Best Home Remedies for Menstrual Cramps

Best Home Remedies for Menstrual Cramps

Heat
Applying heat on the lower abdomen is the easiest way to control menstrual cramps. Heat helps relax the contracting muscles in the uterus.

Place a heating pad over the lower part of your abdomen and lower back. You can even use a regular plastic bottle filled with hot water. Apply the heat until you feel more comfortable.
Alternatively, soak a towel in water, wring out the excess water and then heat it in the microwave for one minute. Place it on the lower abdomen until the towel cools. Repeat every few minutes until the pain is gone.
Even taking a hot shower may relieve pain and make you feel more relaxed.

Ginger
Ginger is a wonder herb that can effectively ease menstrual cramps. This herb plays a key role in lowering the levels of the pain-causing prostaglandins. It also helps fight fatigue associated with premenstrual syndrome and can make irregular periods regular.

Grate a small piece of ginger and boil it in a cup of water for five minutes. Strain it and add a little honey and lemon juice. Drink this tea three times a day during your menstrual cycle.
You can also add ginger in your food while cooking or suck on some ginger candies.

Basil
Basil is another very effective herb for reducing menstrual pain and cramps. The caffeic acid present in basil has analgesic, or pain-killing properties.

Add one tablespoon of basil leaves to one cup of boiling water. Cover tightly and allow it to cool. Drink this every few hours to ease cramps.
Alternatively, crush a handful of basil leaves to extract the juice. Add two teaspoons of the juice to one cup of warm water. Drink this three times daily while having pain.
You can also add fresh basil leaves to your food.

Water
It sounds odd, but drinking water keeps your body from retaining water and helps to avoid painful bloating during menstruation. Warm or hot water is usually better for cramps, as hot liquids increase blood flow to the skin and may relax cramped muscles. You can also eat water-based foods to increase your hydration, including:

lettuce
celery
cucumbers
watermelon
berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)

Apply heat
Heat helps to relax the contracting muscles in your uterus, which is the cause for your pain. There are many over-the-counter heating patches and pads, such as ThermaCare, Bengay, or electric, reusable ones. Or, even taking a regular plastic bottle with hot water and applying it to your abdomen is an alternative when you don't have access to a heating pad.

Drink chamomile tea
A study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Chemistry found that there might be pain-relieving properties in this fragrant tea. "This is one of a growing number of studies that provide evidence that commonly used natural products really do contain chemicals that may be of medicinal value," said Elaine Holmes, Ph.D., a chemist with the Imperial College of London. The research found that when 14 participants were given urine samples, their urinary levels had a significant increase in hippurate, which is a natural anti-inflammatory. Anti-inflammatory drugs help to decrease the prostaglandin production, thus relieving menstrual cramps.

Make sure you're getting enough vitamin D
Prevention is always better than the cure, which is why making sure your body has enough vitamin D is important in preventing menstrual cramps. A study found that high doses of vitamin D3 led to a significant decrease in menstrual cramps. As reported by Health.com, "40 Italian women were split into two groups: one receiving a single oral dose of 300,000 IUs of vitamin D3 and the other getting a placebo five days before the expected start of their menstrual periods." Their pain scored dropped by 41 percent, while those in the placebo group saw no change in their pain scale.

Buckwheat
Buckwheat is highly rich in bioflavanoids and alleviates heavy bleeding when you consume it along with vitamin. You may try having pancakes of buckwheat. Other bioflavanoids foods are mangoes, citrus fruits like oranges and limes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli etc which you can include in your diet for healing your uterus.

Fennel
This useful spice enhances blood circulation in the ovaries. Firstly, crush one teaspoon of fennel seeds into powdered form. Add this powder to one cup of boiled water, steep for 5 minutes, and drink lukewarm

Ginger
Intake ginger if you want to regularize your periods. Utilize it in cake, cookies, candies, or as an additional spice in vegetable curries. Generally, tea with added ginger is one of the most effective treatments. Or else, add ½ teaspoon of crushed ginger in one cup of boiling water, and drink it thrice a day.

Mint Leaves
This is also one of the best home remedies that you can use to get rid of your menstrual cramps. All you have to do is take some peppermint leaves and dissolve them in water or tea and consume on a regular basis. This will definitely help you to get rid of the pain occurring due to the menstrual cramps.

Parsley
Parsley is known for its medicinal properties and is also very effective in treating menstrual cramps. All you have to do is take some parsley and make a juice out of its leaves and drink it at the time of your periods. It is one of the best home remedies as it not only helps you to get rid of menstrual cramps but also cures irregular periods.