5 Proven Natural Remedies To Sooth Menstrual Cramps

Women naturally get menstruation every 28 – 32 days. Every woman has varied encounters with period cramp, also known as dysmenorrhea, medically. Usually, most women endure mild to intense cramps 24 to 48 hours before menstruating and continue for days. In this article, Dr Kausthub Desikachar shares 5 proven natural remedies to soothe menstrual cramps.

It is natural for women to undergo discomfort around the lower abdomen, lower back, thighs and seldom genitals while menstruating each month. While few women feel no pain or mild cramps, others aren’t as fortunate and undergo crippling pain. For some women, period cramps can be extreme and cause severe discomfort before and throughout the menstruating period.

Why Do Menstrual Cramps Happen

Period cramps are commonly known as primary dysmenorrhea, caused by increased levels of hormones like prostaglandins produced by the uterus. During menstruation, your uterus produces hormones like prostaglandins that help contract the uterus to break down the lining of the uterus, expel blood and tissues that flow out of your vagina. Higher levels of prostaglandins are correlated with throbbing and severe menstrual cramps. Some studies explicate that women with painful menstrual cramps have stronger uterine contractions than women do while giving birth.

 
5 Proven Natural Remedies To Soothe Menstrual Cramps

Most of the time, menstrual cramps can be treated at home.

Read on to learn the proven remedies to soothe menstrual cramps that could help you get through these days on track with your busy life.

1.Aloe Vera Juice

We all know that Aloe vera is beneficial for skin and hair. Dr Kausthub Desikachar shares his wisdom on how aloe vera can actually become a women’s best buddy. Keep in mind to drink aloe vera juice during those days to get instant relief from menstrual cramps. Not just that, they offer an extra dose of energy and nutrition required for your body when you menstruate.

You could add buttermilk, coriander leaves, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds along with fresh aloe vera to give it a twist and a cooling effect to the body.

2.Massage With Sesame Oil And Heat Patch

Sesame oil is traditionally utilised in Ayurveda for massages as it is rich in linoleic acid and also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

To soothe menstrual cramps, apply slightly warmed sesame oil to the lower abdomen and gently massage with downward strokes. Additionally, applying a heat patch using a hot water bag, a blanket, or a heating pad after massaging with sesame oil can relax your uterine muscle and further ease your cramps.

3.Sipping Herbal Tea

Oftentimes, we don’t recognise the power of simple kitchen herbs that are advantageous for our health. In the olden days, women used to sip herbal tea made with simple ingredients from the kitchen during those days of the month to ease their menstrual cramps.

Recipe:

Add grated ginger, pepper, turmeric, ajwain (carom seeds) and cinnamon to water. Boil until it reduces to half. Strain, add honey or jaggery, sip throughout the day, or drink 1 cup 2 or 3 times a day.

 
4.Diet

Improving your diet may help alleviate your period cramps. Having a diet rich in magnesium helps to ease the cramps.

Magnesium Rich Foods:

1. Pumpkin seeds
2. Almonds
3. Cashews
4. Peanuts
5. Brown rice
6. Spinach
7. Black beans
8. Kidney beans
9. Apple
10. Carrot
11. Yoghurt
12. Dark Chocolate 90% above
    
    

Also, avoiding certain foods can help reduce bloating and discomfort while menstruating. Stay away from the below foods when you have cramps.

1. Salty foods
2. Packaged foods
3. Fatty foods
4. Caffeine
5. Alcohol

5.Yoga

Exercising or doing yoga while you are enduring hurting pain may sound crazy to you. However, Dr Kausthub Desikachar says performing simple yoga can help increase circulation in the pelvic region. This will help release hormones like endorphins to balance the hormones like prostaglandins that cause uterine muscles to contract during menstruation. Get in touch with a trusted yoga practitioner who can help you learn the suitable yoga poses to ease your menstrual cramps.

Conclusion

Dr Kausthub Desikachar says menstrual cramps are normal, but there are junctures when they can hinder your day-to-day life, and you have difficulty functioning. Then be sure to catch up with your doctor to ensure you are not put up with any underlying health conditions like uterine fibroids, PCOS, endometriosis, etc.