Most women experience cramping during their menstrual cycle. At times, this may make them miss work and affect their quality of life. Relax friends! Be happy & learn about foods that relieve menstrual pain. Start incorporating these foods to get relief from menstrual pain and regain health.

Choose Healthy fats

The right choice of foods will go a long way in ensuring the best of your health. Make way for healthy fats rich in anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids relieve inflammation and reduce pain associated with menstrual cycle.

Expert Tips

Include walnuts, almonds, chia seeds, and green leafy vegetables 2-3 servings weekly. For all fish lovers include 2-3 servings of salmon, sardines, or herring.

Love the B vitamins

B1 or thiamine deficiency shows up as muscle pain, cramping, and fatigue and are symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Eating dried beans, peas, fortified cereals, fish, and red meat (rich in vitamin B1) help to alleviate these symptoms. Vitamin B6 helps to reduce menstrual pain by relaxing the uterus. Include fortified cereals, potatoes with problems, headaches, and skin, bananas, and red meat are all good source of vitamin B6.

Make way for Vitamin E

Vitamin E improves menstrual pain as it acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory vitamin that helps to balance the hormone and menstrual flow. Include Vitamin E rich foods into your diet a couple of days before the cycle. Include almonds, sunflower seeds, spinach, broccoli, and fortified cereals to experience positive effects during your menstrual cycle.

Add Magnesium Rich foods

Magnesium is a great mineral that improves anxiety, sleep problems, headaches and cramping caused by menstrual dysfunction. It helps to relax the uterine muscles. Start taking spinach, soybeans, cashews, almonds, and fish (halibut) during your menstrual cycle and your pain lessens.

Tea

Tea is a good source of manganese. But avoid too many caffeinated beverages as it leads to greater discomfort. Ginger tea & chamomile is helpful in relieving nausea and bloating. Sipping a glass of ginger tea has proven to be very effective in reducing the pain from the starting day of the cycle.

Expert Tips

The best way to prepare ginger tea is take a slice of ginger, boil for 5 minutes with a dash of lemon juice.

Natural yoghurt

Yoghurt full of calcium has been found to ease menstrual cramps. Evidence suggests that calcium rich dairy products reduced the risk of PMS by 40%. The other good thing about probiotic yoghurt is that it is loaded with gut friendly bacteria that promotes a healthy digestive system and helps to relieve persistent bloating. A study found that a diet with calcium-rich dairy products lowered the risk for developing PMS by as much as 40% (yes please!) Probiotic yoghurt always contains "friendly" bacteria which supports a healthy digestive system and may help to ease persistent bloating.

Water

Adequate hydration is the best way to treat the cramps, as water prevents the retention of fluid in the body and helps the muscles to work effectively.