When you’re looking for the best way to ease period cramps, the best approach is to learn anywhere from 5 to 10 ways to do it. Then start methodically trying each one of them and find which one works for you. 

Many doctors want you to think that cramping during your period or cramps before your period is a medical condition. Yes, they are part of PMS, we already know that. But no, they are not some medical condition that will never go away until menopause. They are largely controllable – and you can be the one who knows how to soothe period cramps and then never have them again. Of course, it will take a little time to learn this skill…

5 Ways to Ease Period Cramps

Here are five natural ways that you can ease period cramps without medicine: 

1. Eat healthy foods that ease period cramps such as dark green, leafy vegetables.

These foods are loaded with magnesium and B vitamins, which are essential for the cramping to stop. Also consider dairy products like plain yogurt or kefir milk, which contains calcium as well as probiotic bacteria. The bacteria in your gut control a lot more things in the body – one of them being pain – than what’s happening in your gut. 

2. Vitamins and Minerals to Take for Period Cramps

The chance that your cramps are due to a vitamin or mineral deficiency is high. Calcium or magnesium are the first ones to address. 

For calcium, take 250 to 500 mg daily, but take it with 125 to 250 mg magnesium. Note that the dosage of magnesium is half the dosage of the calcium; this way you preserve the correct nutritional ratios. If you want to be extra diligent, then make sure the magnesium content is equal to the phosphorus content. Not many supplement companies remember to put in the phosphorus. 

Both calcium and magnesium are excellent for the ease of menstrual cramps. 

As an alternative, you could start with magnesium chloride oil that you rub into your belly. It’s the easiest way to get the magnesium levels increased. But don’t overdo it, as too much magnesium is not a good thing. It will alter your body’s pH.  Orally, the dosage of magnesium to stay under is 1000 mg; for calcium it’s 1200 mg.

3. Period Vitamin

A Period Vitamin is a way to get all the essential vitamins and minerals and herbs that support your body for your cycles without having to think much about it. It’s a one a day kind of supplement and contains calcium and magnesium.

4. Essential Oil Treatment for Quick Relief

If you have lavender essential oil on your health supplement shelf at home, then by all means add a few drops to olive oil (about ¼ cup) and rub it into your belly where the cramps are. Lavender works fast to soothe cramps. 

5. Herbals to Take for Quick Relief

When considering how to ease menstrual cramps, always consider herbs. A cup of an herb tea can do wonders to give you quick relief. Which ones will you focus on? Start out with Ginger tea. Cut up ginger root into thin slices, and then dice. You’ll need about a tablespoon of it. Then add to a coffee cup and pour boiling water over it. Let steep for about 3 minutes and then sip. Sip away your cramps. 

Another option is black cohosh or a combination of herbs already put together for menstrual cramps. Often these are sold as PMS tea or Cramp Tea. Simply place one tea bag in a coffee cup, and add hot boiling water. Let it steep for 3-5 minutes. Then drink. 

Easing menstrual cramps is easy. It actually gets to be fun to try to figure out your body! And when you think about it, how better could you invest your time? You’re going to have your body with you for the rest of your life and the more you know about it, what it likes, what it doesn’t like, and what to do when different health issues come up, the happier you’re going to be. Plus you will have the chance to influence others around you and put in good seeds in their lives. 

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When looking for the best thing to take for period cramps, remember that the home remedy that works for you could be dong quai or red raspberry leaf tea or capsules or anything else. The main point is that your body is different than every other woman on the planet. Thus, what works for you could be for cramps during your period, cramping before your period or cramps between periods – and could be different in each of these situations. 

Best Remedies To Take – Things That Are Proven To Help Alleviate Period Cramps

1. Dong Quai 

This herb is commonly used for menstrual cramps. Thousands of women have asked what can I take for menstrual cramps and dong quai has been their answer. The herb promotes health of the uterus and regulates the periods. It acts by dilating blood vessels, which brings more oxygen to the uterine area. It also stimulates the central nervous system and relaxes smooth muscles such as in the endometrium that are causing cramps. 

Dosage is 200 mg three times daily or 30 drops of the liquid three times daily. The herb is not for those women who are taking blood thinners as it contains naturally occurring blood thinners.

2. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

This herb contains a medicinal constituent called flagarine that eliminates menstrual cramps by relaxing and toning the uterus. Red raspberry leaf is high in magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, and B vitamins, which help control many symptoms of PMS.

