It’s almost as if you can feel it rearing its ugly head. You begin to feel more sensitive to even coffee commercials, you start to bloat and your nanas swell up like planetary nine and ten (running down stairs can even be slightly painful). And then there’s the exhaustion and let-me-stay-curled-up-in-bed-type cramping. I mean, you figure this is completely normal, right? Well…not exactly. In fact, I hear this story far too often on my Facebook Fan Page.
So I figured I’d break things down in this week’s video!
Period pains and what natural remedies you can incorporate.
Now when I say that it isn’t exactly normal, what I mean to say is that while it’s common, it isn’t what you should be experiencing. Truthfully, your periods are an indicator on how you’ve been treating your body a month or two prior to even getting it. You can’t expect to make changes a week or two before and get a miraculously pain-free period. I just don’t work that way. It requires a wholistic approach that involves eating the right foods, lifestyle (i.e. adequate sleep, exercise and relaxation techniques) and then key supplementation (literally in that order).
But Melissa, I need relief NOWWWWWWW.
I get it, so in this video I’ve provided several natural remedies that you can incorporate like the following:
Cramps before period
If you feel like someone is tying your uterus in a figure-eight knot, then there are several reasons why this is happening. According to Chinese Medicine this occurs when the uterus is “cold.” I realize this sounds abstract, but think about it, when you feel cold, your huddle, constrict or contract. The uterus does much of the same but it does it in spasms, so we need to warm it up. To do so, make strong ginger infusions which help to bring warmth and blood into the reproductive area.
For the cramps itself, add 200mg of muscle-relaxing magnesium citrate or magnesium bisglycinate at dinner roughly one to two weeks before your period. And lastly, I love Cramp Bark tincture – seriously it should be in every woman’s lady bit natural medicine cabinet. It does exactly what it says it does – it eases cramps! So take two full dropper’s worth directly in the mouth, three times a day away from food.
Headaches before or during period
If you get headaches before your period, especially if they’re one-sided or behind the eyes this is generally noted in Chinese Medicine as a liver-type headache, in other words, liver support is needed. Now in all gynecological issues, liver support or detoxification are needed and here are ways that you can love your liver:
- Start by adding in fresh lemon to your water, especially first thing in the morning
- Incorporate a milk thistle combo like St. Francis HepatoDR, which you would need to take two full dropper’s worth, three times daily in between meals
- Green foods – especially those that are bitter, which help to activate the liver
- Go to bed before 11pm. Burning the candle at both ends is disastrous for your liver function, so get snoozing and love your liver
Exhaustion during period
If you haven’t gotten your iron levels checked by your medical doctor (and your ferritin levels – which is your backup iron storage), then do so. Low levels of iron can actually create heavy bleeding; and the more you bleed, the heavier your periods will be. It really can become a vicious cycle.
If you do find out that you have low iron levels, I would suggest 20mg of iron bisglycinate, which is one of the most absorbable forms there is. Scared that it may make you constipated? Valid concern! However, the types of iron that make you constipated are poor forms like ferrous glucconate that you would generally find at the pharmacy (think about those little pink or green pills).
And lastly, I have a great little Iron-Rich Tonic that you can incorporate on the daily. It’s safe to take and super nourishing.
This wonderful tonic is rich in iron due to the nettle herb and blackstrap molasses. Nettle is also rich in vitamins, minerals and silica, which is excellent for hair, skin and nails.
The difference between regular molasses and blackstrap is that regular molasses comes from the first boiling whereas blackstrap comes from the third, which has been shown to be more rich in iron.
Ingredients
- Enough water to fill a medium-sized french press or large tea pot
- 3 tbsp nettle
- 1 tbsp unsulphured blackstrap molasses
- 1 tsp unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (ACV)
Instructions
- Add nettle into a French Press or tea pot.
- Add hot water and one teaspoon of ACV.
- Let sit overnight or for at least a couple hours.
- Pour into a glass and add in one tablespoon of blackstrap molasses and drink periodically throughout the day.
Now if you’re still struggling despite the recommendations above, there could be a hormonal imbalance of progesterone to estrogen (meaning your progesterone levels could be low producing a plethora of the issues noted above). If so, then make sure you receive my hormone-balancing love by downloading my FREE Pain-Free PMS Guide by clicking the link below.