Anyone else gaining 50lbs while on your period?

[trugoddess]

Well, the scales don't say 50 lbs. Actually the scales say that my weight only fluctuates between 3-5 lbs during my cycle. But this can't be true. I feel at least 50lbs heavier and I look at least 50 lbs heavier. My whole body looks different. Face, hands, legs...EVERYTHING! There must be something within the raw harvest that will help me to get rid of the bloated, overblown, stuffed turkey feeling that I get every month. When I walk down the street during my period, everyone looks smaller than me.....EVERYONE! While I know that that may not objectively be true, I still feel like the Jolly Green Giant walking through a land of elves. Magically, when my period ends, my body goes back to its human size. Is this happening to anyone else? I've been trying not to pop Pamprins in hopes that raw goodness would take care of my cycle issues. But, so far that's not working. What foods regulate hormonal fluctuations during menstruation?
P.S. Have you noticed that the Pamprim bottle doesn't name the ingredient that reducing your irritability. That's probably because it's an anti-psychotic and the manufacturer fears that hoards of offended and menstruating women would storm the offices and tear things up if they dared to suggest outright that we need antipsychotics. But seriously, there must be a raw food that regulates serotonin. Thoughts?

[Veganforlife]

trugoddess - darling! Chill out. Take a deep breath. There you go. May I suggest my famous two words:
Green smoothies.

How long have you been raw? Are you 100%? Both of these make a difference. Your body will change and become used to these healing foods. Give it time. Drink your green smoothies. Let the rest of it come easily.

[SmilingRawDancer]

Just BEING raw should help over time.
But Maca is supposed to be a hormone "balancer" in any way needed.

ALL my PMS problems went away with raw. All. I mean, during that time I still tend to want to eat more, and I'm a LITTLE more emotional....but I don't cramp, I don't bloat and....I don't really bleed. Just a bit. I know it's a bit TMI but it's very nice being raw haha I really don't need any feminine hygiene products............

[trugoddess]

I'll investigate the Maca. I wonder if it's possible that I'm detoxing from not taking the Pamprin. Drinking icey lemon water & sucking the ice, my panacea for many things, seems to be helping. It's having a calming effect.

[Veganforlife]

Yeah, don't take pamprin or any other pills. They just mask the problem. Raw WILL help.

[Nurse in the Raw]

Watermelon helps, it's a natural diuretic. Check out the Maca too.

[KatK]

Are you eating salt? That makes me bloat up.

[lavendarJ]

Here's my 2-cents. I wouldn't mix the fruits and veggies. I used to always gain 10-20bs prior to my cycle and lose it afterwards (had major issues with cycle) but this was when I ate whatever I wanted and of course, pre-raw. Green smoothies are fine and all but just be easy on your body with combining this and that...even certain fruits and veggies combos are not ideal when the cycle is all wacky. I said "had" because I am healed and no longer have that issue. I think it is important to eat as simply as possible. Be patient, it will take time. If you can incorporate some watermelon into your eating, it's a great natural diuretic. I tell you what else, that wonderful powerful parsley which doesn't get the credit it deserves. If you can handle parsley's bite, it would excellent to incorportate in salads and such during your cycle...while the hormal thing you are talking about may take a little longer to heal, parsley is and excellent diuretic and will rid the body of excess fluids and toxins that cause the body to swell up. Sometimes, I will take a bunch or two of parsley and rinse it really well, chop it up and add some tomato and whip up a dressing and eat that. Better yet, I would say drink some parsley/cucumber/beet juice if you have a juicer. The beets are super heroes too because they help to cleanse the blood of toxins. Whether it's in a salad or in a juice if you can handle the parsley and the beets, they will help with the fluids that are building. Even if it is raw, stay away from it if it is salty, starchy or super duper sweet. If the hormones are wacky then they are inhibiting the body's natural functioning and processing. That's just my 2 cents. I no longer have issues with heavy and long periods, fibroids or excessive weight fluctuations.

I wish you well!

[moonstar]

...need all the help that I can get in this area! :-)

[moonstar]

...need all the help that I can get in this area! :-)

[lycheenut]

hmm...

try some dandelion salad? it's a natural diuretic which should help with the bloating.

as for the other stuff, give it some time. hopefully when you settle into things your symptoms will improve. if not, well, every body's different, and you just gotta enjoy the one you have!

sorry to be not so much help. i haven't got my af yet, I just started raw three weeks ago. oh shoot. wait. that means i should be getting af soon. maybe that's why i went overboard on the nuts last night?

guh!

[trugoddess]

Like "magic", my hormonal surge has ended and my body is deflating. In another day or two, I'll look and feel like myself again:-). My huge hunger is in check and the nervous energy is gone. I didn't give in to the Pamprin, though I could have used a dose or two. For the next few days I'll feed my body Green Smoothies almost exclusively. I may have salad for lunch if I'm hungry enough. In the meantime, I'll continue to research to see what I can do before next month to mediate the effects of the hormone surge. I found the recipe for a vitamin and mineral cocktail that's supposed to help alleviate symptoms:

Those suffering from mild PMS may also want to try the Shape-Up "PMS cocktail": 400 milligrams of magnesium, 50 milligrams of vitamin B6, and 1,000 milligrams of evening primrose oil twice a day, beginning ten days before your actual cycle. Magnesium is a "relaxing" mineral, B6 is needed to convert tryptophan into serotonin, and evening primrose oil contains an important fatty acid (GLA) that can help to balance out hormone levels.

It seems like the "cocktail" could easily be added to a Green Smoothie. I'm also wondering how long it takes hormones to adjust to weight loss. It seems that the hormonal surges should decrease with weight loss. I'm wondering if my hormones are "regulating" and adjusting as my weight declines. Please share anything you find that looks promising. Thanks.