To make an herb tea with this herb, start with two quarts water in a pot. Add the equivalent of one teaspoon herb per cup water, which equals 8 teaspoons of herb. Then turn the burner on and heat to boiling. Let steep. Then strain and put your tea in a glass pitcher. Drink during the day. You can heat it up later if you wish or drink it cold.

3. Lavender Essential Oil Massage

You can make your own lavender massage oil and then rub it on your belly over the cramps. Here’s how to do it:  To 3 ounces grapefruit seed oil and 2 ounces almond oil, add 6 drops lavender essential oil. Shake to mix. Apply liberally to your belly. Effects should occur within a few minutes.

The reason why this works is because of the medicinal constituents of lavender that relax the nervous system. 

4. Copaiba Essential Oil Massage

Copaiba is a plant found in the Amazon rainforest with special healing properties. It supports the health of the nervous system, immune system, digestive system, heart and lungs. 

Here’s how to make your own oil for massage:  To 3 ounces grapefruit seed oil and 3 ounces almond oil, add 6 drops copaiba essential oil. Shake to mix. Apply liberally to your belly. Effects should occur within a few minutes.

5. Period Vitamin 

The reason why a one-a-day Period Vitamin is effective for menstrual cramps is because it’s providing all the medicinal constituents that activate metabolic pathways that aren’t getting activated otherwise by diet. The Period Vitamin contains vitamins, minerals, herbs, and medicinal constituents that fill in the gaps of your metabolism and biochemistry. You can expect results within one to two monthly cycles. A period vitamin is a long-term strategy for decreasing period cramps.

If you’re wondering what vitamins and minerals to take to support you when you are menstruating, a Period Vitamin is the first step. And it’s easy to do.

6. Hot Packs for Period Cramps 

Hot packs are an old standby for cramps. Lay two dry towels on your belly, then add a hot pack on top. Cover the hot pack with another towel. Let the heat penetrate your belly slowly and remove it when it gets too hot.  Usually women leave it on for about 10-20 minutes. 

This is a fast acting solution for cramps.

7. Cold Packs for Period Cramps

Cold packs are an old standby for cramps. Lay two dry towels on your belly, then add a cold pack on top. Cover the cold pack with another towel. Let the heat penetrate your belly slowly and remove it when it gets too cold.  Usually women leave it on for about 10-20 minutes. 

Check out our ebook on cramps. It will give you great answers that work. 

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Cramping between periods is sometimes called mittelschmerz. It means that during ovulation – which occurs halfway throughout the cycle – there is pain and cramping and even other symptoms.

Cramping between periods may be accompanied with pelvic pain, excessive bleeding, and infertility. It could be due to any of the following:

1. Urinary tract infection – This can cause pelvic pain and cramping. Look for signs such as blood in the urine as the distinguishing factor that indicates you are suffering from a UTI. Then start your remedy based on the UTI, not menstrual cramps – otherwise you won’t be successful. An untreated urinary tract infection can lead to a kidney infection which requires hospitalization so be diligent about eliminating it.
2. Adhesions – this is a result of scaring between organs and tissues, forming connections of tissue that should not be there. The adhesions pull the organs together 
3. Constipation – Constipation worsens any existing abdominal issue, including PMS symptoms. 
4. Endometriosis – this cause is associated with cramping and spotting between periods.
5. Ovulation – Some women get bleeding between periods with cramps just because they are ovulating. 
6. Parasites – Parasites in the abdomen can account for all sorts of symptoms, including cramps before your period, or cramps between periods that never happened before. Parasites have their favorite location to live in the body – some choose the liver while others choose the gall bladder or reproductive organs. At the full moon, they come out to reproduce – usually in the intestinal tract. The severity of cramping during your period may be related to parasite number and type of parasite you have. 

Your Solution to Why am I Cramping Between Periods 

If you’re looking for a way of how to stop period cramps fast, you have to first determine what the issue really is. This may require the diagnosis of a medical doctor. 

