There’s nothing worse than having a busy week scheduled and then realizing that it coincides with that time of the month. As women, it’s our lot in life to have to deal with our periods for years and years, and you’d think we’d get used to the symptoms of PMS eventually, but they really never stop being a nuisance. Thankfully, there are a few things we can do to help ease our suffering, such as:

Exercise
Exercise might seem like the last thing you want to do when you’re fed up with your period and just want to chill on the couch in some comfy sweats, but it can be a great emotional outlook and with help with the physical symptom of PMS. Exercising that get your heart rate up are highly recommended, and a mix of aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening exercises are recommended throughout the week.

Eat More Fruits and Veggies
Different foods can affect you in different ways. Salty foods can cause bloating, caffeine can increase irritability or anxiety, and sugary foods can destabilize blood sugar and therefore mood. Avoiding those foods can ease your mental and physical discomfort, and increasing the intake of fruits and veggies the week before your period can help you significantly. It’s also important to eat regularly so as to avoid messing with your blood sugar levels, and I’ve found personally that eating regularly can sometimes reduce my cramps.

Take Vitamins
Boosting the intake of some vitamins is said to decrease severity of PMS symptoms. The Mayo Clinic suggests taking 1,200 milligrams of calcium, 400 milligrams of magnesium, 50 to 100 milligrams of vitamin B6, and 400 IUs of vitamin E. Some research has also shown that fatty acids like omega-3s and linoleic acid that are commonly found in a lot of multivitamins or supplements can not only help decrease irritability, but also reduce the body aches that come with PMS.