Depression Causes Cheat Sheet

I Created a Period Cheat Sheet For My Boyfriend — You May Find It Helpful, Too.

As a sister, girlfriend, and daughter, I love serving up a lesson in womanhood to the men in my life — my most recent being a deep-dive into the world of PMS.

Just the other night I was Ubering to my boyfriend's apartment when I realized I forgot tampons. He was walking back to his place from a work dinner, and with zero hesitation, offered to drop by the pharmacy to pick some up. However, navigating the feminine hygiene aisle proved to be quite a challenge for him.

This experience — including the obnoxious chirps from male strangers watching him walk down the street with a CVS bag filled with tampons — sparked a whole conversation about periods.

"But, didn't you have 'the talk' or watch 'the movie' about puberty in school?" I asked him. He reminded me that boys and girls were divided into separate rooms to learn about their respective genders . . . and that was the extent of sexual health education back in the early 2000s. Coming from a predominately male family, menstruation wasn't really a topic of conversation in his household, either.

As he fired off questions regarding cramping, bloating, syncing cycles, sex etc., he admitted that some of his friends (even in their 20s) still joke that mood swings and cravings are excuses for women to be irritable during their periods. (Disclaimer: He is definitely not one of those guys.)

With this admission, I decided to take my lesson public for anyone who could use some brushing up on PMS. Whether you're educating yourself or looking to enlighten those around you, this brief and simple cheat sheet can help clear up some stigmas and discrepancies around periods.

PMS Symptoms

Yes, moodiness, irritability, food cravings, fatigue, and mood swings are all common symptoms of PMS, as confirmed by Dr. Tristan Bickman, MD, board-certified OBGYN with hospital affiliations at both St. John's Health Center and UCLA Medical Center. Other side effects include tender breasts, bloating, and depression.

Just because a woman doesn't have her period yet doesn't mean she isn't experiencing premenstrual symptoms (PMS). Dr. Bickman notes side effects start between five and 11 days before a period and usually reside once it begins due to the rising hormone levels.

Period Lifespan

Bleeding can last three-to-seven days on average — some people less and some more.

Pain Relievers

Sometimes debilitating cramping occurs due to PMS when the uterus contracts to help expel its lining. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (aka NSAIDs) like ibuprofen can help, according to Dr. Kecia Gaither, MD, director of perinatal services at NYC Health and Hospitals/Lincoln.

Natural Remedies

Using a heating pad, sipping herbal tea (Dr. Gaither recommends chamomile or red raspberry), hydrating with water, and exercising are great ways to be proactive about PMS side effects. Pampering yourself with a massage (especially with essential oils like cinnamon, clove, lavender, or rose) or acupuncture can help, too. Believe it or not, orgasms also make the natural remedies list.

Mood Swings

Not every woman experiences emotional or irritable mood swings during PMS, but they can occur due to hormonal fluctuations involving estrogen and progesterone a week or less before one's period actually begins, Dr. Gaither says.

Sex

Dr. Gaither confirms: there are no physical negative side effects concerning sex during periods. But, wanting to have sex during PMS or one's period all depends on the woman's comfort level. And yes — women can get pregnant when having unprotected sex during both.

Cravings

Hormonal changes in serotonin levels can cause a woman's blood sugar levels to drop, which can create food cravings a week or two before one's PMS even starts, Dr. Bickman states.

Syncing Cycles

The idea that women who spend a lot of time together experience syncing period cycles is, in fact, a myth. Dr. Bickman notes that due to the variability of cycle and bleeding length, there will be overlap between friends, but there is no concrete scientific data to support the syncing of cycles.

Dr. Gaither, on the other hand, admits that the cause of menstrual synchrony is not defined, but she does entertain the idea that it may be related to the influence of pheromones.

Image Source: Getty / Carol Yepes

Here’s How the S&P 500 Closed March Versus the Ivy Portfolio

The S&P 500 closed March with a monthly gain of 3.60%. All three S&P 500 MAs and four of the five the Ivy Portfolio ETF MAs are signaling “Invested”.

