Periods aren’t that bad. Or painful. Who am I even kidding? We, women, are nothing short of being superheroes when it comes to dealing with pain during different phases of our life. As much as we wish that our periods aren’t as painful as they are hyped to be, they never fail to leave us writhing and curling in pain every single time.
Every 28 days, every… Let’s just stop there for now. Period cramps are indeed the most exasperating aspects of ‘that time of the month’, but not anymore! We have listed some amazing and effective home remedies for period cramps that can help relieve period cramps and their symptoms naturally. Read on!
1. Drink Enough Water
There is a big misconception that drinking water will worsen the water retention that occurs during the menstrual periods, but that is totally unfounded. Water has a way of balancing itself, by its actions on the electrolytes. When there is an abundance of sodium in blood, the body tries to eliminate it by flushing with water via urine. However, as the attempt to remove sodium is done, water levels are depleted, which can worsen cramping since dehydration ensues. Drinking water frequently, and ensuring you get your potassium rich foods in during the day will greatly reduce the likelihood of excessive cramping occurring. Do not skimp on water for fear of water retention; it regulates itself and will benefit your greatly during the menstrual cycle.
2. Exercise
This may seem crazy to you, considering you can barely move (let alone brisk walk) when you’re dying in pain. But exercising increases circulation to the pelvic region and releases endorphins to counteract the prostaglandins (hormone-like substances that cause the uterine muscles to contract during menstruation). Yogi Anoop, MediYoga suggests, “Do yoga asanas such as pranayama and shavasana (the corpse pose) while menstruating, as it eases pain and helps the body to relax. It also helps if you lie on your back with your knees bent." Dr. Ritika Samaddar, Max Super Speciality Hospital says, “It is important to exercise regularly for your overall health, but it is especially important if you're prone to painful menstrual cramps."
3. Have an orgasm
Yes, that's right — orgasms help to relieve all kinds of pain, including menstrual cramps. Before an orgasm, the uterus is more relaxed, and at the moment of climax, blood flow increases, helping to relieve the cramps. Orgams relieve the pain through the release of endorphins, which help you to feel instantly better. They also help to relax your whole body and induce sleep so you won't feel any cramping at all.
4. Drink Ginger Tea
Ginger is one of the best herbs when it comes to pain relief and reducing inflammation, also being effective in relieving bloating. The best way to make it is by steeping an inch sized cut of ginger in hot water for 5-10 minutes, then sipping until finished. It can be sweetened with honey if desired. Ginger is also used traditionally in many parts of the world as an emmenagogue as it stimulates the shedding of uterine wall tissue during the menstrual period. This can also cut the duration of bleeding and reduce the cramps.
5. Eat Magnesium Rich Foods
Magnesium rich foods are excellent for anyone to consume, but women experiencing troublesome menstrual c ramps stand to benefit the most. Magnesium is renowned as a natural mineral that helps to relieve pain, possibly owing to the fact that it helps to modulate nerve and muscle function. Since menstrual cramps are basically painful muscle contractions, anything that helps to regulate their function will help make pain less severe. Magnesium rich foods include dark green leafy vegetable such as spinach, almonds, black beans and avocados.
6. Heat Compress
If you’ve ever been to the gym or experienced muscular cramps, there is a good chance you would have used local heat compression to help relieve the discomfort and loosen the muscles. Better yet, you may have spent time in a sauna after your workout, helping to relieve the delayed pain that occurs the day after. As it turns out, this practice can also help in relieving menstrual cramps. You can either spend time in a sauna which helps to relieve cramps the entire body over, or you can apply a hot water bottle or a warm washcloth to your lower abdomen for a period of time. In addition to relieving the pain from the cramps, it can also help speed up the shedding of the uterus walls, reducing the time spent in pain.
7. Eat More Fatty Fish
While fats are not normally advised during the menstrual period as they may worsen pain (as fats are involved in prostaglandin and inflammation signaling), fish oil is anti-inflammatory in nature and can help to relieve cramping and pain transmission. Though by itself it is unlikely to have a major effect, when used with other home remedies the effect can be cumulative.
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