Healthy Diet And Exercise Tips That Can Reduce Menstrual Cramps

By
Mercy Ekele
-

Maintaining a healthy diet and keeping up a regular exercise regimen can go a long way toward preventing menstrual pain.

Read also: Healthy Tips To Help You Stay Comfortable During Your Period

Generally, a diet geared toward decreasing menstrual pain should be high in minimally processed foods, fiber, and plants.

Read on for specific diet and exercise tips:

  • Papaya is rich in vitamins.
  • Walnuts, almonds, and pumpkin seeds are rich in manganese, which eases cramps.
  • Olive oil and broccoli contain vitamin E.
  • Chicken, fish, and leafy green vegetables contain iron, which is lost during menstruation.

Boron

Boron is a mineral that helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus. It also reduces menstrual cramps.

Foods with high concentration of boron include:

  • Avocados
  • Peanut butter
  • Prunes
  • Chickpeas
  • Bananas

You can also take boron supplements if your diet doesn’t provide enough. However, you should consult your doctor before taking boron supplements.

Water

Drinking water keeps your body from retaining water and helps to avoid painful bloating during menstruation. Warm or hot water is usually better for cramps, as hot liquids increase blood flow to your skin and may relax cramped muscles.

You can also increase your hydration by eating water-based foods, including:

  • Lettuce
  • Celery
  • Cucumbers
  • Watermelon
  • Berries, including strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries

Calcium

This mineral can help reduce muscle cramping during menstruation. Foods high in calcium include:

  • Dairy products
  • Sesame seeds
  • Almonds
  • Leafy green vegetables

Exercise

The idea of exercising immediately before or during your period may not appeal to you, but exercise releases endorphins.

Research suggests exercise, is effective at reducing menstrual pain to the extent it may also eliminate or reduce the need for pain-relief medication.

Moderate activity such as walking can be beneficial during your period in place of more strenuous activity.

When To See A Doctor

You should contact your doctor if you have severe pain and very heavy bleeding. See a doctor if:

  • the pain consistently prevents you from doing day-to-day activities
  • the pain worsens or bleeding gets heavier over time
  • you’re over 25 and severe cramps are a new development

For severe cases, the best way to get treatment is for a doctor to diagnose the cause of your menstrual pain.

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