Painful Periods: How to Ease Menstrual Cramps

It's that time of the month and for many women this is a painful time. First there is PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) which can involve mood swings, back aches, lethargy, bloating, pimples,irritability,breast tenderness,headaches. And then here come the painful cramps.
Menstrual pain, or dysmenorrhea, are sharp pains that occur in a women's lower abdomen when her menstrual period starts. These pains can range from mild to very severe and can last for up to three days.
Prostaglandins, which are hormone-like chemicals made in our bodies from fatty acids, are one of the causes for menstrual cramps-they cause uterine muscles to contract. Therefore, women who have higher levels of prostaglandins may have more contractions which usually means more pains. As a matter of fact, artificial prostaglandins are used to induce labor. How's that for pain!
Now, since we know what menstrual cramps are (as if most women did not already know), and how they are caused, lets find out how to make them less painful. Here are some tips that could make that time of the month easier.

Medicine
Try taking over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve). These pain medicines help prohibit prostaglandins which means less contractions and less pain. They work best when taken just before on at the start of a period. Also, NSAIDs can help lighten up blood flow. However, NSAIDs can be harsh on the stomach and kidneys (especially if you have history of kidney problems) so you can also so try some natural medicines such as Menstrual Magic softgels, which is an herbal supplement made with a blend of essential oils.

I tried Menstrual Magic (it did help) because I wanted to use more natural approaches to help ease pain. Plus, I popped so many Advil, Motrin, and Aleve in my twenties that I am sure my body might have needed a break from them.
Along with Menstrual Magic, there are plenty of other herbal natural supplements on the market that are for pain relief. I find many of these products at mothernature.com.
I must also mention birth control pills which may level out hormone levels and regulate periods, and relieve some pain in women. I, however, did not experience less pain when on the pill. As a matter of fact I felt worse, I was an emotional wreck, gained weight, and I broke out badly. I guess I maybe needed a different dosage, but after such a bad experience, I did not want to try again.


Use Heat
Placing heating pads or hot water bottles on you abdomen may help improve blood flow, relax muscles, and ease pain. I use pepper patches or pain patches instead. These patches use hot pepper extract (capsaicin) to release pain relieving heat to achy muscles and I have found that these help ease cramps and back pain. Some patches are sold as one large sheet (I cut these into smaller pieces) and other are pre-cut and are about the size of a larger bandage. I apply them to my abdomen a day or two before I expect my period to start.
Some pepper patches, such as Salonpas, can be found in local drugstores (Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid) while others mostly in Asian marketplaces (Chinatown for example). They are also available at amazon.com and asiachi.com.

Exercise
Exercise that gets your heart pumping may help relieve cramps. The best relief comes from strenuous exercises such as aerobics, brisk walking,walking,etc. When you do these types of exercises endorphins are released and they help counteract prostaglandins. Plus exercise helps to relieve stress and tension in muscles. I have also found that strengthening my abdominals have lessened my menstrual pain.

Drink Tea
Drinking herbal tea such as peppermint,chamomile,lavender, raspberry leaf, chaste berry, helps to relax muscles and soothe tension. Chamomile contains a compound called glycine which helps relieve muscle spasms and lavender, peppermint have some anti-inflammatory properties.

Get Vitamin and Minerals
Some vitamin/mineral supplements such as calcium, vitamin B6, magnesium,and iron have been shown to help reduce menstrual pain. It is best to get these vitamins and minerals from food sources-especially dark leafy green such as spinach and kale. However, there are some decent supplements that come in pill form such as the vitamins from Super Nutrition. Their products are vegetarian, food-based, and include organic herbs.

Eat Well
Eating a low-fat diet with lots of fruits and vegetables will help ease pain. High fat diets ususally contain a lot of saturated trans- fats (butter,animal fats) which may metabolize into pro-inflammatory prostaglandins while good fats( oil oil,flaxseed oil, omega-3) metabolize into anti-inflammatory prostaglandins which may result in less pain.

Go See Your Doctor
I you suffer severe menstrual pain you should see a physician. Your pain may be a result of other problems such as: fibroids, cysts,endometriosis, infections,abnormal pregnancies, and IUDs.

The Women's Blend - 180 - Tablet
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Menstrual Magic Advanced Formula (15 gcap)
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Salonpas-Hot Capsicum Patch 5.12in X 7.09in - box of 50
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Yogi Tea Healing Formula, Woman's Moon Cycle, Tea Bags, 16-Count Boxes (Pack of 6)
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Yogi Tea Organic Chamomile, Tea Bags, 16-Count Boxes (Pack of 6)
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Excellent Homeopathic Flu Remedies

Flu virus

Influenza, better know as the flu, is that nasty, contagious virus that we all dread getting. And it seems that no matter how hard some try, they end up with the flu every year. Now, since there is no cure for the flu, we can only try ease the common symptoms (fever, chills, achy muscles, coughing, sore throat). And while there are many over-the-counter cold and flu medicines , there are also many natural and homeopathic remedies that may help flu symptoms. And I have personally used some of these natural remedies aid in easing my cold and flu symptoms. Here is a list of the items that have help me.

Elderberry is said to help break fever and eases muscle aches. I specifically used Sambucol syrup by Natures Way but there are many other brands. And elderberry comes in many forms such as lozenges, tinctures, extracts, and concentrates. I definitely noticed a change in my symptoms from using sambucol.

Zinc helps to boost the immune system. And although the jury is still out on zinc's affect on cold and flu symptoms, it seemed to help me get over my symptoms faster. I used zinc lozenges by Source Naturals but there are many brands.

Kold Kare by Kare-n-Herbs is a natural herbal supplement for colds, flu, and sinusitis. The active ingredient in Kold Kare is andrographis paniculata which, according to the Kare-n-herbs website "has proven to be an effective prophylactic against the common cold, flu and sinusitis." I have used this for a couple of years and it seems help shorten cold and flu duration.

Natra-Bio Sore Throat spray really helped relieve my sore throat. This spray uses an herbal mixture of cone flower, blue gum tree, kava kava, garden thyme, pokeweed, club moss, cayenne, peppermint, and phosphorus.

Drinking warm liquids such as decaffeinated tea , lemon and honey with warm water, and ginger tea (couple ginger slices steeped in hot water) are very soothing to the throat and can help ease coughing, and break up mucus. And there is also Chicken Noodle soup which has been shown in some scientific studies to possibly help ease cold and flu symptoms. Adding hot pepper, curry, and other spices and help with congestion also.

Eucalyptus plant

Eucalyptus oil

Eucalyptus essential oil can help to make breathing easier and ease congestion. I usually add a couple drops to a sink full of hot water and breathe in the steam. There are also some rubs containing eucalyptus that can be massaged on the chest.

Garlic is an immunity booster, eases congestion and has some antimicrobial properties. I add garlic to many foods but there are garlic pills if you would rather not taste or smell garlic.

All of these products and natural items have made my cold and flu seasons a lot easier and shorter.