counteract the prostaglandins
and reduce your cramps.
Exercising three to four times
a week is good for the overall
health of your body, but it is
especially important if you're
prone to painful menstrual
cramps.
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. Antiinflammatory 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