For many women, that ‘time of the month’ can be a miserable experience. There’s the bloating, backache, leg aches, headaches, spots, mood swings and cramps. And that’s on a good day. On a bad day, the pain can be so bad, it can leave you doubled over in agony.

While it seems like a hopeless situation that you’re doomed to live with month after month, there are some natural ways to get rid of those heinous cramps.

Why do we suffer?

Before we go look at the various natural ways you can alleviate menstrual cramps, let’s look at what causes them. Here’s the science bit:

When an egg is unfertilised, the womb’s lining isn’t needed any more. So, the body releases hormones called prostaglandins. They signal the muscles in the womb to contract. And these contractions push the lining out of the body.

Some of us have bodies that don’t make many prostaglandins, so the contractions won’t be very strong. And some girls, or women, don’t really have period bleeding at all, because their wombs absorb the lining.

For those of us that produce higher levels of prostaglandins, our wombs contract harder and faster, causing aches and cramps. And because the muscles in the womb are strong enough to push out a baby, some women can experience severe pain.

So, now we’ve done the medical bit, what can you do to ease the discomfort?

Keep up the exercise

It’s important to do some gentle exercise during your periods. It releases beta-endorphins, which are internal Opioids — your own ‘human morphine’.

Treat with heat

Your menstruating body will appreciate the pain relief that a heat treatment can provide.

One way of getting relief is to put a hot water bottle on your lower abdomen and leave it there for 10-30 minutes, or until you stop feeling pain.

A hot bath is also a great pain reliever. Try adding a cup of Epsom salts, as they have a relaxing effect on muscles.

Supplement yourself

Take calcium and magnesium supplements throughout the month, as they both aid muscle relaxation. Aim for 1000mg of calcium daily, and 500mg of magnesium. But if you experience loose stools, reduce the dose.

Avoid caffeine

Caffeine can worsen menstrual cramping. Unfortunately, it’s present in a lot of our favourite foods and drinks. It’s in most chocolates, teas, fizzy drinks and coffees. Avoiding these tasty triggers will help keep the pain at bay.

Add cinnamon to your food

The anti-inflammatory components in cinnamon make it ideal to treat menstrual cramps. It’s also an anti-spasmodic that relaxes the pelvic muscles, therefore cutting down the pain levels during menstruation.

Add a spoonful to your morning bowl of porridge or yogurt.

You can also create your own cinnamon tea by adding the spice to some warm water. Simply add ¼-½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to a cup of boiling water, and mix together well.

Get an abdominal massage

Light abdominal massage, as part of a full body massage can ease the aches and pains associated with periods by increasing blood circulation and lymph flow. In turn, this decreases fluid retention in muscles, tissues and joints. It also aids in the elimination of toxins and calming of the nervous system.

We can help!

If you experience monthly cramps and mood swings, don’t suffer in silence. Give Castle Thai Spa a call on 0131 629 0794 and we’ll come up with a treatment plan that will help.