6 Ways to Relieve Cramping Between Periods

1. Urinary tract infection – Get an antibiotic if the UTI is serious or if it’s in the beginning stages, use your cranberry juice (1/2 cup every four hours), garlic (one clove every four hours), and Echinacea herb (two capsules every 3 hours) to eliminate it. Continue for three days after the symptoms are gone. This is a long term solution.
2. Adhesions – Use nattokinase to eliminate adhesions. Generally 6-9 capsules are taken every night for a period of about 30 days. This is a long-term solution.
3. Constipation – Get a colonic hydrotherapy session and then the next two days thereafter. This will clean out the whole GI tract and also assist in removing parasites. You can also take a colon cleanse formula – read the label for instructions – daily for six weeks to insure that the colon is truly cleansed. However, make sure you don’t make the mistake a lot of people make – they simply stop taking the colon formula after the six weeks and their colon function goes back to how it was before. You may want to still take a few capsules of the colon cleanse formula daily for awhile until your body can go to the bathroom regularly on its own. This is a short term solution.
4. Endometriosis – This condition needs careful planning of herbs and cleanses to eliminate it. You’ll need a professional herbalist for this condition. It’s not impossible to do on your own but the guidance of an expert goes a long way towards meeting your goal. This is a long-term process although you may see benefits early on.
5. Ovulation Issues – For this you may need hormone balancing herbs such as chaste tree berry and dong quai. Take up to 600 mg daily of dong quai and up to 400 mg daily of chaste tree berry. This is a long-term process.
6. Parasites – Stop eating sushi! Parasites live in raw fish and they’re transferred to you when you eat it. Then do a parasite cleanse. This topic is too involved to go into depth here. Herbs such as wormwood, cayenne pepper, epazote, centaury, diatomaceous earth, and black walnut are commonly used in the process. This is a long-term process.
7. Period Vitamin – Sometimes getting the foundations right for your nutrition is all that’s needed. That’s where the Period Vitamin comes into the picture. Take one a day while you’re still menstruating. This is a long-term process.

I recommend our ebookon menstrual cramps for you to devour! It has all types of home remedy solutions for menstrual cramps.

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Knowing what causes menstrual cramps is the bottom line of learning how to eliminate them. They occur when the endometrial lining is sloughing off after the body gets the message that there will not be a pregnancy this month. Since the endometrium is a muscular layer, there are contractions that occur that will cause the menstrual cycle to occur. 

Muscle contractions are controlled by the nervous system to an extent. In order for muscles to contract, there’s an interplay between calcium and magnesium that must occur. Thus, if you are low in either one of these minerals, then you could potentially be a sufferer of cramps before the period or during the period and end up needing menstrual cramps relief. 

Any type of muscle cramping is always influenced by electrolytes and water. Thus, these also have a great impact on what happens during your period in regards to cramps. 

So with all this in mind, let’s look at how to get rid of period cramps fast from a mechanical point of view.

6 Ways to Stop Period Cramps 

1. Calcium Supplements

   Calcium deficiency is common in our culture today. People have replaced milk with pop, carbonated beverages and coffee and by doing this, unintentionally lowered their calcium intake. We’re told that dairy products are bad when in reality it’s what is done to the cows that is bad; their milk was wholesome from the start. Adding a calcium supplement may help your cramps during your period. Preferably the supplement should be balanced with magnesium and phosphorus and the ratio would be 500 mg calcium to 250 mg magnesium and 250 mg phosphorus. The magnesium and phosphorus help with calcium absorption in the body. Take one capsule when you have cramps. Look for benefits within a few hours.

2. Magnesium Supplements

   Sometimes women are deficient in magnesium but not calcium. They may not eat enough green leafy vegetables but get enough almonds (low in magnesium but high in calcium) or may eat plenty of dairy products in their diet. If you’re taking a magnesium supplement, start with one that is 500 mg magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide if you want fast relief. Use 300-400 mg if you want relief at a slower pace. Don’t exceed more than 1000 mg magnesium a day as it can throw off the balance of electrolytes in the body.

3. Magnesium Chloride Topically

   Magnesium chloride comes in a liquid form. It can be used topically over an area that is cramping or is painful. Simply pour a little in the palm of your hand and spread it directly on the skin. Relief is instant. 

4. Rehydrate Your Body

   Rehydrating your body takes time – up to several days without an IV. But you can still do it. Thus this strategy is really one to start midway through your cycle. The easiest way to start it is to drink a quart of water as soon as you get up in the morning. This may seem like a lot – but it’s only because it’s a new habit. 