The Ivy Portfolio

The table below shows the current 10-month simple moving average signal for each of the five ETFs featured in The Ivy Portfolio. I’ve also included a table of 12-month SMAs for the same ETFs for this popular alternative strategy, only one of which is showing a sell signal.

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Backtesting Moving Averages

Over the past few years I’ve used Excel to track the performance of various moving-average timing strategies. But now I use the backtesting tools available on the ETFReplay.com website. Anyone who is interested in market timing with ETFs should have a look at this website. Here are the two tools I most frequently use:

Background on Moving Averages

Buying and selling based on a moving average of monthly closes can be an effective strategy for managing the risk of severe loss from major bear markets. In essence, when the monthly close of the index is above the moving average value, you hold the index. When the index closes below, you move to cash. The disadvantage is that it never gets you out at the top or back in at the bottom. Also, it can produce the occasional whipsaw (short-term buy or sell signal), such as we’ve occasionally experienced over the past year.

Nevertheless, a chart of the S&P 500 monthly closes since 1995 shows that a 10- or 12-month simple moving average strategy would have insured participation in most of the upside price movement while dramatically reducing losses.

The 10-month exponential moving average is…

a slight variant on the simple moving average. This version mathematically increases the weighting of newer data in the 10-month sequence. Since 1995 it has produced fewer whipsaws than the equivalent simple moving average, although it was a month slower to signal a sell after these two market tops.

A look back at the 10- and 12-month moving averages in the Dow during the Crash of 1929 and Great Depression shows the effectiveness of these strategies during those dangerous times.

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The Psychology of Momentum Signals

Timing works because of a basic human trait. People imitate successful behavior. When they hear of others making money in the market, they buy in. Eventually the trend reverses. It may be merely the normal expansions and contractions of the business cycle. Sometimes the cause is more dramatic — an asset bubble, a major war, a pandemic, or an unexpected financial shock. When the trend reverses, successful investors sell early. The imitation of success gradually turns the previous buying momentum into selling momentum.

Implementing the Strategy

My illustrations from the S&P 500 are just that — illustrations. I use the S&P because of the extensive historical data that’s readily available. However, followers of a moving average strategy should make buy/sell decisions on the signals for the each specific investment, not a broad index. Even if you’re investing in a fund that tracks the S&P 500 (e.g., Vanguard’s VFINX or the SPY ETF) the moving average signals for the funds will occasionally differ from the underlying index because of dividend reinvestment. The S&P 500 numbers in my illustrations exclude dividends.

The strategy is most effective in a tax-advantaged account with a low-cost brokerage service. You want the gains for yourself, not your broker or your Uncle Sam.

Note: For anyone who would like to see the 10- and 12-month simple moving averages in the S&P 500 and the equity-versus-cash positions since 1950, here’s an Excel file (xls format) of the data. My source for the monthly closes (Column B) is Yahoo! Finance. Columns D and F shows the positions signaled by the month-end close for the two SMA strategies.

A Cheat Sheet for Peace: 10 Ways to Relieve Sadness and Restore Life’s Balance

A friend asked Bruce Chanen, “Does the suffering we experience ever end?” His answer was to offer his ‘cheat sheet’ for peace.

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You asked an incredibly honest and vulnerable question: “Does the suffering we experience ever end?” I think you meant in the context of divorce, but I often wonder the same thing in the context of work, family and life in general. On a hard day, when our minds are tilting toward negative thoughts, you might think the answer is straight from Jason Robards in Parenthood, “It never ends … there’s no goal line … no end zone where you spike the ball and that’s it” … but I believe there is a different answer … that suffering can end immediately … right NOW … by embracing the reality that life is the journey not the destination—that it is the skiing not the mountain or the moguls. Whatever life presents is okay. Live fully and gratefully in this moment. Choose to see the positive and the opportunity. Don’t label everything “good” or “bad.” Life is how we choose to hold it and how we choose to react. Consider this quote as a guide: “This is my secret … I do not mind what happens.” —Jiddu Krishnamurti

♦◊♦

Here’s my cheat sheet:

1. Conditioning. Be wary of Conditioning—there is no universal right or wrong … we are conditioned to follow a path that serves others’ notions (parents, spouses, children) of what we should do. It is painful to try to stay in that place … the distance between what your heart wants and what conditioning dictates is the suffering you are experiencing. Go back on course of what your heart wants (purpose) and suffering will drop away.

