If you menstruate, then unless you’re particularly lucky, you’ve likely experienced menstrual cramps at some point or another. Can Holistic Nutrition Help With Menstrual Cramps?
For some, these cramps are merely a minor nuisance, but, for others, the pain can be debilitating, resulting in days lost from school or work every month.
When this happens, people may turn to heavy duty painkillers, or may even ask their doctor for prescription medications, such as, birth control pills to control their cramps. Unfortunately, this will cause a great imbalance to their hormones.
However, there are other, more natural ways to help deal with cramps, such as through improved nutrition. If this sounds intriguing to you, consider becoming a certified holistic nutritionist in Canada, or anywhere in the world. At Edison Institute Of Nutrition, you can study for a diploma in holistic nutrition online, allowing you to help others – and yourself — with menstrual cramps, naturally. Let’s take a closer look at menstruation and the ways holistic nutrition can help manage the cramps which often accompany it.
What Happens During Menstruation?
Menstruation or “having a period” refers to the body’s discarding of the uterus lining each month. This lining is in preparation for the possibility of pregnancy. If you don’t get pregnant, the lining breaks down and is discharged causing uterine cramping. This process can result in dysmenorrhea, aka, mentrual cramps.
What are symptoms commonly associated with Menstruation?
- Abdominal Cramps
- Breast Tenderness
- Mood Swings
- Sleep Disturbances
- Digestive Issues
- Headaches
- Fatigue
Menstruation is made possible by the production of chemicals called prostaglandins. Similar to hormones, these cause your uterus to contract. Overproduction or sensitivity to prostaglandins can lead to these contractions being very painful.
How Do You Stop Period Cramps With Holistic Nutrition?
If you’ve ever experienced painful periods, it can be instinctive to want to reach for over the counter medications like Ibuprofen or even prescription medications to help with the pain. However, medications tend to come with side effects. If you’d rather avoid the pharmaceutical approach, there are some natural solutions for menstrual cramps that can help. Let’s take a look at some of the ways holistic nutrition can be used to reduce menstrual cramps.
1. An Anti Inflammatory Diet
You’ve probably experienced the way what you eat can affect how you feel. We all know that eating a heavy, greasy meal can often leave you feeling unwell and bloated. If food can make you feel unwell, then it’s likely that it can also do the opposite and help reduce the pain and cramps that come with your montly period.
An anti inflammatory diet reduces or eliminates foods which can cause chronic inflammation, including:
- Simple carbohydrates, ie. pasta and bread
- Sugar
- Processed foods
- Dairy
- Wheat
- Gluten
Anti inflamatory food choices include:
- Healthy fats, ie. avocado and olive oil
- Cold water fish, ie. organic salmon and trout
- Ground flaxseeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Walnuts
- Carrots
- Leafy greens
- Sweet potatoes
- Organic Berries
- Citrus fruits
- Beans
- Turmeric
2. Iron
There is evidence to suggest that getting enough iron can help reduce the severity of menstrual cramps and PMS symptoms. Additionally, during menstruation, your body loses iron due to the blood loss that comes with having a period. Low iron levels can leave you feeling tired and weak, affect your concentration, and reduce your performance at school or work. Because of this, during menstruation, it’s particularly important to make sure you’re getting enough iron. Taking it with vitamin C makes iron more absorbable and can help prevent an iron deficiency.
RELATED: Feeling Tired? You Could Be Low On Iron
3. Magnesium
Magnesium has been shown to be useful in addressing PMS symptoms which include headaches, bloating, depression, and fatigue. This mineral is effective for relaxing muscles, thus minimizing cramps due to the contraction of your uterine muscles.
RELATED:10 Nutritional Deficiencies That Cause Depression
4. Omega 3 Oils
Omega 3 fatty acids have antioxidant properties, making them useful for managing the inflammation that can trigger menstrual cramps. Taking omega 3 oil daily has been shown to lead to reductions in period related pain and inflammation. Supplementing with omega 3s has also reduced the reliance on anti inflammatory drugs.
Omega 3 fatty acids are found in:
- Cold water fatty fish like organic salmon, mackerel, and sardines
- Flaxseeds
- Flaxseed oil
- Chia seeds
- Walnuts
- Omega 3 supplement
In our diploma program we will teach you how to balance your hormones and eliminate menstrual pain and PMS!
5. Vitamin E
A 2019 Study looked at the effectiveness of a few supplements, including vitamin E, on painful menstruation.
Along with vitamin D and ginger, vitamin E was found to significantly reduce the severity of dysmenorrhea compared to a placebo.
Foods high in vitamin E include:
- Sunflower seeds
- Soybeans
- Organic Peanuts
- Almonds
- Spinach
- Collard greens
- Beet greens
- Swiss chard
- Pumpkins
- Red peppers
- Avocados
- Organic Mangos
- Organic Blackberries
- Organic Eggs
6. Chamomile Tea
Sipping on a warm cup of chamomile tea can do more than help you relax in the evening. It can also help relieve menstrual cramps. Drinking chamomile tea increases levels of urinary glycine, which has anti spasmodic properties, helpful in reducing cramping. It is also a natural herb for anxiety, so may help manage your mood during your period.
7. Cinnamon
Taking cinnamon capsules a few times per day during the first three days of your period was shown in a 2015 study to help reduce the severity of symptoms associated with dysmenorrhea. This included reductions in vomiting, nausea, pain, and bleeding, compared to the placebo group. Cinnamon is also an antioxidant. You can also eat cinnamon, which is delicious, instead of taking capsules.
8. Other Solutions For Period Cramps
If you’re looking for more ways to help tackle those annoying period cramps, there are many teas, supplements, techniques, and hormonal support formulas which can be helpful. You will discover more when you study at Edison Institute Of Nutrition.
Some of these include:
- Vitamin D
- Ginger
- Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
- Peppermint Tea
- Fennel Seeds
- Dill
Other than nutrition, you can also try the following natural solutions:
- Using a heating pad
- Massaging your abdomen with essential oils (fennel, rose, lavender, and peppermint, specifically can help)
- Castor Oil Packs
- Orgasming – yes, really
- Exercise — as much as you might not want to, this can help reduce pain
Become A Student Of Edison Institute Of Nutrition Today
Does the idea of using food to help manage health issues intrigue you?
Are you looking to help people reduce their reliance on over the counter medications and improve their lives through nutrition?
Perhaps studying holistic nutrition is the right fit for you.
Contact us today and become a student at Edison Institute Of Nutrition.
