PMS and Competing… Are You Ready?
It is the day of your show and
suddenly you realize you have started your period. It’s not even that time for you and suddenly your cycle has begun. No wonder you water levels were off and you couldn’t tighten up the back of your legs fully. There is no doubt that with competing come changes with your hormones. Some females that get very low in body fat will stop menstruating altogether. Is this healthy? Overall, it’s not unhealthy and your body – once you are back to your normal off-season weight – will invite Flow back into town.
Having PMS right before your show can cause several issues. Not only does it cause some mood swings, but it can also make it nearly impossible to reduce your water levels. Unfortunately, with nature you cannot always predict the outcome of your cycle. There are things you can do though to be prepared. Here are some general tips:
· Bring tampons with you
· If you have to use a tampon – trim the string so it does not show
· Bring a travel size stain remover with you just in case it gets on your suit
· Have dandelion root handy to help reduce your water levels
· Bring your Midol or whatever you take to help you with unexpected cramps
When planni
ng a show, you should also note when your cycle normally occurs and try to time the show you select accordingly. You want to be your best, now don’t you? Some girls say that having their cycle actually helped them soften up a bit. It’s not always seen as a negative. Some girls who are leaner and harder can benefit from a little increase in their water levels.
If you are the type that feels depressed or moody while PMSing, you can always take St. Johns Wort and some L-Tyrosine. These help elevate your moods. I also suggest you take these the entire final month of your competition regardless if you are the type that starts to crave things like chocolate. With dieting and having a period, this can be lethal to your show, so preventative measures are a must! This will help curb the cravings and your mood swings!
The important thing is to understand that as long as you are a female, you are going to have to deal with your hormones. If something is off hormonally you will know. You will miss a period for a while, not just once or twice. You may get it more than once in a month. This too can be normal, but if it continues you will want to get it checked out. Bloating can also be a sign of something being off if there is also pain with it. Sometimes ovarian cysts can be overlooked. A sonogram will give you more information. This can also cause more cramping than usual.
If you are competing you want to think about your future outside of shows, as well. If you are in the child-bearing years and having a child is on your agenda, you need to be mindful of what you take and do to be in a show. You can do long-term damage and ruin your chances of having children. This is when I do suggest you avoid taking herbs like Yohimbe or any sort of estrogen blockers! Don’t mess with your hormones to do Bikini, especially if you are young! This could ruin your chances
of having a child… or a healthy one.
In order to have healthy periods while competing, instead of trying to prevent nature from taking its course, I suggest you protect your body by including these:
· It’s a fact that vegetarians have more estrogen in their body. So while on your high protein programs, never skip your veggies and do get in some fruit when you can!
· Limit caffeinated products and beverages. This can really do a number on you and make your PMS much worse. Use natural stimulants like B Vitamins (B100’s) or Ginseng. B6 has a positive effect!
· Don’t skip out on Calcium. Get at least 1000 mgs per day.
· Take Zinc in a small dosage since that has also been shown to be lower in women with PMS.
Often doctors will prescribe Zoloft, Paxil or Prozac for PMS since your Serotonin levels drop. Rather than rely on these, which come with other side effects. Rely on something like 5-HTP. This supplement helps with those who suffer from a sweet tooth. This and St. John’s Wort have the greatest benefits according to clinical studies. Even eating foods high in tryptophan (like turkey) can help!
Rather than sabotage your show over cravings, rub people the wrong wayor look like an athlete who was hit by a tidal wave with waterlogged legs, go in prepared. Track when you have it and if you don’t and it goes on too long get it checked out! Being a competitor is not worth your health! I suggest you learn that this womanly thing can be expected and you never know when Flow will come to town! She has a mind of her own!
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