Have you ever had one of those crazy days? You’re rushing around with too much on your to-do list, and your emotions are all over the place. You’re already running on low because your brain wouldn’t shut down last night to get you some needed sleep. This tips into today leaving your sluggish brain looping through all of your to-dos. Add in meetings that run late, unanticipated tasks, zero time to fuel your body with food, and an increasing urge to consume caffeine and your body finds itself at its limit. But wait! Then your period arrives. The perfect storm.
Give yourself a break, girl!
Time for some self-care habits to keep your body running all day long despite anything the universe can throw your way. While you might think waiting until you get home presents the best option for a recharge, you are missing out on the best way to keep yourself going all day long. If you take some time to think about what calms you and helps you cope and then plan ahead, you can have a strategy in place for those non-stop days.
Every woman I know carries around some kind of purse or bag. I don’t care if you’re a minimalist with a little clutch or a mama carrying a bottomless Mary Poppins bag. Being proactive will give you the upper hand when things start to go awry. So, what do you need?
#1 – ROLLERBALL BLENDS
A little miracle in a 10 mL glass rollerball bottle! Every woman needs to have her rollerballs at-the-ready to charge you through even the calmest days. Add the oils and top it off with a carrier oil of your choice like fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or jojoba oil, and you are ready to go. Make a couple different blends in roller bottles and keep them in your purse.
STRESS RELIEF BLEND
12 drops Lavender essential oil
9 drops Frankincense essential oil
9 drops Wild Orange essential oil
Carrier oil of choice
To Use: Apply to pulse points on wrists and neck when you feel stressed or wired. You can also just hold the open bottle under your nose and take a few deep breaths when you need a little calm.
MOTIVATION BLEND
10 drops Wild Orange essential oil
10 drops Bergamot essential oil
7 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil
3 drops Peppermint essential oil
Carrier oil of choice
To Use: Apply to pulse points or the back of the neck when you’re feeling mentally or physically sluggish and need a little kick in the pants to get you going. Who needs a jolt of caffeine when you can have the energizing and uplifting scent of mint and citrus?
HORMONE RELIEF BLEND
10 drops Clary Sage essential oil
8 drops Lavender essential oil
8 drops Geranium essential oil
4 drops Bergamot essential oil
4 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil
Carrier oil of choice
To Use: Apply to your pulse points or to your chest when you’re feeling hormonal and emotional. Apply it to your lower abdomen and lower back to help ease cramping during your menstrual cycle. This blend is soothing to your emotions and relaxing to the uterine muscle.
SUPERWOMAN STANCE
When the going gets rough, channel your inner superhero and remind yourself that you’ve got it, girl! No matter what happens, roll on some power and look yourself dead in the eye in a mirror. Put your hands on your hips, step your feet apart, and smile confidently at yourself. Breathe deeply and exude confidence. Find a mantra that works for you and tell yourself, “You are a superwoman!” Now, charge onward, warrior!
#2 – HYDRATION
If you aren’t already in the habit, get yourself a stainless steel or glass water bottle to carry with you daily. Fill that baby up and take it with you everywhere! Even mild dehydration can make you feel sluggish, tense, and grumpy. Even better yet, create some water infusions or add a drop of Lemon or Grapefruit to give you a sustained and balanced charge. Check out my Top 5 Water Infusion Recipes for taste-boosts throughout your day.
Need some calm instead of a boost? Pack a tea bag in your purse and add it to some hot water or even your water bottle to let the herbs calm your mind and body. Chamomile and Green Tea are my favorites!
#3 – MASSAGE
While this may sound odd, popping a stress ball, a tennis ball, or a mini massager in your bag can help to keep your body regulated. Chronic stress plagues our 21st-century world and to keep it at bay can be your best weapon against hormonal dysfunction. Stress causes our body to press pause on our reproductive system in favor of fighting whatever danger we sense, even if it is as simple as your morning commute. Compounded stress throughout your day means hormonal turmoil, so find what keeps your body calm and use it! Something as simple as squeezing a stress ball while practicing deep breathing can help to regulate your cortisol levels.