5. Sodium and Potassium

   Sometimes women are eating a low sodium diet and won’t touch a pinch of salt on their food. Couple this with adrenal stress and you have a recipe for period cramps. You always need sodium – and potassium for your adrenals and for proper nervous system function as well as muscle functioning. If you aren’t adding a pinch of salt to your food each day, you’re probably low. Potassium is highest in coconut water, so have an 8 to 16 ounce container of coconut water daily to beat the cramps.

6. Period Vitamin
   

   Your Period Vitamin is the way that you can beat all types of PMS symptoms long term. Many women find that their symptoms start disappearing and by the third month, they have all receded. The period vitamin contains vitamins, minerals and herbs that support your body’s reproductive tract during the childbearing years. It’s an easy to take one a day formula.

You can see here from this info that it’s possible that minerals and water are what helps period cramps go away fast. But there’s a lot more to learn about this topic. Check out our ebook on the topic of period cramps for a full explanation of the issue and all the different angles to consider when finding your solution. 

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What is the role of contraction and relaxation of the uterine wall muscles in menstrual cramps and their relief? What about food? Do medicines cause cramps? What herbs would help alleviate menstrual cramps and how do they work?

For the reason of the many angles you can approach the topic, that’s why you could literally have numerous different solutions and remedies for period cramps. Below are seven remedies for period cramps involving exercise.

7 Remedies for Period Cramps

1. Deep Breathing Exercises

   You only have pain when there’s a lack of oxygen to the tissues. Think about it. Even when there’s trauma, there’s also a lack of oxygen to the tissues. So deep breathing can re-oxygenate the tissues and thus relieve pain. How quickly? Within minutes.

2. Blowing a Trumpet

   To blow a trumpet, you have to take in a deep breath. You can’t just tweet out a little toot and expect it to sound good. Thus, if you have access to a trumpet, start blowing your period cramps away! By the way, you could also aromatize some essential oils for menstrual cramps into the air of the room. Focus on clary sage, peppermint, fennel and lavender. 

3. Yoga Exercise – the Cobra

   This is where you will lie on your stomach on the floor and then raise up your chest with your hands essentially in pushup position. You’ll look upward in the action. Hold for a count of 10. Then repeat. How long will it take to relieve the cramps with this one? It depends… 

4. Yoga Exercise – the Knees to Chest Pose

   In this exercise you will lie on your back and then bring your knees up to your chest. Clasp them there with your hands and hold them there. What will then occur is a relaxation of the abdominal muscles.  Is it a way of how to get rid of period cramps?  It may help when used with the other methods on this list.

5. Yoga Exercise – the Child’s Pose

   For this pose, sit on your heels with your hips backwards and then bend forward with your arms outstretched. Hold for a count of 10 to 15 seconds. Then go back to neutral. Repeat. 

6. Period Vitamin
   

   A Period Vitamin is a long term strategy for menstrual cramps. It’s going to work slowly because it’s providing vitamins, minerals and herbs that support the body during the reproductive cycle – your menstrual cycle – each day. When the body is supported, functions can go back to normal. And since it’s not normal to have period cramps, over time these will go away. You’ll have to try it and see for yourself. 

7. Colonic Hydrotherapy

   Colonic hydrotherapy is like a workout for the colon and large intestine. Small bits of water are allowed to enter the colon and this causes peristalsis action and you have a bowel movement. You have to go visit a colonic hydrotherapist for this solution but an alternative is to do an enema on your own. By cleaning out the bowel, you free up resources in the body to be used to combat your painful cramps. 

What helps period cramps for fast relief and for long term solutions is numerous things. Vitamins and minerals and herbs may be taken, home remedies may be tried, exercises and stretches can also be helpful, and foods can also be therapeutic. You can get access to all these different remedies that are all without doctor visits by reading our ebook on menstrual cramps. 

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First of all, you should know that essential oils have been used for menstrual cramps for decades. And that’s successfully.

The big question is what essential oil is good for menstrual cramps?

The smaller questions are what are the best essential  oils to use and should you use Doterra oil or Young Living Oils? Is fish oil and hemp oil considered an essential oil?  What about coconut oil, sage oil or oil of oregano?

