What to eat and what to avoid for menstrual cramps
Menstrual cramps are a dreaded part of each month for many women. The pain can be throbbing, sharp or a cramping sensation in the lower abdomen. Some women also experience pain in their lower back and the tops of their thighs. Pain is usually worst just as menstrual bleeding begins, and tapers off by the second day of bleeding. The pain is usually caused by contractions as the body expels the uterine lining.
Pain that continues beyond the second day of bleeding may be associated with a medical problem such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids and warrants further investigation.
Menstrual pain is incredibly common but that doesn’t mean it’s normal. It is normal to feel some abdominal discomfort but intense pain that requires pain relieving medication is not normal, nor is it healthy. It is an indicator of a hormone imbalance and an indicator of excessive inflammation in the body.
The medical term for menstrual cramps is dysmenorrhea and it is typically treated with anti-inflammatory pain relieving drugs such as aspirin or naproxen. Many doctors recommend the oral contraceptive pill as a suitable remedy. It does work to prevent painful cramps in most women, but only because it suppresses your own body’s hormone production. It is only a temporary solution, and long term use of the oral contraceptive pill may cause harmful side effects.
Fortunately in most cases, menstrual cramps can be eliminated or greatly relieved by simple diet changes and the right supplements. These remedies are effective for the vast majority of women. If you continue to experience severe pain, please see your doctor for a thorough examination in order to exclude a more serious problem.
Foods that can worsen menstrual pain
Anything that increases inflammation in your body can worsen menstrual cramps This is because studies have shown that women who experience higher levels of pain have higher levels of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins in their body. Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances. Too much of the wrong kind of prostaglandins can promote painful uterine contractions and decrease blood flow to the uterus. High levels also lead to increased muscle contraction, inflammation and pain. Sugar, omega 6 rich processed vegetable oil, dairy products and alcohol all raise levels of inflammatory prostaglandins in the body. Keep your caffeine intake low Caffeine can worsen the pain because it constricts blood vessels and raises tension levels, making cramping worse. Try to reduce the amount of caffeine you consume in coffee, tea and chocolate, the week before your menstrual period is due. If you get intense chocolate cravings before or during menstruation, try to increase your magnesium intake. Chocolate is actually quite high in magnesium and just taking some of this amazing mineral can drastically reduce sugar cravings for most women. If you do need the real thing, try to stick to sugar free chocolate with natural sweeteners like stevia, or make your own using raw cacao powder. Try not to eat too much salt Many women feel incredibly bloated and puffy around the time of menstruation. Consuming too much salt at that time will only make you feel worse. Increase the amount of herbs and spices you add to your meals, so they are still tasty and you don’t notice the reduced salt. Sugar worsens all types of pain Sugar is a strong inducer of inflammation. We can read about that in scientific and medical journals but it is always very interesting to see the effects out in the real world. Several patients of mine have made comments to me like “If I want to suffer with menstrual pain, I know I need to eat sugar”. You can only experience this for yourself if you eliminate all sugar from your diet for a period of time.Natural ways to relieve menstrual pain
Try to consume more oily fish, or take a fish or krill oil supplement Krill oil is rich in omega 3 fats, which promote production of the good kind of prostaglandins, which are anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic. The healthiest types of fish to include in your diet are sardines, herrings, mackerel, wild salmon, trout and anchovies. Alternatively take 2 capsules of high potency krill oil capsules per day with food. Magnesium relaxes the muscles and reduces cramps, pain and spasms Magnesium also relaxes the nervous system and can greatly help to reduce mood disorders commonly associated with menstruation. It is quite difficult to obtain enough magnesium through diet alone because magnesium levels in most soil are very low, plus stress, caffeine and alcohol all promote magnesium loss from the body. Try taking 1 teaspoon of magnesium powder with dinner each evening. Include more fiber in your diet Women who suffer with menstrual cramps typically have a hormone imbalance called estrogen dominance. That means there is too much estrogen in their bodies relative to the level of progesterone. Using a natural progesterone cream can help to correct this imbalance fairly quickly. However it is also important to make sure your bowels are working well and excreting estrogen sufficiently. Each day your liver breaks down estrogen that is no longer required and it is secreted into your intestines, where much of it should be eliminated in bowel motions. Women with a sluggish bowel do not excrete estrogen well, therefore it builds up in their bodies. Good sources of fiber are chia seeds, hemp seeds, ground flaxseeds, fruits and vegetables. If you know your bowel is not functioning well enough, you may benefit from the natural gentle fiber in Fibertone. It can be added to cereal, smoothies, yogurt, juices, or just stirred into water. For more solutions for menstrual pain see my book How not to kill your husband. The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.Know someone who might benefit from this article? Share it!
