Menstrual cramps are a common painful annoyance that many women experience multiple times in their lives.
While taking over the counter anti-inflammatories and pain reducers can help, there are many natural remedies for menstrual cramps that not only help in easing the pain, but can help you handle your menstrual cycle better all around.
In knowing a few reliable remedies for menstrual cramps, you can find quick relief every month and make your period less uncomfortable.
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea for Optimum Female Reproductive Health
Not only is red raspberry leaf tea great to take during the last trimester of pregnancy, this awesome herbal tea is perfect to take before and during menstruation as well. Commonly known as ‘the woman’s tea’, red raspberry leaf works by strengthening the uterus so it contracts more successfully in the event of birth.
For painful cramps, consuming this earthy and woody tea helps strengthen the muscles that cramp when you are on your monthly cycle. This not only allows the cramping to feel less severe (this tea also helps to lessen muscle spasms during cramping), but it helps your body flush out lining and blood that is a necessary process throughout your cycle.
It is advised to drink 1 to 3 cups of red raspberry leaf tea per day for best results. In addition to helping ease the pain of cramps, this great tea is beneficial in lactation and morning sickness prevention as well. When it comes to natural remedies for severe menstrual cramps, red raspberry leaf tea is not only tasty, but highly effective as well, and can have long-lasting health benefits for you when you drink it.
If raspberry leaf tea doesn’t appeal to you then you can also consider a number of different teas which can help with menstrual cramps in their own way.
Heat Can Make a Difference
Sometimes taking an over the counter pain medication doesn’t cut it, and you may look for relief via other measures. Heat from a heat pad, warm bath, or even a pulsing shower can provide quick relief from stabbing menstrual pains and cramping that pain medications don’t touch.
The heat from a heating pad is one of the best natural remedies for menstrual cramps because it is not expensive, is easily applied, and works quickly to relieve the pain.
The heat works by relaxing the muscles that are cramping in the pelvis and uterus and by increasing blood flow to the affected areas, which also helps reduce pain. Heating pads or baths are especially beneficial if you who are experiencing back pain in addition to your traditional cramping, or if you suffer from tight muscles and aches due to severe menstrual cramping.
Water Consumption Can Help Relieve Period Pain
Just as being dehydrated can lead to cramping muscles and aching pains when you are exercising or doing strenuous activities, the same can be said for you while you are menstruating. It’s important that you drink plenty of water in healthy amounts.
When you are experiencing painful cramping, you should increase your water intake and take measures to make sure that you’re consuming ample amounts of water a day. Another benefit to drinking lots of water is that is can also help with the water retention and bloating that comes along with PMS as well, which makes you feel better.
Drinking red raspberry leaf tea does count toward that water consumption, and can help reduce cramps by keeping the muscles that are triggering cramps nice and hydrated. So if drinking lots of water is difficult for you, remember that the few cups of tea you consume a day do count toward your water intake successfully.
Light Exercise Can Help
While exercise may be the last thing on your mind when you’re experiencing painful cramping, it’s actually one of the best ways for you to be able to end your cramping naturally. Light stretching and casual to moderate walking can help stretch out the muscles that are cramping, can make cramping less severe, and can even help treat the fatigue and tightness that you may feel when you are on your period.
As cramps subside, you can increase your exercise intensity, paying careful attention to your pain tolerance. If cramps get more severe, cut back on your exercise to a calm walk.
As mentioned above, water should be consumed throughout exercise to help prevent cramping from getting worse. Exercise is a great way to relax as you transition through your menstrual cycle and can help you feel better both physically and emotionally.
Other Techniques for Lessening Period Cramps
Women who consume calcium while they are experiencing menstrual cramps are more likely to reduce their cramping or eliminate their pain than women who turn to sugary substances like chocolate or sweets, claim many health studies.
The reason for this simple- sugary substances aggravate PMS symptoms, including cramping, while calcium helps to battle these symptoms and help a woman be more comfortable throughout her cycle. As your hormones fluctuate throughout your menstrual cycle, consuming calcium along with magnesium and staying away from chocolate, sugary sweets, and sodas can actually help reduce your symptoms.
Other foods that work as natural remedies for menstrual cramps include apricots, yogurt, honey, and bananas. These foods are high in nutrients like magnesium, potassium, and calcium, and honey is a natural anti-inflammatory, making all of these foods optimum craving choices for when you are suffering from PMS and the cramping that comes along with it. Ginger is also great for pain, and can be consumed with food or in a tea.
Peppermint and chamomile teas also work to help reduce period cramping due to their calming and anti-inflammatory effects on your body. These teas are best consumed prior to going to bed, so you can get a better nights’ rest and feel relaxed as you endure your menstrual cycle more successfully.
If you have a difficult time sleeping, catnip and lavender teas are great for helping you get a full nights’ rest without feeling groggy when you wake up in the morning. A cup or 2 is all you need to achieve the relaxation you are craving.
Suffering from period cramps is no fun for any woman, but luckily, there are many remedies you can use to help your symptoms subside or go away completely. When it comes to natural remedies for severe menstrual cramps, you have many options available to find the relief you are looking for.
From natural herbal teas to foods you can easily consume, menstrual pain can be handled and quelled successfully and help you feel better about yourself as you go through your monthly cycle.
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