Hello lovelies! If you are like 50% of women, you are experiencing pain before and during your cycle. For many, this can be a great source of anxiety and stress, and affect the quality of life. Although popping a prescription drug may take most or some of the pain away, many women report that the drug eventually stops working and the pain just gets worse as the body gets used to it. We wanted to offer you 15 NATURAL alternatives that are proven to reduce pain significantly. You can safely try these remedies right now and can get your hands on everything on this list fairly easily!
1. YOGA
The link between yoga and pain relief may not seem obvious and yet... If you know yoga, you know that this discipline is not just a gym class, far from it! Yoga is a complete practice that harmonizes body and mind. The sequences of postures, breathing techniques and meditation produce positive effects both physically and mentally. Science confirms this! Yoga can greatly help to reduce pain during periods. It may be hard to get to a yoga class when you are suffering from cramping. If you can, try to get a few minutes in, here and there. Practice a gentle and regenerating yoga. By stretching the pelvic muscles and opening your hips, yoga will help ease those stubborn stomach and back pains, while putting you in a calm and happy mood. 😊
2. THE CLASSIC HOT WATER BOTTLE
This old wives' trick is still relevant, especially since it’s both cheap and easy. All you have to do is fill it with very hot water and place it directly on your lower abdomen. By dilating the blood vessels, the heat relaxes the uterus muscles and acts reduces the cramping, almost immediately. You can also make your own dry version: using cotton fabric sewn into a square and filled with cherry pits, millet, or wheat seeds, etc. Then heat it up in the microwave! This version is natural, easy, and sustainable.
3. RELAXATION & MEDITATION
What if we meditated our pain away? Sounds too good to be true? You’ve tried everything, so why not this? Sitting or lying down, with your eyes closed, you will learn to better control your pain, therefore better manage it. Flush it out! Breathe. Repeat. Because pain exists on two levels: perception and sensation. And this is where the strength of the spirit comes in. Thanks to simple meditation exercises, and above all, thanks to breathing, you will be able to manage the pain and bring it down in intensity. Incredible, isn't it?
4. TARRAGON ESSENTIAL OIL
This essential oil has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties, so it’s ideal for relieving menstrual pain. You can also take it for pain prevention.
5. SAGE ESSENTIAL OIL
This interesting essential oil has calming and antispasmodic powers. It limits uterine contractions and reduces the impact of estrogen in the body. Sage oil also reduces stress, often present during menstruation.
6.BASIL ESSENTIAL OIL
It is also an essential oil with antispasmodic benefits. It acts directly on the uterine muscles and it has an action on the nervous system, which helps with pain management due to periods.
7. FOODS RICH IN MINERALS
Consuming healthy foods can definitely help you if you suffer from painful periods, especially if they are rich in minerals. Dried fruits, dairy products and minerals (magnesium, calcium, potassium) are your best bet when it comes to high-mineral foods and will help reduce your cramping. Women who have a diet rich in minerals have reported having very little, or no pain at all throughout their cycles.
8. RASPBERRY PLANT INFUSION
Some plants have magical powers when infused! This fruit tree originating from Western Europe is part of the Rosaceae family. Its leaves have tonic and antispasmodic properties. They have been used for a long time to reduce contractions pains. To prepare a raspberry leaf tea, bring water to a boil, and add 2 or 3 teaspoons of leaves to a cup of very hot water. After a few minutes, filter and consume 3 times a day.
9. YARROW PLANT INFUSION
This plant is well known to herbalists and is commonly used in Europe. It has a relaxing, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory powers. It is mainly used to relieve stomach aches and cramps. The flowers are used to prepare the infusion, at the rate of a teaspoon for a cup of very hot water. Drink 3 times a day after straining.
10. OFFICINALIS SAGE PLANT INFUSION
This plant from the Lamiaceae family is present in its natural state in the Mediterranean basin. It has an anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic action and is known to promote regularity in menstrual cycles. Prepare your herbal tea by adding 1 teaspoon of sage leaves to your cup of hot water. Leave to infuse for ten minutes, filter and drink the tea 3 times a day to relieve painful periods.
11. BAKING SODA & HONEY
Baking soda has many properties, including pain relief, as it reduces cramps and muscle spasms. True, it is not pleasant to eat this powder (we barely tolerate it in toothpaste!), so we advise to mix it with delicious honey. Not only will it make it easier to swallow, but you also get all the benefits of this golden natural sugar! Prepare by mixing a teaspoon of honey and a tablespoon of baking soda in a glass of hot water. You can drink this 3 times a day, and see your pain dissipate!
12. AVOID SODAS & CAFFEINE
Soft drinks, caffeinated teas and coffees will make your body nervous and jittery, which causes unnecessary stress. If you are a sufferer of painful painful periods, this added stress will only increase the pain that is already present. Replace these with decaffeinated drinks and you will avoid this unpleasantness. Note: we recommend you ditch these drinks all-month long, or as much as possible, as they are not the best thing for you. If you must have caffeine, enjoy it the week AFTER your period😊
13. AVOID ALCOHOL & SALT
These are diuretics, so they do not allow belly swelling to subside, because they eliminate a large part of the minerals. They are also the cause of water retention, which will significantly increase pain, especially during a cycle. You should therefore reduce your consumption, or better yet, avoid at all costs during your period. If you ever wonder why your cramps are so bad the day after a party (where you might have eaten chips & beer), now you know.
14. SLEEP LIKE A BABY!
It goes without saying that the more rest you get during your period, the faster you will recover. Try falling asleep in the fetal position, as it is the best way to calm abdominal pain caused by menstruation. This position allows to relieve the pressure in the abdominals. When the muscles of the abdomen are relaxed, the cramping is reduced, which relieves the tension. Falling asleep on your stomach is, on the contrary, the position to be absolutely avoided because it causes compression of the uterus and therefore more intense cramping, not to mention blood loss, which is more difficult to control in this position.
15. STOP USING TAMPONS!
However handy & practical these may be, they are known to make period cramps worse. They are not healthy for you. Bacteria should not remain in your body for that long. If you are a tampon user, please try quitting for one month and see how much better you feel. We promise!
Have you tried any of these before? Which one will you put to the test first? Remember, if these do not work, you have not done any harm to your body (if anything, you have brought your body some goodness!) We want to hear from you! Let us know how you are doing. Most women will have periods for 40 years or so, why not try to make them as pleasant as possible?
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Be safe, be well, Justine 😊
Have a Happy Period 😊