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Am currently suffering on my menstrual cramps since ealry in the morning . I don't know what to eat right now, am scared to eat coz they'll get worse. they cooked Pap and checken.
and am craving bread with benuts butter and five roses tea!, can i eat them ?
Plz help
Five roses tea or herbal tea is fine, but we wouldn't recommend having peanut butter sandwiches as peanut butter is high in salt and the carbohydrates from bread are turned into sugar in the body which can be very inflammatory.
Try to base your diet on good protein (chicken, eggs, legumes, lean meat, seafood), good fats (avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, seafood), fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds.
Soups and stews would be excellent at this time, as well as raw vegetable juices.
We recommend you take
Magnesium ultra potent 1/2 tsp twice daily to relax the nervous system and reduce muscle cramps.
This can be purchased here:http://shop.liverdoctor.com/magnesium-ultra-potent-powder-210-grams.html
Kind Regards,
Jessah Robinson
Nutritionist for Liverdoctor.com
We recommend that your friend follows the suggestions in the article above.
She should also visit her doctor to get testing done, as there could be a more serious underlying issue for the menstrual cramps.
Kind regards,
Jessah Robinson- Nutrition consultant for Liverdoctor.com
These foods can be very inflammatory to the body which can worsen menstrual cramps.
We recommend you follow the principles in the above article to reduce cramps.
Kind Regards,
Jessah Robinson
Nutrition Consultant for Liverdoctor.com
By green mangoes do you mean unripe mangoes?
As I would recommend you only eat ripe mangoes.
Kind Regards,
Jessah Robinson
Nutrition Consultant for Liverdoctor.com
My name is sania. And im actually suffering from period cramps so tmrw I am going India but unfortunately today I ate green mangoes so do u have any solution for it???
You may benefit from taking Magnesium Ultra Potent 1/2 tsp twice daily to calm the nervous system and ease muscle spasms and cramps.
This can be purchased here:http://shop.liverdoctor.com/magnesium-ultra-potent-powder-210-grams.html
We recommend you follow the eating principles in the above article.
Kind Regards,
Jessah Robinson
Nutritionist for Liverdoctor.com
We don't recommend consuming pizza as it is very high in refined carbohydrates which is inflammatory to the body and can worsen menstrual cramps.
In the above article we have listed natural ways to relieve menstrual pain.
You may benefit from taking
Magnesium Ultra Potent powder 1/2 tsp twice daily OR magnesium complete 2 tabs twice daily to relax the nervous system and reduce cramps.
This can be purchased here:https://shop.liverdoctor.com/
Let us know how you get on.
Kind Regards,
Jessah Robinson
Nutrition Consultant for Liverdoctor.com
We recommend you follow the recommendations in the above article.
Sugar is very inflammatory to the body, we recommend consuming good protein sources (chicken,red meat, seafood, eggs, whey protein), good fats (avocados, seafood, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil), fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds.
Ensure you are staying adequately hydrated.
We recommend you take
Magnesium Complete 2 tabs twice daily OR Magnesium Ultra Potent Powder 1/2 twice daily to reduce cramps, spasms and relax the body.
This can be purchased here:https://shop.liverdoctor.com/
Let us know how you get on.
Kind Regards,
Jessah Robinson
Nutrition Consultant for Liverdoctor.com
You see how Western medicine treats symptoms, but does not seek to remedy the malady. That's what I realized with my migraines. My neurologist told me to eliminate the consumption of caffeine, totally. Then, I thought no wonder I had a migraine everyday, because at that time I was taking Excedrin (contains caffeine) everyday. Go figure. Since then, 6 years ago, I don't get them everyday anymore (knock on wood), except when I'm stressed or my diet is unstable, or when lights or smells are too strong.
A little bit of caffeine helps since it constricts the blood vessels. However, as soon as the caffeine leaves the system, the blood vessels dilate, which often leaves you back at square one if inflammation occurs as well.
Thank you for your feedback.
It actually says to keep your caffeine intake low not to avoid completely.
Following the above dietary guidelines can make a huge difference without often having to resort to medications.
Kind Regards,
Jessah Robinson
Nutritional Consultant for Liverdoctor.com