Whether you are getting cramps a week before your period or during your period, you should give them a try. Below are some different essential oil recipes to use to start the process:

7 Essential Oil Recipes for Menstrual Cramps

1. Peppermint Oil Blend

Ingredients

• 5 drops peppermint essential oil
• 2 drops clary sage essential oil
• 2 drops lemon essential oil
• 3 ounces massage oil, preferably almond oil

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together. Then rub on your abdomen when you have period cramps.

2. Clary Sage Peppermint Lavender Blend

Ingredients 

• 4 drops clary sage essential oil
• 2 drops peppermint essential oil
• 1 drop vetiver essential oil

Instructions

Mix the essential oils and then add to your aromatizer. Infuse the air with the pleasant aromas.

3. Marjoram Oil Peppermint Bath Oil

Ingredients 

• 2 drops marjoram essential oil
• 3 drops peppermint essential oil
• Full bathtub of hot water

Instructions

Draw the bathwater. Add the essential oils. Get into the tub. Relax.

4. Lavender Massage Oil 

Ingredients 

• 5 drops lavender essential oil
• 4 ounces andiroba oil
• 2 ounces copaiba oil

Instructions

Mix the essential oils into the andiroba and copaiba oils. Shake to mix. Use for massage on the abdomen when you have cramps. Works well for muscle cramps as well.

5. Cypress Peppermint Massage Oil

Ingredients 

• 3 drops cypress essential oil
• 3 drops peppermint essential oil
• 2 ounces grapefruit seed oil
• 3 ounces almond oil 

Instructions

Mix the grapefruit seed oil with the almond oil. This will be your base oil. Then add the drops of cypress and peppermint essential oils. Mix by shaking. Then use liberally during a massage. 

6. Vetiver Citrus Woodsy Bath Oil

Ingredients 

• 2 drops vetiver essential oil
• 2 drops lemon essential oil
• 1 drops tangerine essential oil
• 1 drops sandalwood essential oil
• 1 drops cypress essential oil

Instructions

To a hot bath you have already drawn, add the essential oils. Add rose petals to the bath as well and then get into the tub. Light the candles and relax, letting your imagination go wild. 

7. Lemon Lavender Essential Oil Cream

Ingredients 

• 4 drops lemon essential oil
• 6 drops lavender essential oil
• 4 ounces shea butter
• 1 ounce jojoba oil 

Instructions

Mix the shea butter with the jojoba oil in a small bowl. Add the lemon and lavender essential oils to the cream mixture. Mix again. Place in a jar and use copious amounts the next time you have cramps.

Using essential oils can be fast relief solutions for eliminating your menstrual cramps.

For long term strategies, consider addressing your diet and nutritional needs. Starting with a Period Vitamin may be one of the best ways to go. It’s a supplement that is only taken once daily and contains the vitamins, minerals and herbs your body craves while it’s on menstrual time. What many women have noticed is that it doesn’t take long for the period vitamin to start erasing PMS symptoms. A large percentage of women get relief after one month of taking the supplement while a smaller percentage needs two months. However, this doesn’t mean that they can or should stop taking the supplement when they get the relief. The body still needs the nutrients to support your periods. 

Check out our ebook on menstrual cramps. It will fill in all the gaps of your knowledge.

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If you’re having cramping one week before your period or even cramps two weeks before your period, it’s a good idea to have a medical doctor check it out. It’s also a good idea to get to the doctor if you have period cramps but no period at all.

He’ll run a pap smear and examine you, asking you a lot of questions to find out what’s really the cause. For example, you might have endometriosis, which would be affected by the changing hormonal levels related to your period. 

What Causes Cramping A Week Before Period?

What causes period cramps is a common question. When the contractions occur in the uterus to cause the endometrial lining to slough off, then there’s a lower level of oxygen delivered to the tissues. Cramping during the period then occurs. 

