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A Woman has to go through a throbbing pain and severe discomfort in the abdomen every month. At times the extreme pain hinders our daily activities. ‘PERIODS- Ugh that time of the month!”
And the questions pops – “Why does this happen to me? What causes these painful periods? Why can’t I be a boy?”
The immediate response to this question would be – you are not alone; all women go through these and it is a natural phenomenon. It’s the gateway to womanhood. That’s what the elders at home say.
Menstrual Cramps also called as Dysmenorrhea, is a term to difficult or painful periods that you experience due to the contraction of uterus to shed its lining. The uterus releases a hormone Prostaglandins that increase the intensity of contractions.
Menstrual Cramps are an uncomfortable part of life for several women on a monthly basis. We have all been there. Sometimes we dread it and sometimes we are thankful for it! Yes, that’s how Menstrual cramps are!
Well, no one likes to experience the pain and discomfort combined with bloating, irritability during that time of the month which is quite expected. We wish to get rid of it immediately. And so, here are five effective tips that will help you lessen the pain during your next cycle.
- Heat Application– Heat relaxes the contracting muscles in the uterus. Use a heating pad or heat wrap or heat patches available in the pharmacy. Even a hot water bath or sipping hot drinks can help you relieve the pain.
- Diet & Exercise – Avoid caffeine, fatty foods, salty foods, carbonated beverages, it can help alleviate pain. You can consume ghee, chamomile tea, ginger & mint tea and must increase intake of Magnesium / Vitamin B12 in your body. Eat right to relieve the painful cramps. Also, keep yourself hydrated and drink more water. Exercise also loosens the muscles and helps in relieving menstrual cramps. You can do light exercises like walking, jogging or do yoga.
- Oil Massage – Sesame oil is traditionally used for daily body massage. Massaging sesame oil, castor oil or essential oils such as lavender oil, clary sage or marjoram oil in the lower abdomen reduces the pain.
- Spices in your kitchen – Fenugreek seeds are a good companion during your periods. Soak it up in water overnight & drink it in the morning to ease your cramps. Add ginger and black pepper to your tea, both effectively reduces the pain. Make herbal tea out of cumin seeds as it has a relaxing effect, which is quite useful to alleviate pain. Other ingredients that can help you are turmeric, fennel, nutmeg, cinnamon and flax seeds.
- Supportive Herbs – Some herbs like Shatavari, Ashwagandha, Guduchi, Aloe Vera, Manjishtha, Brahmi, Tulsi are quite supportive. Of all, ‘Ashoka’ is the queen of herbs for the female reproductive system. The Ayurvedic texts suggest ‘Anantamul’ as a great nourisher. Triphala is great for rejuvenation and removes toxins from the body. A formulation ‘Kanchanar Guggulu’ contains heating & cleansing herbs, helps particularly in gynecologic imbalances.
To conclude, we hope these tips definitely do magic to you, mitigate you from the painful periods and let you enjoy the beautiful womanhood.
