period_pain
family,  Health

Period Pain – Natural Ways to Tackle Menstrual Pain

Period pain can be barely noticeable for some and excruciating for others. There might not be a lot you can do about hormone induced moodiness related to monthly cycles, but there are steps to alleviate the pain that comes with your period. If you want to relieve period pain naturally, you’ve come to the right place. If you have teenage girls, you might them to get a handle on monthly pain management early. So, read on to find out how to help ease pain without medication.

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Period Pain Relief the Natural Way

Many people take medication to help alleviate menstrual cramps. I used to have endometriosis, a disease where the lining grows outside the uterus and creates more pain and heavy cycles. Endometriosis can also lead to infertility issues and the pain can be brutal. There are many instances where medication is necessary and helpful. There are also many times people would rather try natural methods of pain relief. As a Mom of teen girls I am a fan of normalizing periods and opting for natural methods of relief.

Improve Your Diet

You may not know this, but a better diet can help with respect to cramps. Decrease your fat intake and increase your vegetable consumption. A low-fat diet has been shown to decrease whole-body inflammation, and since your uterus is part of your body, it will help with that inflammation, as well. More vegetables mean more fiber, which means better regularity. Although not directly tied to your period pain, nobody wants constipation complicating your cycle as well.

Tea

As you all know, I love tea. I love it for more than the taste, though. Certain teas can actually help relieve period pain. Willow bark tea and peppermint tea have both been shown to help alleviate cramping. This works best if you begin drinking the tea about a week before your period is expected.

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Fish Oil and Vitamin B1

Taking fish oil and vitamin B1 in conjunction with one another has been shown to help reduce period pain. Fish oil is packed with omega fatty acids, which help reduce whole body inflammation. It’s believed that the vitamin B1 helps increase the effect of the fish oil on uterus inflammation.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been shown to help relax the nervous system and increase blood flow to the internal organs. While you may think the last thing that your uterus needs during your period is increased blood flow, it’s actually quite helpful. Increased blood flow will help deliver more of the benefits of a healthier diet and fish oil and vitamin B1 supplementation to your uterus for more effective pain relief.

Boost Endorphins

Endorphins not only improve your mood, they also help reduce pain. Moderate aerobic exercise is a great way to help boost your endorphin levels. Notice I said moderate. It’s not advisable to do hardcore workouts when you have your period. Instead, do just enough exercise to get your heart rate up and get those endorphins pumping through you.

Heat

There’s a reason we all gravitate to a heating pad when our period comes around. The heat from the pad helps reduce period pain by increasing blood flow and helping to relieve swelling in the uterus. Curl up with a book and get that heating pad on your abdomen, or lower back, to help with the pain. Magic Bags work too. We have several.

Increase Your Water Intake

A properly hydrated body is a healthy body. Your body needs to be adequately hydrated in order to function at its best. That includes getting through your period with less pain. When you are fully hydrated, your blood is thinner, your body works at peak performance, and all of the other tips I’ve listed work better. I am a broken record with this one and my girls.

Naturally Relieve Period Pain

There are many times you might need pain relief for menstrual cramps. For the times when natural methods don’t work a product like Midol can help. If you’re going the holistic or just med-free route, there are many strategies to help relieve period pain. The methods I’ve listed above all help relieve period pain, and they help even more if you do them all in conjunction with each other. Periods should never be debilitating. If they are you need to consult a doctor to rule out other conditions.

Mom of two beautiful active girls, traveller, fitness junkie, social media consultant, and keeper of the sanity.