8 Remedies for Period Cramps 

1. Heating pads – One of the Best Home Remedies for Short Term Relief
   Cramps are instantly relieved with a heating pad. 
2. Hot baths – Another Short-Term Relief Method
   A hot bath is like heating pads on steroids, especially when you add essential oils to the bath.  
3. Herbal Remedies – Chaste Tree Berry
   Period cramps that are due to hormone imbalances can be benefitted by chaste tree berry herb. This is an easy herb to take as you don’t have to be concerned about the taste. It comes in capsules so you just swallow one capsule a day. Usually the dose is anywhere from 200-500 mg per capsule.
4. Herbal Remedies – Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
   Add one teaspoon red raspberry leaf tea to a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for a few minutes. Expect relief in about 30 minutes.
5. Period Vitamin
   This is like a one a day vitamin except it is for you if you’re still having your period. The fact is that your nutritional needs are very much different from others who are not having periods. You have needs that must be supported. The Period Vitamin contains vitamins, minerals and herbs that will support your body physiologically during this time.
6. Vitamin E and Other Antioxidants
   You could also try a 400 IU vitamin E pearl (gel capsule). Antioxidants decrease pain by quenching free radicals that are created when the body is stressed or in pain. Other antioxidants to consider would include 1000 mg vitamin C, 10,000 IU vitamin A, or 200 mcg selenium.  
7. Walking
   While walking, your body is forced to contract and relax the muscles. This indirectly sends a message to the uterine wall muscles to relax. Plus while you’re walking, you will also notice how great the external environment is and what a pleasure it is to be outdoors. This will relax you, and a reduction of stress will ease period cramps as well.
8. Foods to Eat and Not to Eat
   Pineapple contains bromelain that is an effective pain reliever. For some people, dairy products containing calcium are helpful to ease period cramps. However, do remember that dairy products are lacking in magnesium, and magnesium deficiency is actually quite prevalent. This means that if you are low in magnesium and eat high calcium foods such as dairy products, you won’t notice a difference in your cramps. 

Foods high in magnesium include green leafy vegetables. 

What you absolutely don’t want to eat are processed foods, GMO foods and foods with a long list of chemicals and preservatives. Your body sees these as stressful, plus the high sodium content will contribute to longer cramps during your period. Foods high in sugar should also be avoided at all costs. Sugar creates low blood sugar, which magnifies stress occurring in the body. And stress then aggravates the cramps. One reason why stress aggravates the cramps is because of the effects of cortisol on the body. 

Have you seen our ebook on the topic of menstrual cramps yet? It can clearly give you a plan of attack for cramping a week before period is due or for menstrual cramps so you will know how to get rid of period cramps without a doctor’s help and do it on your own.

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Probably if you have severe menstrual cramps, you have wondered this a lot.

Menstrual cramps basically occur because there are contractions that are happening in the uterus to slough off the endometrial wall.

The contractions can cut off oxygen to the uterus, and then you have pain and cramping. 

Causes of Cramps During Period

Some questions regarding the cramps, especially severe menstrual cramps, that you might be asking yourself or your friends include the following:

1. Can stress cause menstrual like cramping?

Stress will aggravate every possible medical condition. And though it isn’t a cause of menstrual cramps, when you are feeling a high level of stress, it means that your cramps will tend to be worse. This is something you can check for yourself by rating your cramps and your stress every month for about six months. Then at the end of the time frame, look for patterns. 

2. Can period cramps cause nausea?

Nausea may indeed be related to period cramps. They can get so severe that you don’t feel like eating or drinking anything at all.  

3. Can constipation cause period like cramps?

Medical doctors will tell you that constipation is not related to cramps. However, think about it for a moment. When you’re constipated, there are a lot more toxins trapped in the abdomen that can’t get out. 

These toxins are initially contained in the intestines but they try to escape the area. They may easily diffuse into the reproductive tract since anatomically it’s very close. When you have your period, your body is trying to discard the toxins from the endometrial lining that didn’t get the opportunity to support a baby. But with constipation, you are multiplying the toxins. Thus, constipation can increase the cramping. 

4. What foods cause cramps?  

The only foods that cause cramps are ones that you are sensitive to. Perhaps your body doesn’t like dairy products. If you are lactose intolerant or sensitive to the proteins in milk, it’s common to have cramps when you eat foods that are high in milk proteins or contain a lot of lactose. 

Dairy products aren’t the only ones that can potentially cause cramps. Any food you are sensitive to will be a culprit. You can always do an ALCAT test to see what foods you are sensitive to. Check it out online. 

5. What hormone causes menstrual cramps?

Hormones won’t cause menstrual cramps unless your body is having a miscarriage. 

6. Does milk cause cramps?

Milk may cause cramps for reasons mentioned in #4. 

7. Is caffeine a cause of cramps?

Caffeine may also be a cause of cramps if you are drinking too much coffee. The mechanism may be the depletion of magnesium and potassium in the body since coffee (caffeine) is a diuretic. 

