Sunday, February 10, 2008

PMS Weight Gain

Many women experience weight gain during the premenstrual phase or the two weeks immediately before their periods. Some of this weight gain is temporary and is caused by fluid retention in the body resulting from hormonal changes. Sometimes, certain food cravings during the premenstrual phase may result in binge-eating that eventually causes weight gain. If a woman has bad period pain, headaches, or mood changes, she may be less likely to adhere to her regular exercise routine. Limited exercise, combined with increased eating, work together to increase weight. Certain antidepressant medications may also cause weight gain as a side effect.

There are several ways to reduce weight gain during the premenstrual phase. A regular exercise routine and a balanced, nutritious diet are the most important lifestyle factors. Foods high in refined sugars should be replaced with those that are high in complex carbohydrates, protein, and fiber. food cravings can be managed by getting adequate sleep, eating smaller and more frequent meals, limiting caffeine intake, staying well hydrated, and doing at least some exercise. Reducing salt intake in the last few days before ones period can help minimize bloating and fluid retention. If fluid retention and bloating are pronounced, a diuretic such as spironolactone can be used to remove excess fluid from the body. calcium supplements may also help reduce bloating and other PMS symptoms.

If a woman is on antidepressant medication, she can discuss with her physician the possibility of switching to a drug that does not cause weight gain. If this is not possible, weight loss strategies, such as increased exercise and a diet that restricts the total number of calories consumed, can help. Discontinuing antidepressant medication may result in worsening depression and should not be considered as a weight loss option.

PMS provides detailed information about PMS, PMS remedy, PMS symptoms, PMS treatment and more. PMS is the sister site of Ovulation And Conception.

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Hot Yoga - Bikram's Twenty Six

Even though the world population has shifted from mainly rural to mainly urban in the last decade, there are still lots of folks like me who live in the sticks. Doing things like taking a yoga class becomes a different thing in our case from driving to the neighborhood gym. Since I live 40 miles from the nearest town large enough for yoga studios, when I decided to take a class, I was more interested in the schedule than I was the type of yoga. I couldn't afford to be picky if I preferred not to wait around for a couple hours after getting off work. So I looked in the phone book, and didn't pay attention to anything but the schedule. There it was: M-W-F at 4:00. Perfect. I don't know what rock I'd been living under, but the word "Bikram" writ large across the ad in the yellow pages didn't trigger the term 'hot yoga' in my mind, and that left me in for a big surprise.

I showed up with a comfy pair of sweatpants and a long- sleeved t-shirt. As the woman at the desk was giving me a little orientation information - explaining that the room was heated to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit - I realized that my concept of yoga clothes weren't going to work here. Apparently, I wasn't the first to make this error. Susie told me they had loaners. Now, it's been a while since the last time I wore hot-pants, so when she handed me the little scrap of shorts, I thought, "No way." She said, "Trust me, you'll fit right in."

Susie continued, giving a few more orientation tips, which started to seem like a set of warnings. "Our first-time students are encouraged to rest whenever you feel you should - kind of take it gradually. The instructors just ask that you do your best to stay in the room for the entire time." What? Were we still talking yoga here? I'd seen pictures. Sure, I might not be able to balance on one leg while holding the other one over my head at my first try, but come on. How hard could it be to stretch as far as I could go and stop there? Why would I get desperate to leave the room?

Her next suggestion: "OK, I see you brought a bottle of water. That's good, but you'll be tempted to drink a lot, and I recommend you just drink sips - not too much at a time." Hmm. What was I getting into here? It sounded like I was facing some kind of ordeal - not what I had in mind at all since I was thinking of yoga as a peaceful, low- impact way just to stretch and keep my aging body flexible and strong.

Once I was dressed in the little bit of shorts, I opened the door to the yoga studio and was met with a rush of hot, stultifying air. Oh goody. I walked to an open space, spread my mat, lay on my back, and understood exactly what she meant by asking me to at least stay in the room. I was already dripping sweat, and we hadn't even begun the class.

Ninety minutes and twice through the 26 poses later, I was indeed still in the room. In the non-competitive, supportive atmosphere I had been completely guided to go to my edge, but not so far that I would be turned off by struggle. In fact, I was exhilarated. I lay on my back at the end, eyes closed in the peaceful, very hot room, and knew I'd be back for more.

Carina Snowden is a contributing author to Apex Yoga News the leading resource for yoga information. Visit Carina's archive of articles at http://www.apexyoga.com/

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