PMS is a natural phenomenon of the human body. And I believe that it is an aspect of female health that isn’t talked about enough. Though PMS is a natural process, it is accompanied by several symptoms that can be very annoying for us. They can cause severe discomfort, and they can affect our careers as well.
One of these annoying effects of PMS is menstrual cramps. According to a study, about forty per cent of women have to endure crippling and incapacitating menstrual cramps during their menstrual cycle.
The reason behind it is an increased production of prostaglandin in our body. Prostaglandin is a hormone-like substance which can trigger intense uterine contractions.
This can lead to severe cramps and bloating, which are two of the major problems faced by women during PMS. However, these issues can be resolved naturally, without using any painkillers or pharmaceutical drugs that can have adverse side effects on your body.
Here is a list of some simple changes that you can make to your lifestyle to relieve menstrual cramps and pain. They can help you make the process more bearable, so keep reading to learn more.
Use calcium, magnesium and vitamin D supplements:
Though these minerals are essential for the healthy functioning of the body, they become even more necessary during your period. Calcium and vitamin D are necessary for relaxing your muscles, which can decrease the intensity of menstrual cramps. Moreover, by the end of your menstrual cycle, the magnesium levels in your body drop significantly, which can lead to water retention, headaches and cramps as well.
Lack of magnesium can also result in an over-sensitive nervous system, which can make things quite uncomfortable and increase the intensity of menstrual cramps.
Therefore, ensure that you get at least 320 milligrams of magnesium every day. You can do this by adding magnesium-heavy foods to your diet, or by taking some natural magnesium supplements.
Try Yoga:
Yoga is an ancient form of breathing exercise that has numerous scientifically proven benefits for the human body. Studies have also shown that yoga can be beneficial for women going through their period. It can help decrease menstrual cramps, and it can make the overall process more bearable.
If you want to use yoga to counter menstrual cramps, you should know about the bow pose. Practising this pose a couple of days before your period starts can help decrease pressure on the abdomen. Moreover, it can positively stimulate our digestive and reproductive organs which is also helpful. The bow pose can also be beneficial in relieving stress, anxiety and fatigue.
However, you should avoid this technique if you have a hernia or high blood pressure.
Work some Light aerobic exercise into your routine:
Numerous studies have indicated that light aerobic exercise can also help in decreasing the severity of menstrual cramps. Moreover, it increases your endorphin levels and triggers the release of stress countering hormones that help improve your mode and reduce physical pain. However, make sure that you keep your workouts light because intense training can lead to the release of stress hormones like cortisol which can make matters worse.
Therefore, go on a light jog or run, and make sure that you stay sufficiently hydrated while you are exercising.
Try to get some sleep:
No one can deny the importance of proper sleep when it comes to overall health and fitness, and as it turns out, adequate sleep can also have an essential role in helping you deal with menstrual cramps. Firstly, lack of sleep can lead to several problems like stress, which make the menstrual cramps and overall uncomfortable sensation of PMS even worse. Secondly, sleep can help you relax and get rid of the pain for a while.
Therefore, ensure that you maintain a healthy sleep cycle and get at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep every day.
Try using cannabis for relief:
Cannabis is a prevalent substance, and though it is known better for its recreational effects, it has numerous medical applications that have been proven by scientific studies. Apart from relieving stress, anxiety, depression and pain, which are serious problems faced by women on their period, cannabis can also alleviate menstrual cramps. It can relax the body and help us sleep as well.
Therefore, write “Cannabis online dispensary Canada” on your search engine, and you will find numerous online stores that will deliver your preferred strain to your doorstep.
Skip the coffee and try to stay sufficiently hydrated:
When you are on your period, you need to steer clear from caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. These mental stimulants can increase the contraction of your muscles and increase the intensity of menstrual cramps and pain.
Apart from abstaining from these items, you should also add some beneficial drinks to your diet and ensure that you stay hydrated. You need to understand that when we are dehydrated, water isn’t the only thing our body is lacking. It also needs minerals that are decreased due to dehydration.
Experts suggest that you should drink coconut water and pineapple juice. Coconut water is rich in calcium and can help relieve spasms and provide relief against problems like vomiting and flatulence.
Pineapple juice contains a natural anti-inflammatory enzyme known as bromelain, which can decrease bloating.
Warm water can also be beneficial for decreasing menstrual cramps.
Improve your diet:
It is quite apparent that our diet is impactful on every process in our body. Therefore, adding certain foods to our diet can also help decrease menstrual cramps.
Here is a quick list of foods that you should add to your diet.
- Dairy products like milk and yoghurt that are rich in calcium
- Bananas, which are rich in potassium
- Salmon for omega-3 fatty acids.
- almonds
- Leafy greens
- Chicken
It would be best if you also tried to avoid super salty baked and fried foods which can disrupt the digestive system and make matters worse.
Lastly, during your period, your body goes through numerous hormonal changes, and taking pharmaceutical drugs at this time can make matters worse in some cases. Therefore, try out some of the natural treatments mentioned in this list. I hope that you find them as productive as I did.
Author Bio:
James is a physical and mental well-being expert. He has been trying to help people all around the globe by writing about topics such as anxiety and insomnia. He believes words are an excellent medium to showcase knowledge. You can peruse his site at https://cannawholesalers.ca/