Hello out there in cyber land. Welcome back to Carol's Corner. Sorry for the extended absence yet again. As you can see from the picture above I have had another stroke of bad luck. Three or four days ago, forgot what day it was, I was taking Christmas decorations back down to the cellar. I slipped on the bottom step, slammed my foot against concrete and twisted my foot every which way. The end result is that I fractured my ankle by the ankle bone and my foot on the bottom right hand side just above where the toes start. I knew I had to have done something because the pain was excruciating and I couldn't put any weight on it. I am lucky though in two ways. It doesn't require surgery thank God, and I can have this boot instead of a cast. The bad news is that I will be laid up for about 8 weeks. That part sucks. I decided today that even though I have to wear this boot and not be able to do much I'm still gonna rock my look , so here's my pic today rocking it in spite of it all. Like I told my groups,” This fashion diva might be down, but she sure ain't out; rocking the look!!!”

Since I can take the boot off when I need to,decided to wear tights with the sock thing over them . The sock thingie doesn't like my skin anyway. This blouse is one of my thrift store finds and I adore the color's that are in it. Looks pretty good with my flats and even this darn boot.

Of course I have to ditch my FitBit for the next few months but still gotta have my jewelry,and this set is perfect along with my custom designed ring that is one of my favorites.

I always have a go to watch and this seems to be mine of late.

 

So let's get down to business. Welcome my guest blogger for this edition of Carol's Corner. Say hello to Tiffany Cornish Dujinski who will be speaking on ” Exercise and the Menstrual Cycle.”

 

Ladies, we're all familiar with periods. They're inconvenient, sometimes painful, and wreak havoc on energy levels and general mood and outlook. When my Monthly Visitor ( which, along with just “Visitor”, will be used here to reference the period) comes around, I want to just hide under a blanket until it goes away, and the LAST thing I want to do is drag my achy, bloaty, irritable self out of my warm bed to exercise. So should we just skip workouts for the duration of the Visitor? Or should we just push through it like it's not happening? Turns out, the answer to BOTH questions is no.

Why can't we skip it?

http://www.womenshealth.gov states that the average woman bleeds for 3-5 days per month. Conservatively, that's 36 days every year that you're not exercising. More than one month per year. That's a LOT of training to miss out on. Lots and lots of days of being hindered in reaching your health and fitness goals.

What are the benefits of going ahead with it?

Turns out, research shows many, many benefits of going through with your workout in spite of your Visitor. The first and most obvious is that exercise, as we all know, triggers the release of endorphins. Mood boosting, energizing hormones delivered to your body at the time you need it most. What's not to love? Your family will thank you.

 

Those endorphins also act as your body's natural painkiller, diminishing pain from cramping. The sweating you do during your workout can even help reduce symptoms of bloating, and http://www.livestrong.com even says that a regular regimen of exercise can make your periods lighter and shorter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Should I just proceed as though nothing is happening?

Not really. Your body's energy is reduced during your period, and we're all told to listen to our bodies. Pushing through an extreme workout when your body is screaming “NO” would be unwise. Also, for those who do yoga, some experts say that inverted poses during your period can be harmful (http://www.yogajournal.com/article/beginners/inversions-and-menstruation/).

What can I do?

Unlike Kiran Ghandi who apparently ran the full London Marathon while bleeding freely without a tampon (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3201878/Runner-completed-London-Marathon-free-bleeding-hits-critics-uncomfortable-normal-process.html), the thought of making a mess bothers me in the extreme. Some movements (knee lifts, side steps) make me nervous on the worst days. On those days, I try to get outside and take a walk. It's totally non-icky, and the fresh air and sunshine help my mood and outlook besides. On days when my energy is lower, I try to do one of Leslie Sansone's less intense workouts. Her older”Walk Kick” is one of my favorites, and sometimes I'll do the first and last miles from some of her other DVD'S. Those miles are generally less intense than the middle ones. Maybe you feel like you can do more, or maybe exercise like your Vistor doesn't bother you. If that's the case go with it!

Thanks Tiffany for this look into exercise and the menstrual cycle. It's a priveledge to have guest bloggers, something I hope I can do more often. As always appreciate any feedback you wish to give on anyone my blog posts. Till next time, God Bless.