Let's be real. We all know menstrual cramps can be an absolute b word. It can really throw our whole mood off for the whole day, make us never wanna leave our beds in the morning and just curl up in a comfortable position. This is going to be quick and snappy because I know you guys can't wait any longer to know the good cure. (DISCLAIMER: THIS MAY/MAY NOT WORK FOR YOU. TRY ALL METHODS TO FIGURE OUT WHICH METHOD WORKS BEST/IS MOST SUITABLE FOR YOU).
1) Heat Therapy
Heat. You can soak yourself in a hot bath or use a heating pad and place it on your lower abdomen to ease the cramps. How does this work? Heat relaxes the muscles of the uterus, increases your blood flow thus easing your pan.
2) Diet
It's not actually that odd to change your diet when you're menstruating. It is recommended that we reduce our fat intake and eat more vegetables for cramp relief. Bleurgh, vegetables, who wants that right? But maybe we ought to eat those greens just for that time of the month for those who struggles to eat their greens. How does this work? When you lose blood every month, indefinitely you are losing iron too (this is why we feel so lethargic and zzz).
I know that juicy burger just makes you wanna drool, but dark leafy greens like kale and spinach are just the right sources of iron your body needs when you are experiencing menstrual cramps. Maybe you're tired of the leafy life, so you can always steam broccoli for that crunchier feel!
3) Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)
No, it's not bad drugs. Chillllll. Research has shown that women with severe period pain have high levels of prostaglandins, hormones known to cause cramping abdominal pain. How does this work? NSAIDs are anti-inflammatory drugs which act by blocking prostaglandin production. For example, your common painkillers aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen and mefenamic acid can help relieve severe period pain. The only side effects (that you may/may not experience) are headaches or stomach issues.
4) Drink chamomile tea
How specific, right? How does this work? Chamomile tea contains compounds that can actually help to relieve menstrual cramps and bloating by increasing glycine in your body, which is a chemical that relieves muscle spasms and acts as a nerve relaxant to help your body relax.
Chamomile tea can also helps to regulate irregular periods by stimulating blood flow in the pelvic and uterus.
Tip! It is more efficient in reducing premenstrual pains if you start drinking the Chamomile tea a couple of days before your period comes!
5) Reduce your stress!
You must be wondering... Is period pain really worse when you're stressed or is it just a myth? There are a couple of things such as lack of sleep. How does this work? If you don’t sleep enough, your body will release more of the stress hormone cortisol, which affects how your pituitary gland works.Your pituitary gland regulates hormones, so this can have a major effect on your cycle, leading to periods that don't arrive when you're expecting them to. Thanks to the imbalanced hormones, they may even be heavier or more painful than usual.
Try out any of these methods & let's see if our menstrual cramps get their relief!