Samantha. The film seems implicitly to ask, "Is this actually that out-there or incomprehensible?", and at least in the story, the answer is "no". Strangely, no one seems to give a damn about Theodore's OS-romance, and as it turns out, he is far from alone. Other people in the film also seem to be developing deep relationships with their AI friends or lovers. In public, nearly everyone is talking to or through their phone, and it is left to us to guess whether it is now the norm or the exception to have a human on the other end. (As if all of this weren't mind-swirling enough, the end of the film takes another leap, hinting at a transhumanistic future in which something like a technological singularity becomes our reality.)

Strange Questions, Valuable Perspective

It is also left for us to speculate as to whether the film's reality is one that we would invite. Is anthropomorphized technology a solution for loneliness? A remedy for our endless desire to love and be loved? Some have claimed that, at least in our current world, it isn't - that social technology makes us lonelier - though that certainly doesn't stop people (like me) from "falling in love with" (read: compulsively indulging in) iPhones, MacBooks, and social media that reflects a projected ideal persona.

How deeply will we allow/do we desire for technology to penetrate into our lives? When previously unthinkable or disturbing fictions become our reality, will we even notice or care? 

The film poses these questions beautifully and casts a telling light upon our modern obsession with interactive technology. It suggests that we underestimate our lust for our eternally available, customized-to-self technological counterparts; that we do not see the extent to which smartphone-human-inseparability and ever-more-constant screen-mediated communication represent another fundamental shift (the advent of language, the printing press, & television may be other examples) in our relationship to each other, ourselves, and the world; and that this state of affairs may be just the primordial beginning of a series of changes that will render us unrecognizable to our current selves.

As technology continues to change and evolve at an incredible speed and in ways that were previously unimaginable, films like "Her" seem utterly necessary. Whether we are aware of it or not, the ways we live in, interact with, and make sense of the world alter (sometimes dramatically) in conjunction with our shifting technology. If we don't stop, look around, and question what we are gaining, what we are losing, and how we should live in the midst of these changes-both on the macro and micro levels-we risk sacrificing conditions, relationships, and experiences that were once integral meaning-and-value-endowing aspects of our predecessors lives.

Spike Jonze's "Her" urges us to ponder these difficult matters. It prompts us to hesitate and analyze a world in which 12-year-olds attack teachers over smartphones. Like all great works of science fiction, it holds up a mirror for us to better examine where we are and where we're heading, and reminds us that we are the only ones who can reevaluate and redirect our course. 

   

What are your thoughts?

XOXO

Marysinn

Sometimes being a woman Sucks! : The Jodi Arias Syndrome

PMS and PMDD Brain Fog and Concentration Problems 

It's a few days before your period and you're at work, feeling a little more anxious and emotional than usual, and maybe bloated and achy, too. On top of that, you learn that you misunderstood the assignment your boss gave you this morning, and fear she may now assign it to someone else. You're not your usual efficient self, because PMS is making concentration difficult, creating fuzzy thinking, and tripping up your memory. PMS brain fog means you just don’t accomplish as much as you usually can.

If you're a student, on top of your studies and other responsibilities, you may find you have to plan your studies around your cycle, because a week before your period you know you won't be able to process and retain information the way you normally can. You may even dread tests that are scheduled at the same time as when your PMS symptoms typically occur. Your academic career is more difficult than it should be, all because of your hormones.

If you're a stay at home mom, or a working mom, you may find that your multiple jobs - wife, mother, nurse, taxi driver, cook, cleaner, classroom assistant, homework tutor, social secretary, and household manager - all get a little or a lot harder before your period. Keeping track of responsibilities, staying focused on dinner prep when your brain just isn't clear, struggling to keep your household in it's usual order - you may feel that the difficulty concentrating, fuzzy thinking, and brain fog that come with PMS keep you from being the wife and mother you know you can be.

What is PMS Brain Fog?

The way PMS affects your brain and your ability to think clearly,  to concentrate and learn, and to function effectively in your life is too often overlooked. For many women, this mental fog, or brain fog, is one of the worst parts of PMS - just as important to them as anxiety, irritability, aches and pains, bloating, food cravings, and other annoying and debilitating PMDD and PMS symptoms that make many women feel "not like themselves" for days or weeks each month

Brain fog is no joke!  But it is a super accurate description of the lack of clarity and difficulty concentrating that can occur before the period. PMS brain fog can affect work performance and school and studying; can make it hard to learn new things; and can render you less efficient and capable at home.

