Hi ladies, it’s that time of month again, time for crying, time for pain, and time for praying for it to go away! As someone who gets the absolute WORST cramps, my family and I have had to try so many things to help me and my sister get through the worst week of the month, so without further adieu, these are my top 10 tips on how to have a less painful period.
- Magnesium: Everyone knows that chocolate while on your cycle is a MUST… but do you know why? Chocolate is high in magnesium! Magnesium helps to relax our uterine muscles, easing the pain. You can take magnesium capsules per the bottles recommendations, or you can topically spray on your stomach magnesium spray. Magnesium spray for me personally has been a GAME CHANGER! I can’t even remember how I handled life before magnesium spray. It is super easy to make, and much more affordable than buying it from the store. Here is the recipe.
- GABA: Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA). GABA is a naturally occurring amino acid and neurotransmitter that acts as a messenger to your brain. One day my mom saw me in such pain and she thought maybe it might help, and let me tell you mom’s know best! We are not doctors, but that single pill made the biggest difference in the whole world for me! This revelation came just a few months ago, and since then I almost feel like I can survive!
- Tea: Drinking hot beverages, I find to be extremely soothing. When I’m feeling crampy and crabby, nothing quite like it makes me feel better. I like to have 2 types: a delicious tasting black tea with molasses (for added iron) and a medicinal tea to help ease cramps. A basic version I like to drink is freshly grated ginger, crushed fennel seeds, red raspberry leaf, and chamomile. A fancier version with is to take the same ingredients and add lady’s mantel and cramp bark to the mix (full recipe here)
- Acid: During your cycle, try and avoid consuming acid. Anywhere from drinking lemonade, to eating an orange, or eating a salad with a vinaigrette, will leave me crying from pain. I can’t explain why, but I do know that eating or drinking anything acidic will make my cycle 10x more painful than it already was and if you are anything like me, avoiding acid will save you a heap of pain.
- Hydration: Upping your fluid intake will help reduce any potential blood clots that you might get. You may or may not know that blood clots are actually what cause cramps. Drinking water thins out your blood making it less likely to clot in the first place, preventing severe cramping.
- Heating pad: Heating pads are just magical, you put them on and in a matter of moments, you can begin to feel your pain slipping away. I have a standard wall plug in heating pad and also a rechargeable heating pad that I use at night time, so I’m not plugged into the wall all night.
- Cajeput essential oil: Cajeput essential oil has become one of my essentials! Cajeput has been used as a topical pain relieving oil for years as it provides a warming sensation to the area. To apply it I put a few drops on my stomach after spraying the magnesium spray and rub it in with my fingers,and then wash my hands as it can make them temporarily feel pruney.
- Herbal pain relief: I choose to go without over the counter pain relievers like acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, (NSAIDS)) which all pain relievers fall under one of those two categories,) due to their known side effects and risks. I take herbal pain relief capsules. The star of herbal pain relief is White willow bark. White willow bark has a similar chemical reaction as the main ingredient in aspirin. For me at least, it doesn’t work quite as fast or as strong as over the counter, but for my health it is a choice I choose to make.
- Angelica Archangelica: Angelica Archangelica is the herb of the angles, quite literally! The story behind this beautiful healing herb is that St. Michael the Archangel appeared to a monk in a dream stating how it will be used for healing during a plague that was sweeping throughout Europe and middle ages. This herb is used to help with menstrual cramps, digestive issues, and circulation.
- Rest: Lastly and almost the most important, rest. Your body is working so hard during these days that you must be gential and kind to it. Don’t try and do these intense workouts (unless you really want to.) Don’t put yourself on some crazy calorie restricted diet, during this week, your body has more cravings and stress, so don’t add to it by limiting what you will or won’t allow yourself to eat. Rest on the sofa, sleep in if you can, and yes go ahead and eat that chocolate bar.
Please take my advice with a grain of salt, as I am no doctor. I just wanted to share what has helped me feel a million times better than I even knew I could during my period. If you try one or several of these tips I really hope they bring you some relief.
May God bless you and yours
<3 K & J
