Nadine Alex: April 2019

How I Take Care Of Myself While On My Period

Hey guys,

The week we all dread every month, the 'hormonal' week...periods. They are a killer. If we could choose to not have periods (and still be fertile for children) then I think everyone would choose not to. But mother nature...hey ho.

When I'm on my period do not ask me to go and exercise. My energy goes downhill and you will have to come and actually drag me out of the bed and to the gym. All I want to do is tay in bed, binge watch Netflix and eat lots and lots of junk food, especially chocolate. However, I will go for a brisk walk (definitely not on the 1st day though) as I find this eases cramps and is a light exercise. And fresh air, everyone knows the benefits, especially increasing your mood and easing stress.

As I lose my energy and motivation, I don't tend to create any to do lists because I know I won't do them. Therefore, I don't beat myself up. I don't call it my 'time of the month' I call it 'me week' or 'lazy week.' Don't ask me to do anything for you (unless it's an emergency) because I'll leave it till the following week. Especially the first 2 days of the cycle.
As I work in an office 8:30-4:30 sometimes if I can actually get myself up I will put makeup on but 8 out of 10 times I prefer my bed and go in with nothing on. Sometimes mascara and concealer is my go to. When it comes to my period, I prefer not to have makeup on but make sure I am strict with my skincare routine as my skin becomes even more sensitive and acne prone.

Pampering - I am obsessed with hot baths, candles lit and Lush or Body Shop products. Even when its not the the time of the month I am obsessed. But pampering does help.

Hot water bottles - Oh my god, whoever created these are a life saver. With being in an office job and getting (unsolved) many stomach pains I love use a hot water bottle to ease the pains and aches in my back and stomach. If you can't have hot water bottles in work maybe try a heated pad that you peel and stick onto the part of your body that gets the cramps. Sometimes I like doing both because I can never be bothered refilling my hot water bottle and sometimes prefer to leave it heating up my bed until I get in.
Have a nap - I am guilty of doing this regardless of periods. I get regular migraines so I find that a little nap can help reset my energy levels.
People say to avoid caffeine and chocolate - But come on who can resist chocolate especially when you've got no energy and got a low mood. According to research, caffeine makes the body retain water which can result in aches, cramps and a bloated feeling. Its recommended to have dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. But who can resist a Dairy Milk or Galaxy bar? Or even yet a Terry's Orange...mmm my mouth's watering now, ahaha.
Another way of being prepared for your period is keep track using many apps that are now available. When I first started getting periods I would underline the date it started and the date it ended on my wall calendar. But why use a wall calendar when you can have it on your phone? I love using the app, Clue. If you haven't heard of Clue, check out my review, right here - Review of Clue. This basically allows you to keep a track of how long it lasts, how heavy you are, side effects, and a estimate of the next 3 months of when you should be due on so you will always be prepared.

I hope you found this post useful. And if you have any tips of how to take self-care during your time of the month, please share below.

Nadine Alex x

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, by Nadine Alex

In lifestyle, student

Hangover from Hell?

Hey guys,

Suppose I'm lucky when I say I rarely get hangovers. If you asked me a few weeks ago I would have said I don't get them but actually since then I've had my 22nd birthday and can say I've had 2 possibly 3 hangovers. Usually I just get up at like 12-1ish in the afternoon so I have probably just slept the hangover off. But I don't usually have a severe headache or sickness like most people do. That could also be because I do get migraines and daily headaches anyway. For some reason, even when I have had only a few drinks as soon as I get into the tunnel when I'm in a taxi on the way home I am 90% sick. I do suffer with motion sickness but alcohol, taxis and tunnels do not mix.

There's even been nights out where I have been completely messy and don't remember (e.g. being in a club by myself instead of going home with my friends, taking more than i can handle of shots, falling asleep in the club's toilets and my falling asleep in a booth in my work) yet I wake up completely fine and get on with the day. I get tagged in them memes yanno where it says the messy one waking up with no hangover yet you do and the one who never loses the energy. What can I say?... I get it off my dad. My mum is sick after like 2 or 3 drinks haha.

From the odd experience and from what my family & friends have told me. I have made a quick list of things that could help with the hangover from hell.

Don't mix your drinks - Okay... I've learnt this very well. On nights out I have gone from Pink Gin to Malibu and some Sambuca shots and oh my... One of the nights where I got a hangover I had 9 sambuca shots, countless pink gins, 3 malibu's and 2 strongbow dark fruits. Urghhh what a night. - By sticking to the same type of drink it will help reduce the severity of a hangover and can also workout which type of alcohol is the cause of your hangover.
Drink water inbetween your drinks - My mum told me this tip. And thinking of it I have seen her do this when I have gone drinking with her. She'll get a malibu and then a glass of water then malibu then water etc. Tap water is free at the bar, the bar staff may look at you funnily but in the long haul you'll be grateful. I also tend to have a bottle of water next to my bed so no matter how drunk I am I will still grab that bottle of water. 98% of the time I am quite conscious enough to still brush my teeth, actually put pjs on and take my makeup off, woo.
Food - Where I live is quite lucky as there are 4 McDonalds and 2 Subways and 1 Burger King that are 24/7 so can always count on getting food whilst waiting for the taxi to arrive. Seriously though, who doesn't get food on a night out? It's also important to ensure that you have a proper meal before you go on the night out. Obviously you don't want it to filling to where you'll end up with indigestion and stitches whilst dancing, and you don't want to have a food belly and feel insecure in your outfit. ** Never drink on an empty stomach ** The next day after a night out I feel like I could eat for England, I just eat anything and everything in the cupboards, anyone else? If you get bad hangovers and the night out is planned make sure you stock your cupboards with fruit instead of chocolate as chocolate is known to cause headaches whereas fruit will replaces the vitamins especially Vitamin C, which will make you feel more energised and feeling better. I always find a big fat fry up can help but that could just be me as the smell of bacon and sausages after a night out makes my mum feel sick.
Ibuprofen - If you are known to get severe hangovers, maybe take an Ibuprofen before you go to sleep. Or put some on the kitchen worktop in eyesight so when you are having your breakfast you can just take one. But make sure you have food in your stomach otherwise it will make you sick...I've learnt this the hard way. I would only advise Ibuprofen.
Milk - My auntie advised me that having a glass of milk before bed actually helps a hangover as apparently it protects the liver and gets rid of toxins. Who knows?!
Gatorade or Lucozade - After a night out me and some of our friends were watching a movie in bed all feeling it and I noticed that a few of them had a lucozade and they had a few more in the fridge so offered us one. After several nights out, he has always offered me a lucozade or ice cream the morning after because apparently the sugar in it helps prevent the dizziness and brings up your energy levels.
Nap
Go for a walk

After every big night out or when I've gone on a bender, I love having a nice fresh bedding, a nice hot bubble bath (maybe a Lush bath bomb) with the candles lit and a very moisturising face mask to ensure the face is getting extra clean and moisturised...Yes I'm talking about Garnier's tissue mask.