Natural Remedies for Menstrual Pain and Menstrual Cramps

1. Natural Remedies for Menstrual Pain and Menstrual Cramps Menstrual Pain As young girls attain puberty, their menstrual cycle begins. Slowly, menstruation becomes a normal body process, but the discomfort before and during each menstrual cycle is quite irritating. You may experience severe menstrual pain in your abdominal region, mood swings and lethargy. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, most women report severe pain due to period cramps for a day or two each month, before their menstrual cycle begin. Menstrual cramps are medically referred to as dysmenorrhea. They may not indicate a serious health issue, but they may crease your lifestyle to a large extent. Natural Remedies to Deal with Menstrual Pain To ease your menstrual pain, you can try these simple natural remedies for relief. If your period cramps become severe or if natural remedies do not work, you should consult your doctor to rule out incidences of serious health issues. Applying Heat You can try applying heat to your abdomen and lower back to relieve menstrual pain. Heat can be applied by placing a hot water bottle or heating pad on your lower back or you can take a warm bath or place a hot towel on the affected region. A study was performed on women of age 18 to 30 years who had regular menstrual cycles and it proved that using heat patch at 104°F (40°C) is equally effective as consumption of ibuprofen to relieve period cramps. Massaging with Essential Oils Massage therapy for about 20 minutes is effective in reducing menstrual pain. It involves pressing specific points around the abdomen, side, and back region by a professional therapist.

2. Massage therapy is also effective to cure period pain due to endometriosis. Researchers found that massage can significantly reduce pain occurring immediately and after the menstrual cycle. Avoiding Certain Foods It is advisable to avoid certain food items, as they may lead to bloating and water retention. By reducing the intake of these foods, menstrual cramps and tension can significantly be decreased. These include: •Fatty foods •Alcohol •Carbonated beverages •Caffeine •Salty foods Dietary Recommendations During menstruation, it is ideal to minimize consumption of processed foods, fibers, and plants. You can include some of these foods in your diet: •Papaya is rich in vitamins •Brown rice contains vitamin B-6 which helps in reducing bloating •Walnuts, almonds and pumpkin seeds are all rich in manganese which eases menstrual cramps •Olive oil and broccoli are rich in vitamin E •Chicken, fish and leafy green vegetables contain iron which is usually lost during menstruation •Flaxseed contains beneficial antioxidant properties. It helps in reducing inflammation and swelling. Exercise You may not be pleased by the idea of exercising before or during your periods. But research has proven that exercise helps in releasing endorphins, which effectively helps in reducing menstrual pain to an extent that there may not be any need for pain-relief medications.