Period cramps are part of the menstruation process that happens to a whopping 80% of women. Each month a menstruating woman or person expels the lining of the uterus which is only about five to six teaspoons of blood, a little less than a shot glass, but the process can be incredibly painful because of period cramps. We’ve gathered some holistic ideas for period cramps.
Period cramps typically occur right before your period starts. Pain from the typical period is caused by prostaglandins which at this point builds up in the uterus causing discomfort. Over the course of your period these levels decrease. There are also other underlying conditions like fibroids or endometriosis that cause painful menstruation, with these extremely painful periods, it’s important to seek medical advice. But with the typical period cramps caused by prostaglandins, there are a variety of holistic remedies for when you start feeling those aches.
1. It might seem obvious, but exercise is the top solution. Research suggests that regularly exercising can help improve menstrual symptoms. In this study[1] published in 2018, they studied the pain of women after eight weeks of regular exercise and how it went down over the study.
2. If you’re going to try a medication, Ibuprofen can help. As it is an anti-inflammatory, it helps reduce the pain.
3. Sex can also help! Your body releases oxytocin when you have sex, particularly when you orgasm, and this hormone has been associated with decreased period pain. Sex helps to release your pelvic congestion and thus improve blood flow to the effected area.
4. Try some Magnesium. If your body is low in magnesium it can actually increase the prostaglandins in your body, creating more severe period cramps. You can try a supplement or eat some magnesium filled foods like dark chocolate, bananas, spinach, or almonds.
5. Another supplement that might help is Omega-3 found in fish like salmon and tuna! You can also take a fish oil supplement that helps to relieve inflammation in the body.
We hope that some of these suggestions can help you with your period cramps, or at least understand them a little better. I also love just chilling on my couch with some poke (fresh salmon and tuna with spinach – getting all the vitamins and supplements) and enjoying some reality tv! Do you have other suggestions for cramps? We’d love to hear them! Feel free to comment below!
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5791467/