This often feeds into an unfortunate and vicious cycle, where mistakes at work, poor performance at school, and not keeping up at home undermine your self-confidence and self-esteem, especially if you don't realize that hormones are the cause. And the last thing a woman with PMS needs is, something else to chip away at her self-esteem, because as it is the other symptoms such as bloating and acne can already make life feel like a real struggle.

Premenstrual physical, emotional, and concentration problems can impact work relationships and make you less effective at work, or even force you to miss days at work. In fact, PMS and PMDD contribute to work absenteeism, and decrease your productivity in the workplace. In fact, the very definition of PMS and PMDD includes "impairment of functioning" at work, school, and in the home.

So many people don’t realize the real impact that PMS and PMDD have on concentration and mental clarity. Unfortunately, women are often unjustly accused of not being able to think clearly - a temporary health problem is confused with a lack of intelligence or another negative trait. But these are uninformed and ignorant opinions that aren't based on facts. PMS and PMDD medical researchers know that the premenstrual phase can be marked by difficulty with cognitive tasks that are ordinarily not a problem.

7 Tips for Maintaining Your Focus All Month Long

• Discover and avoid your food allergies: Food intolerances and sensitivities are more common than you may think, and avoiding them is not as hard as you may have heard. Don’t worry about what you've heard about gluten or about celebrities becoming vegan - you can discover your food sensitivities, and avoid them, while maintaining much of your usual diet. But most importantly, avoiding food allergens can clear your mind and cure brain fog. You'll have to try it to believe it, but it works. Research shows that when we eat foods that our body doesn't like, we absorb chemicals that our brain doesn't like, and that interferes with clear thinking. You probably don't need food allergy blood tests: the gold standard of food allergy testing is elimination and reintroduction.
• Maintain healthy sleep habits throughout the month: You know that when you have a bad night's sleep, you're more tired and irritable, and simply can't concentrate as well the next day. Many women experience some degree of insomnia before their period, but maintaining healthy sleep habits that help keep you well rested throughout the month will help keep PMS and PMDD symptoms at bay.
• Stay regular using ground flaxseed:  Just as food allergies can create brain-fogging chemicals in your bloodstream, so can constipation. Stay regular by adding 1-2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed to vegetables, cereal, or yoghurt, twice per day. You'll be adding essential fiber, plus lignans that may help prevent cancer, and some important Omega-3 fatty acids too.
• Stay active: If you've ever felt disoriented and out of it, and then gone for a workout or a brisk walk in the fresh air, and afterwards felt refreshed and invigorated, you’ll have an appreciation for how important physical activity is to keeping your mind clear. Exercise isn’t just for your figure anymore. It protects your heart, fights depression, and helps you sleep better. It may even help prevent Alzheimer’s. And, it probably helps reduce the symptoms of PMS and PMDD, including problems concentrating.
• Junk food makes you foggy: what you eat determines much of your brain chemistry, which means what you don't eat is also essential. Just like food allergens, junk food interferes with clear thinking by playing havoc with your brain chemistry. Among the worst culprits are artificial colors and flavorings.
• Maintain stable blood sugar: glucose, or blood sugar, is the only fuel your brain can use. But this doesn’t mean eating sweets will help you focus. What you really need is stable blood sugar, so that it doesn't ever go too low. When your blood sugar falls, you can feel faint and irritable, and it can be hard to focus. Our special diet for hypoglycemia will help you stay on an even keel premenstrually and all month long.
• Adjust your schedule to how you feel: You don't have to be superwoman, nor do you have to accept not feeling well or resign yourself to letting PMS interfere with your life. But if you're having a hard time concentrating, or you anticipate that you'll experience premenstrual brain fog, don't be afraid to rearrange your appointments, obligations, and schedule until you have your usual clarity back.

SO, even though people joke about it or think it's nothing but an excuse women use to get out of nasty and embarrassing situations, it is very much real and it affects some women more than others. So I hope some of these tips will help you.

If you are single or have an amazing partner, your own place, somewhere where you can lock yourself up for a few days every month for some much needed alone time .... Consider yourself an extremely lucky woman ;-)

XOXO

Marysinn