says Aldo Palmieri MD, an
ob/gyn at UCLA Health and
professor of ob/gyn at the
UCLA David Geffen School
of Medicine in Los Angeles.
A low-fat, vegetarian diet not
only helps your health
generally, says Dr. Palmieri,
but it can have an indirect yet
noticeable effect on
menstrual cramps, too.
Trying to achieve a healthier
diet? To start, swap out less
healthy fats like the saturated
fats found in animal products,
and choose healthier ones
like unsaturated fats found in
olive oil, suggests
the American Heart
Association (AHA). And if
you’re having dairy, pick
low-fat or fat-free products.
Overall, try to get 25 to 35
percent of your total daily
calories from healthier fats
found in fish, nuts, and
vegetable oils, the AHA
suggests. A balanced plate is
essential; examples can be
found at the healthy eating
plate site from Harvard.
Pop a Safe Painkiller
Not everyone wants to turn to
medicine to soothe period
cramps, but moderate use of a
nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medication
(NSAID), such
as ibuprofen or naproxen, can
help, Palmieri says.
Menstrual cramps occur due
to local release of substances
called prostaglandins, he
explains, and NSAIDs lower
prostaglandin production and
decrease overall
inflammation and pain.
Check first with your doctor
to be sure NSAIDs are a good
choice for you, especially if
you have a history of
bleeding or kidney issues.