8 Remedies for Period Cramps

This list of natural remedies, including home remedies for menstrual cramps, will include 3 fast relief solutions and 5 long term solutions. 

1. Herbal Remedies
   One of the best herbal remedies for menstrual cramps is red raspberry leaf tea. It’s high in potassium and B vitamins as well as magnesium. Simply make up a few cups of tea by adding a teaspoon of the herb to the boiling hot water. Then drink it down over the next several hours. It helps normalize your periods.
2. Period Vitamin
   Included in a Period Vitamin are vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. One of them is magnesium, which relaxes the contractions that are occurring in the uterus. Another one would be the antioxidant vitamin E. Vitamin E will ease menstrual cramps. When you take a period vitamin, you take it once daily.
3. Specific Vitamins and Minerals to Take
   Magnesium is the easiest supplement to take for menstrual cramps. Take 300-500 mg magnesium once daily and wait about an hour for it to work. One capsule is needed per day. Extra won’t help.
4. Home Remedy 
   Take a warm bath and relax in the tub. Put on some nice music and add some bubbles, rose petals, and add some essential oils to the water. (Remember that you only need 2-3 drops of any essential oil in a bathtub; you don’t need a lot.) 
5. Exercise/Stretches
   The reason why exercise works so well when you have menstrual cramps is because exercise oxygenates the tissues. And since the lack of oxygen caused the cramps to begin with, you have a way of correcting the situation. Stretches are also in this category and they can provide relief. Focus on ones that will stretch out your lower back and abdominal region.
6. Foods that Calm Down Period Cramps
   Foods that calm down cramps would be ones that are higher in fiber, and thus move out waste matter from the intestinal tract. On the other hand, stay away from alcohol or tobacco when you have menstrual cramps, as they will worsen with these two.
7. Essential Oils for Period Cramps
   The most likely essential oils that will relieve period cramps are lavender, clary sage and marjoram essential oil. The first two have anti-inflammatory actions and have been found to relieve pain in women. They also inhibit the prostaglandins that cause the inflammation in the first place. Marjoram also inhibits the prostaglandin pathways and is known for its pain-relief as well.
8. Water
   Water is the universal solvent in the body and it’s known for its ability to decrease pain. This was made known by an Indian doctor who wrote a book called, Your Body’s Many Cries for Water. 

How to get rid of period cramps is an easy thing to do when you have a list of solutions! Check out our ebook on the topic for all the details. 

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Severe cramps during your period or cramps before your period is an indication that something is not going right in your body. They are not normal. So you’re going to have to get to the bottom of why you’re having them. 

The reason why YOU have to do this is because no doctor really has time to follow you around and examine all the details of what causes your severe menstrual cramps. He only thinks in patterns – and if your cramps symptoms don’t fit into a pattern, he will simply move on to the next patient and essentially leave you in the cold. That’s when you’re going to have to pick up the slack and start deciding what cramps treatment you need and what home remedies for period cramps you’re going to use. 

What to Do for Severe Menstrual Cramps

Below are 7 ways to help yourself for period cramps.

1. Numb Them with Cold Packs

Cold packs are one of the best therapies for pain. The cold numbs the pain receptors so you get instant pain relief. The proper way to use cold packs is to lay 2-3 towels down on your belly and then add the ice pack on top. Cover the ice pack with 2-3 more towels. Then let the cold “melt” into your body via the towels. It will take a good 20 minutes to do this but it will be slow and steady instead of instantly cold and causing more contractions. You can remove the cold pack after the area is numbed. Repeat as often as needed. The relief is instant.

2. Have Sex and Have a Good Orgasm

An orgasm is a good way to relax your entire nervous system – plus it’s a way to boost endorphins. Endorphins kill pain. During sex, there will be an automatic tightening of some muscles and then a relaxation of them when the orgasm happens. Some of these muscles are in the uterus. 

3. Have a Cup of Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is a very relaxing herb. It works directly on the nervous system. And that’s good when you are looking for severe menstrual cramps relief. Chamomile tea has been one of several ancient remedies used for severe cramps for decades. When you can relax the muscles directly, you can get desired results. 

4. Check Your Vitamin D Levels

In one study, women who received a high dose of vitamin D3 had 41% less menstrual pain compared to those that didn’t get the vitamin D3. The study didn’t mention whether or not the women were initially vitamin D3 deficient. 

