A woman’s pain.

PMS. Most of us hear people using that term all the time and we all know it’s related to a woman’s menstrual cycle. Some of us however, may not know what it stands for PMS = Premenstrual syndrome. So it is incorrect to use the term once a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle has started (usually the case).

I think it is unfair for people (men mostly) to take PMS lightly or see it as a joke because sometimes it is due to hormonal changes and how do you control that? Like a zit, or voice-crack. Neither am I saying women should get special treatment due to that. When it comes to emotions, we can place control over it. So it does not mean just because we are having PMS, we have the right to be angry and agitated with whoever we want to. It’s not an excuse.

I think most women have PMS, some maybe more than others, some more severe than others. You may think you don’t, but getting easily annoyed over every little thing a week or two before your cycle is due to start could be PMS. The exact cause of PMS has not been identified. Changes in brain hormone levels may play a role, but this has not been proven. Women with premenstrual syndrome may also respond differently to these hormones.

However menstrual cramps are not one of the PMS symptoms. Menstrual cramp is on its own, also known as dysmenorrhea scientifically. Like PMS, some women have it worse than others. What most of us have is referred to as primary dysmenorrhea, which occurs most often in young women who have just begun their menstrual cycles and often becomes less severe when a woman reaches her mid-twenties or after she has given birth. After giving birth is a long way to go

Too bad I’m one of those who came with menstrual cramps Some girls I know don’t get any at all! I’m not in my mid-twenties yet but I should consider myself lucky because in the past year or two, my cramps have gotten less severe. When I first got my period, the cramps were almost unbearable. During schooling years, I simply skipped school for a day or two. Can’t be doing that now though.

Menstrual cramps are thought to be related to a hormone-like, naturally occurring substance called prostaglandin, which causes the uterus to contract; which explains the pain. The feeling is like a clogged tap with lots of water placing pressure at the end of the tap.

There are several things that can help a woman cope with cramps. As for myself, I have a cup of peppermint tea everyday – a few days before my cycle is about to start. My dates are usually pretty accurate, some women I know do not get that. Some even miss a month or two sometimes. Also, exercise will really help. I don’t rely on painkillers or panadols, I only take panadols when I sense myself falling sick so I usually just bear the pain as well as I can.

Apparently a heating pad helps too, I have not tried that. A heating pad meaning a pad (filled with rice usually) used to heat certain parts of your body to manage the pain. Not that kind of pad… You can also use a hot water bottle, my mum has one! Also – not the kind of water bottles you drink from. These days, they even have electric blankets/pads and bed warmers!

So ladies, do control yourselves whether it is PMS or not, and do try out different techniques to make yourselves feel better during your menstrual cycle and see which one works best for you!

Sources: here, here, and here.

Food poisoning.

I was down with food poisoning two days ago and those were probably one of the darkest moments in my life. Okay maybe I’m exaggerating but truth is, it was really bad. I seldom fall sick so when I do, it gets really terrible. Good immune system or bad immune system? I don’t know.

I suspect it was due to the assam fish I had the night before everything took place. It has got to be the fish. Funny thing is my family also had what I had for dinner but everyone seemed fine. Bad feeling woke me up at 4am and I started puking ever since. Everything I ate came right back out in no more than an hour. I really thought I was gonna die, no joke

It got me thinking that I’ve never been an avid fan of health. I’ve never really given much importance to what I consume and the lifestyle I’ve been leading when it comes to food. I usually eat whatever I want, whenever I feel like it. Not that I’m planning to turn into a health freak right after this food poisoning incident but perhaps I should be more concerned with my diet from now onwards.

Did you know that people in their 20s can also suffer from stroke and heart attack? It’s all about the kind of lifestyle one leads. Even if you’re too stressed out, you can say hello to a nervous breakdown regardless your age. So what I’m trying to say is we’re not too young to care for our health. What we eat now will define us much later in life. It’s not right to say that we’re still too young to worry about cholesterol level.

I can’t stand being sick. Well no one likes to fall sick. Allow me to rephrase it – I dread falling sick in the care of my parents. They don’t allow me to have anything except bread and water. Which is probably why I don’t particularly fancy bread. To me, bread is what sick people eat! What I went through can be said to be worse than prisoners. At least they do get some decent food. Well, at least more decent than the white/wholemeal bread I had to endure for more than 48 hours! Not to mention being unwell also makes you look like crap.

Of course there are also “perks” of falling sick. You kinda get treated like a princess more like a sick puppy. Both Mum and Dad accompanied me to the doctor’s I must admit I felt really special despite the horrible, horrible feeling I had to go through. Got Mum to blow dry my hair while I just sat there staring into space, Dad patting my back like I’m a little kid while I was vomiting my intestines out.