One of my favorite techniques is popping off my shoes and rolling my feet on a tennis ball – there is nothing like a foot massage to calm my crazy! Even rubbing a mini massager up and down your legs or over your shoulders can help to release tension. Couple that with one of your rollerball blends, and you have a recipe for success!
#4 – PROTEIN
Don’t let yourself get hangry! You know what I’m talking about. Keeping your blood sugar stable during the day is an important key to keeping your hormones balanced. Reaching for the easiest sugary or salty snack is not the best solution and only makes the situation worse, setting you up for a crash later. Try a handful of nuts or seeds, a squeeze pack of nut butter, a low-sugar granola bar, dried & roasted edamame or chickpeas, or even jerky will give your body and mind a recharge and will travel well in your bag. And though it won’t fit in your bag, try a green smoothie first thing in the morning and take it on-the-go for a savory and fresh breakfast option to keep you sustained throughout the morning. Check out this blog for a How-To on Green Smoothies, or if you are a caffeine-fiend, try adding Matcha Green Tea to your smoothie!
#5 – CELL MINDFULNESS
Deep breathing isn’t something we consciously think about, but we should. You can leverage your cell phone in your bag to keep you app-y and happy by setting alarms and utilizing apps. I love GPS for the Soul that helps you balance your inner being while customizing the design. Upload your own music and photos for a personalized approach to help yourself get back on course and de-stress in the process. Other great app options are iPromise or Simply Being for finding your own personal zen throughout the day.
Another secret I use on the regular is setting my alarm to go off every three hours when I’m at home or certain times during the day when I’m busy and on-the-go. I pause for one minute and practice deep breathing. Be sure to slowly inhale from your nose, pushing your belly out for a count of ten. Then hang in the pause for a count of 3-5 seconds and feel the calm. Slowly exhale through your mouth, pulling your belly in from the navel, and then sit in the bottom pause for a moment. This signals your body and mind to calm itself down even if you are in the midst of chaos. Regulating your breathing and taking slow, deep breaths counteracts the fight-or-flight shallow breathing we switch to when danger or stress threatens us.
And one more quick tip – get your bestie on speed-dial, girl. Have her in your VIP section and text her when you need a lifeline of calm. Be there for each other for accountability and check-ins to de-stress and utilize your self-care rituals throughout the day.
BONUS – SUPPLEMENTS
You know I love a good bonus, so here is a great tip that you may have overlooked. While all of our bodies need different things, most of us are deficient in some necessary component. Vitamin D can be easily upped by going for a 10-minute stroll during your lunch break or sitting outside during a phone call. But others are not so easy. Here are two that I recommend everyone use!
- Magnesium is lacking in most adults, and the average woman should be intaking around 300 mg per day. While you may be able to boost your intake with the healthy snacks I mentioned above which are also high in magnesium, most of us need a supplement. Check with a trusted health care professional and see if it is right for you. You could be having symptoms of magnesium deficiency and not even know it. PMS, heavy periods, cramping, migraines, and a whole host of other problems are linked with magnesium issues! You can also up your magnesium by using an Epsom Salt bath as a part of your evening self-care routine!
- Digestive Enzymes in the form of Probiotics are a great way to get your gut back on track. You don’t realize how connected our guts are with our brains, but scientists actually call your gut the “second brain” of your body because it does so much in the regulation and stimulation of hormones. Do your body good by taking a daily probiotic supplement with live bacteria and consuming fermented foods like kombucha, sauerkraut, and kefir.
Remember that there is no quick fix to balancing your hormones. Your body is complex, and you need to make sure that you’re getting adequate rest, proper nutrition, and appropriate exercise to keep your hormones balanced. The tips above can help assist you in this goal, but only YOU can make it happen!
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