Guide to Menstrual Cramps

Looking for home remedies for painful menstrual periods? Head to the kitchen! From parsley and fenugreek to foods rich in vitamin E, there are plenty of all-natural food remedies for relieving menstrual cramps. The purpose of this online guide is to spread the word about dietary habits, nutrients and foods that can provide natural relief from menstrual cramps, plus provide the readers with tasty recipes featuring some of the best anti-cramping foods.

Considered the most common gynecological condition in women, menstrual cramps and pain affect millions of women every month. It has been estimated that 60% of all women suffer from menstrual pain or cramps at least once in their lifetime. A significant portion of these women experience severe cramps that reoccur every month.

Painful menstruation (or dysmenorrhea as doctors refer to it) is primarily caused by hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. Each month, these substances are released when the inner membrane of a woman's uterus (the endometrium) starts breaking down. While prostaglandins are absolutely necessary for normal menstrual flow (they help contract the uterine muscles, squeezing old tissue and fluids through the cervix and out of the woman's body), excessive amounts of prostaglandins may lead to excessive muscle contractions felt as menstrual cramps. In addition, leukotrienes – inflammatory substances produced by the human body – are thought to play a role in the development of dysmenorrhea.

In some cases, menstrual discomfort is caused or aggravated by an underlying condition such as endometriosis. In such cases, treatment typically involves addressing the underlying cause of the problem. If the cramps are not linked to any other medical condition, doctors may prescribe anti-prostaglandin drugs or other anti-inflammatory drugs to ease the pain.

However, conventional drugs may have side effects, or they may not be capable of bringing the needed level of relief. Consequently, many women have began to look for natural ways to tackle their problem.

For many women, dietary modification offers an attractive natural remedy for menstrual cramps and pain. This section of the healwithfood.org website is designed to provide women with diet-related information and tips on how they can effectively reduce menstrual cramps by changing the way they eat. This online guide to relieving menstrual cramps is structured along three main sections: diet tips, food recommendations, and recipes featuring anti-cramping foods:

7 Diet Tips for Easing Menstrual Cramps and Pain

In this section of our nutrition guide to relieving menstrual cramps, we look at how certain dietary habits – such as eating foods that are naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, calcium, and vitamin E – can help ease the pain.

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12 Best Foods for Fighting Menstrual Cramps

Learn how wheat germ, bananas, pineapple, ginger, parsley, fenugreek seeds and a number of other common foods can be used as natural home remedies for relieving menstrual cramps. As a bonus, adding these all-natural cramping remedies to your diet may also help boost your overall health as most of these foods are loaded with vitamins and minerals.

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Recipes for Preventing and Alleviating Menstrual Cramps

Treat your taste buds to our broccoli salad which is brimming with anti-cramping nutrients such as vitamin B6, vitamin B3, calcium, zinc, and magnesium. Or how about some nettle soup specifically designed to ease menstrual discomfort? To view the recipes for these and other 'anti-cramping' dishes, click on the link below.

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