5. Magnesium Oil

Magnesium oil is generally magnesium chloride and it goes directly into the cells of the skin. That’s why it’s so effective. It comes in liquid form. Simply pour a little into your hand and then massage it into the skin over where the cramps are. You can get it online at health food stores. It’s one of the remedies for severe cramps that can be counted on working well instantly. 

6. Period Vitamin 

Without bringing up a Period Vitamin we’d be forgetting one of the long term effective strategies. This vitamin supplement contains vitamins, minerals and herbs that support the reproductive tract. They’re the most important nutrients needed for the body during your periods and during your childbearing years. What you can expect is long-term benefits for your PMS, including cramps.

7. Boron

Boron is a mineral that when deficient, will actually cause the periods to stop. However, you still might have cramps (severe cramps but no period).  High boron foods are peanuts and apples and you can get the mineral into your body that way. 

Whenever you get cramps – whether it’s cramps a week before your period or during your period, there are solutions. Some are long-term and others are short-term. The key is to mix both of them together to finally find your answer. Check out our ebook on the solutions to cramps that you will find helpful. With all the solutions in one place, you are set and can dedicate your time appropriately to find a solution.

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You may have heard about different foods used as a home remedy but simply don’t know if it’s worth pursuing them the next time you have cramps before the period.

For example, do bananas help with period cramps? Does chocolate help cramps? Does pickle juice help? Are there any teas that help? 

Foods have powerful effects on the body. They contain hundreds of medicinal components that will  

7 Ways to Help Period Cramps

1. High Vitamin C

   When figuring out what to do for how to help period cramps, don’t neglect high vitamin C foods. Vitamin C is an anti-inflammation vitamin. When inflammation is raging in the body, then menstrual cramps will be worse. The vitamin C foods include citrus fruits, grapefruit or orange or pineapple juice, and even baked potatoes.

2. Vitamin E Foods

   Nuts are your best vitamin E foods. A handful of nuts goes a long way to providing your body with natural vitamin E. Olive oil is another good source but it has to be extra virgin olive oil as this press would have the highest amount of vitamin E in it. The olive oil also should not be cut with canola oil. It needs to be 100% pure olive oil.

3. High Omega 3 Foods

   Salmon, shark and cod are high omega 3 foods. If you can incorporate them into your diet at the rate of two servings a week total, you can boost your body’s omega 3 levels naturally without supplementation. Do be careful where you are getting the fish from, as Pacific Ocean fish may likely be contaminated with radiation that is still pouring out into the water from the Fukushima disaster.  Use Atlantic Ocean fish or fish from Norway and Sweden.

4. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

   This herb tea would answer your question on whether any teas would help you when you have cramps. To make the tea, add one teaspoon herb to a cup of boiling water or put it in the tea ball. You can also make your own tea bags by getting empty tea bags from an herbal supply store and then adding a teaspoon of herbs into the bag. Then iron the top of the bag shut to seal the bag. It’s simple enough that a child can do it. In fact, it’s a good children’s activity and they love learning about herbs. Red raspberry leaf tea is an ancient herbal remedy for all types of PMS symptoms. It normalizes hormone levels. 

5. High Magnesium Foods

   Dandelion greens are high in magnesium plus they will also cleanse your liver, so you get two functions for the effort of one thing. Both these actions will be what helps period cramps go away fast. Aim for consuming five dandelion green leaves a day. It’s not that much – but they are a bit bitter. Mixing them in with rice and other vegetables will make it possible for you not to notice the bitterness. 

6. High Calcium Foods

   Almonds are a good source of calcium. You can use them as one of the things to help period cramps. One handful a day is a good amount to start with; it’s equal to about 225 mg calcium. You can expect relief in a few hours.

7. Period Vitamin

   Now that you have diet suggestions about what to eat on your period to help cramps, remember that you still need the right amount of vitamins and minerals daily to replenish your needs and stores. You can get this from a supplement but it’s not any ordinary supplement. When you look at what’s available on the market, you have to be careful to select something that is specific for women in the childbearing years. That’s where a Period Vitamin comes into the picture. It’s a one a day type of supplement. 

Check out our ebook on menstrual cramps for detailed info on how to overcome cramps once and for all. 

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