5 Recipes to Ease Period Cramps

'Aunty Flo', 'That time of the month', ‘Shark Week’— whatever you choose to call your monthly menstrual cycle, one thing is for sure; it comes along with those dreaded period cramps, bloating, tender breasts, mood swings, and way more! If you're wondering what to eat during periods to alleviate cramps and discomfort, we have some good news for you.

Before you know it, you are reaching out for a tub of ice cream, a bag (or 2) of chips, or your favorite fast food in the hopes that it will take your mind off the pain, and ease those ravenous cravings!

While these may be great for your taste buds, unfortunately, they don’t help reduce the effects of your period cramps or the accompanying fatigue. But, before you give up and resign yourself to the fate that you have no control over your monthly spasms, we have some good news for you.

There are, indeed, some efficient (and delicious) ways to ease period cramps if you’re not a fan of painkillers. For those of you who do rely on antispasmodics, the remedies we’re about to list actually complement your pain aides.

All you need to do is supplement your diet and meals with the essential nutrients that can relieve period cramps – And these come packed into fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats that you find readily available in your kitchen.

But why do we get cramps during our periods?

You might have learned in biology class that periods occur when the uterus contracts to help shed the uterine lining through the vagina.

But what is not commonly known is that to enable these contractions, inflammatory hormone-like substances called prostaglandins are released. Too many prostaglandins can cause the uterus to contract strongly and reduce the flow of oxygen to the uterus muscles, causing severe cramps.

Essential nutrients your food should have to help reduce period cramps

1. Magnesium: This nutrient is known to alleviate PMS symptoms like mood swings, anxiety, and stress. It can also help with muscle relaxation and reduce headaches.

2. Vitamin C: It is well-known that experiencing heavy period flow can lead to iron deficiency. Having Vitamin C-rich foods during your periods can help enhance iron absorption by the body and keep extreme fogginess and weakness at bay.

3. Calcium: Most commonly found in dairy products like milk or cheese, including calcium in your diet is one of the most natural ways to ease period cramps. It helps reduce cramps, water retention, and bloating.

4. Omega-3s: An essential nutrient in seafood, Omega-3 plays an important role in reducing inflammation and relieving pain, even your monthly cramps!

5. Vitamin-B: If you are looking for a super-nutrient to fight off cramps, then vitamin B is what you need! It can help reduce most physical symptoms of periods like cramps, exhaustion, and even muscle pain.

5 recipes you can make to relieve period cramps

Lemon and ginger juice

An easy yet efficient way to fight off period cramps is to gulp down a refreshing and delicious lemon and ginger juice.

• Lemon contains calcium and magnesium which can help reduce period cramps and other PMS symptoms like muscle pain.
• It also contains vitamin C which increases the body’s ability to absorb iron from plant-based foods.
• Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that not just alleviate pain but also reduce bloating during periods.

Recipe to make it:

• Add grated ginger to a pot of water and boil it for a few minutes.
• To this, add some lemon juice and a dash of honey for taste.
• Drink about 2-3 cups a day to relieve period cramps. Yes, it works!

Overnight dark chocolate, avocados, and oats

We know how strong those sugar cravings can get during our periods. The good news is you don’t have to completely swear off sweets or chocolates when preparing a period-friendly menu.

Switch to a dark chocolate alternative and add them to your breakfast dish or post-lunch dessert. If you are looking for more foods that ease period cramps, you can add dark chocolate chips to a bowl of overnight oats along with avocado, and slurp it up during breakfast!

• Dark chocolate is rich in magnesium which is a great nutrient to combat mood fluctuations and stress.
• Oats are a good source of magnesium and zinc, but more importantly, they are rich in fiber, which improves digestion during periods and also reduces your cravings.
• To add the power of magnesium to your meal, top your oats or smoothie bowl with avocado, which can also reduce inflammation.

Recipe to make it:

• Add oats (as per your requirement), milk, Greek yogurt, dark chocolate chips, vanilla essence, and 1-2 tbsp of honey to a bowl.
• Mix well, cover the bowl with a lid, and place them in the fridge the night before (or for 5-6 hours).
• The next morning, grab your bowl, add your avocado slices, and enjoy!

Green Leafy Salads

The best thing about a salad is that you can customize it just about any way you like, and you will still end up with a nutrient-rich bowl that can help reduce period cramps.

Our monthly blood loss results in a depletion of iron from our system, adding to feelings of fatigue. Green, leafy vegetables are packed with iron, so add some spinach, kale, or broccoli to the menu to recover that pep in your step!

• Not only are spinach and kale a healthy iron reserve, but spinach contains magnesium and Vitamin B6 while kale adds the right amount of calcium to your meal.
• Broccoli is an ingredient you mustn’t skip in your salad bowl. Containing nutrients like calcium, magnesium, potassium, Vitamin C, and B6, it is a super-food that adds the right amount of crunch to your meal.

Recipe to make it:

• Making a good bowl of salad is as easy as it gets! Chop up all your preferred veggies (adding in additional ingredients like cucumbers, sprouts, carrots or avocados are great ways to ease period cramps)
• Cook/steam your veggies or add them raw (they are healthy and delicious either way).
• If you want to take it up a notch, add in some source of protein like chicken or Omega-3s-rich salmon.
• Add a dressing of your choice and mix all the ingredients together. We suggest using balsamic vinegar as it is rich in antioxidants and contains acetic acid which aids in digestion.

Cumin Seed Water

Cumin seeds contain properties that relieve muscle spasms. Since period spasms are what cause us the most discomfort, it’s a no-brainer that we need to add this to our monthly relief menu.

• Act as antispasmodics
• Have anti-inflammatory properties

Recipe to make it:

There are two ways you can add cumin seeds to your diet.

• Boil them in water and consume them as a herbal tea
• Sprinkle cumin seeds over your salad or add them as a meal topper.

Chamomile Tea

Yes, chamomile tea helps with period cramps too! Is there anything this divine elixir can’t do? In addition to being dubbed one of the greatest nighttime brews for those struggling to fall asleep, chamomile tea is used to relieve period cramps.

• Drinking chamomile tea has been proven to reduce the production of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins have a direct effect on inflammation, pain, and uterine contractions.
• Chamomile also relaxes the uterus, greatly relieving period pain

Recipe to make it:

• Chamomile flowers are naturally sweet and taste fantastic when boiled into tea.
• To add some zing to this herbal brew, consider adding apple-mint leaves to the concoction.
• Another favorite add-on is a pinch of cinnamon to enrich the flavour.
• Finally, the best tea that combines two of the suggested ingredients on our list – Ginger Chamomile Tea. The benefits of ginger listed in point one, along with the goodness of Chamomile make for one potent natural remedy to ease period cramps!

Conclusion

Natural ways to ease period pain are often overlooked due to the fast-acting ‘quick-fix’ medications that are easily available to us on the market. We are bombarded with media constantly pushing pills as the go-to cramp remedy, but there are other legitimate ways to ease period cramps that actually work!

This is great news for those of us who would rather avoid being dependent on pharmaceuticals to ease our suffering.

For those of us out there who just can’t do without that antispasmodic drug, we still recommend trying out these home remedies. You’ll be surprised how effective they are!