five-home-remedies-to-help-with-period-cramps.

WOMENS HEALTH / Five Home Remedies to Help with Period Cramps.

Five Home Remedies to Help with Period Cramps.

Following are the five home remedies to help with period cramps:

1. Applying heat
Applying heat to your abdomen and lower back may relieve pain. Heat therapy (usually a heat patch or pack) was as effective at treating menstrual pain as NSAIDs. It also may cause fewer side effects. However, the authors noted that more research is needed.

If you don’t have a hot water bottle or heating pad, take a warm bath or use a hot towel. Or, you can make your heating pad:

Cut and sew together two pieces of fabric, leaving a hole at the top.
Fill with uncooked rice and sew up the hole.
Microwave for a few minutes to the desired temperature. Don’t overheat!
Let it cool, if necessary. Or, wrap your homemade pad in a towel to reduce heat transfer. Reuse as necessary.

2. Massaging with essential oils
Massage therapy for about 20 minutes can help. Massage therapy for menstruation involves pressing specific points while the therapist’s hands move around your abdomen, side, and back. Adding essential oils for an aromatherapy style of massage may have additional benefits.
Some essential oils that may help include:

- lavender
- peppermint
- rose
- fennel

3. Avoiding certain foods
During menstruation, avoiding foods that cause bloating and water retention can help you. Some of the biggest culprits include:

- fatty foods
- alcohol
- carbonated beverages
- caffeine
- salty foods
Reducing or eliminating these foods can help alleviate cramps and decrease tension. Try soothing (caffeine-free) ginger or mint teas or hot water flavored with lemon. If you need a sugar fix, consider snacking on fruits such as strawberries or raspberries.

4. Adding herbs to your diet
These herbal remedies contain anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic compounds that can reduce the muscle contractions and swelling associated with menstrual pain.
- chamomile tea: Sip two cups of tea per day a week before your period. You may benefit more if you drink it every month.
- fennel seeds: When your period starts, take 30 mg of fennel extract four times a day for three days.
- cinnamon: Take 840 mg of cinnamon capsules three times a day during the first three days of your period.
- ginger: Try grating a small piece of ginger into hot water for a warm cramp-relieving drink.
- French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol): Take 60 mg of French maritime pine bark extract per day during your cycle. This can help with more moderate menstrual pain.

5. Diet and exercise can help in the long run
Maintaining a healthy diet and keeping up a regular exercise regimen can go a long way toward preventing menstrual pain.

Give these foods a try:

- Papaya is rich in vitamins.
- Brown rice contains vitamin B6, which may reduce bloating.
- Walnuts, almonds, and pumpkin seeds are rich in manganese, which eases cramps.
- Olive oil and broccoli contain vitamin E.
- Chicken, fish, and leafy green vegetables contain iron, lost during menstruation.
- Flaxseed contains omega-3's with antioxidant properties, which reduce swelling and inflammation.