2. Self-Acceptance. Embrace self-acceptance, self-care and self-compassion—Live your truth, moment-to-moment, and accept that it can change over time (others will talk of obligations and commitments in order to bring you back to conditioning). BE KIND in thought and action to yourself. DON’T represent the opposing view … let others represent themselves. Faithfully defend yourself … see your side … you are human and there is always a perspective of self-acceptance that is worthy of embracing … most days no one else will do it for you (they are understandably seeing their own view).

3. Carry Your Own Load. Similarly, take responsibility for yourself, your wants, feelings and actions—refuse responsibility for the wants, feelings and actions of others – their path is theirs … it is a disservice to our loved ones to carry their load (they grow by carrying their own) … it is a terrible loss to everyone for you to forgo your story so you can live the story others would write for you.

4. Presence. Live in the present—attention to the past can cause depression … to the future can cause anxiety … the PRESENT will align you with purpose and the perfection of the moment. The present moment does not allow space for suffering … if you are feeling unwanted emotions then you are not sufficiently present … narrow your focus … to a single breath if necessary … when that works, do it again.

5. Choose Your Reaction. No situation is a single thing—it is a mix of myriad ingredients. Give your attention to the ingredients (elements) that YOU choose (pick positive emotions which include happiness, love and acceptance … instead of negative emotions of fear, anger, anxiety, and depression). In any situation, look for “positive notes” (like in wine) and give your attention to the particular elements of every situation that speak truth, clarity and joy … there are no extra points for giving attention to the negative.

6. Adopt “I LOVE that!” … about every situation—see the joy and magic in even the hardest experiences—both for yourself and others. We must let go of the notion that we can SOLVE someone else … one L-O-V-E-S … one doesn’t S-O-L-V-E … same letters … yes, I just made that up, ha! 🙂

7. Quiet the Conditioned Mind. I had long vowed to take up meditation, a universally recommended practice but long avoided it as “one more thing to learn”—it isn’t, it is as simple as noticing when you are not in a mental place you wish to be (during any upset or emotional suffering) and taking a moment (a fleeting moment, a minute, 5, 10 … whatever you wish … it can’t be done wrong) and quieting your mind, dropping the negative thoughts, listening to peaceful breaths, thinking an aspirational thought or just imagining a joyous scenario (your pup running and somersaulting through the snow, for example). This is the navigation system guiding you gently back to the path … it is easy, free, and miraculously effective at bringing you back (some suggest saying “I am back” when a meditative moment brings them back to the present).

8. Life is a Journey not a Destination … there is no finish line before we go … there can be joy in EVERY moment (even in the struggle with loss, disease, family dissolution and the upsets of our children).

9. Lead with Joy. The single biggest thing we can do for our partners, children, extended family, friends, and colleagues is be present, joyful, on purpose and at peace … this will create a magnetism around which they can take inspiration and comfort. Think of the people in your life who are like this for you … be one of those people for others.

10. Gratitude. Smile, feel gratitude … enjoy the taste of the food as you eat it, the music as you hear it, the presence of a person who makes you feel good … and the lesson being presented whenever you fall into suffering (ever moment of suffering screams to inform us about our triggers …how conditioning is undermining our joyful pursuit of our path…listen and be grateful for the answer that comes up…it will sharpen your process and make you better). When I was 16, I was practically euphoric to drive a car, turn the ignition, change the gears, press the accelerator, drive down the street, give someone a ride, put gas in the tank, and take it out for a wash. Those are the feelings of gratitude, presence, and joy so common in youth..over time we can forget the vibration of unadulterated happiness that comes from small things and see only the burdens and hassles…gently remind yourself of those things…and bring them back.

♦◊♦

Peace brother. Your friend, b

Photo by Sunyu on Unsplash

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