Also = flatter tummy!

However having a thermometer of your own at home can be not very helpful. I kept getting tested positive for mild fever! Then the parents get a little panicky and start prolonging the duration of me not being able to eat solid food. Seriously.. maybe it was the weather in KL that we have hmm? I felt absolutely fine. Maybe if I had had rice & meat I would’ve gotten well even faster

What happened to me was unfortunately, unavoidable. No one could have predicted the bacteria’s existence in the fish or the vege that came with it. Could have happened to anyone at anytime. Could have happened to one of my family members but I sincerely do not wish it had been that case. But I think I can safely say I will be keeping my distance from assam fish for a little while. Maybe all fishes for that matter. A piece of advice would be not to watch food channels when you’re having food poisoning. Especially when they feature people who are all about exploring worms, escargots and insects.

Last I remember, we still have chicken, beef, and pork available. Why would anyone want to eat things like that? Really bewilders me.

So yes, all the money in the world will not change anything if one is not in the pink of health. Your health is your wealth.

Insomnia.

I never really believed in the term insomnia. Perhaps it’s due to the reason that I think it is all the mind’s work. You control how your mind functions and if it’s keeping you up, technically you’re keeping yourself up.

I don’t see it as a form of illness, more of a psychological issue which, does not need medication to be treated. I recently sat for my finals and the night before my first two papers, I couldn’t get any sleep.

I had just too many things rummaging through every corner of my mind. I had too many issues that wouldn’t want to settle down in my mind.

It took me a good few hours to finally manage some sleep and before long, my alarm went off and it was time to get up. I think it was the anxiety, and sometimes when you’re troubled by certain things – you tend to lose sleep over it. Very unhealthy I’d say.

Some say counting sheep helps, I’ve tried. Doesn’t really work for me. Usually I try to visualise the beach with the sound of the waves, and I’m there alone enjoying the breeze.

Or, a never-ending room with white walls without a single furniture or item. Just plain white walls everywhere I look. These two usually work.

Even if they don’t, I’d eventually become so sleepy and doze off without knowing it. I wonder how some could stay up the entire night, it’s so difficult to do. Yet they find it difficult to do the opposite – to fall asleep. That’s painful.

Because we all just wanna be happy and live happily ever after.

Today was the first time I felt truly satisfied with my performance at the gym after three months. I missed gym for 3 weeks during the CNY period and it was such a waste. So I am very determined to make full use of what I’m paying so much for every month. Another change to my schedule so I have like terribly long breaks to kill and that’s when I’m gonna hit the gym. The purpose of me joining in the first place was never to build my body in any way, but to increase my stamina and fitness.

Just one thing, it’s like whatever I work off at the gym, I gain them back right after. Yeah tell me about it. I get really hungry after working out. And before starting my work out today, I had a cup of sago with gula melaka+santan. Then another one after the work out. One of my friends said it could serve as my protein shake hahaha. Sago is like my favourite dessert! Actually make that number 2, ice cream still tops the list heh. I was so excited when I saw sago in cups at this cafe located just outside of the gym! And it was delicious. The only other place I can ever find good sago is Madam Kwan’s.

Okay enough of gym and dessert. You know what’s one thing that REALLY aggravates me? People who talk nonstop in class while the lecturer is teaching. Talking nonstop is infuriating enough, but in class? I mean, how rude can you be la? If it’s just a question or two, it’s tolerable because most human beings are not capable of keeping quiet for a long period of time. But when you still keep talking even after several glares from other students, I’m sorry but I think you’re just plain stupid. And the lecturer was too nice to say anything because I’m very sure she noticed. In fact I think the entire class did.

This guy and a girl were talking without pause at all, one after another. They were not speaking loudly, neither were they whispering. More like lower tone of communicating and people who were sitting nearby can actually get this “buzzing” sensation in the ears. That’s what I felt. I was SO disturbed at one point I was considering if I should just yell “Can you please shut the hell up?!!”. After a good ten-minute conversation, they finally stopped. It felt like world peace.

And then there was this girl who sat front row, she came into class late and after she had settled down with her books and pens, she opened a box of Rocky sticks and started nibbling on them. So disrespectful. Sweets/candies that are small enough to be popped into your mouth without being noticed is still okay because it doesn’t distract attention. Again, this lecturer is just too nice. I felt bad for her. But she should have said something.

I mean, there are some things you don’t do at certain places and what mentioned above are certainly two of them. It’s like, smoking in an elevator, or peeing in a flower pot in a mall. COMMON SENSE PEOPLE.