Menstrual pain is a common thing among teenagers and sometimes even among older women. However, there are many ways to tackle this problem in a more natural way so that women don’t have to go through this pain.

Follow these simple steps to curb the menstrual pain.

1) Exercise during your periods is more than just required. If your body is active then lesser pain will be felt. Mild exercise is a must. You can simply walk around or use treadmill for this purpose. This will also help in increasing the flow of blood and reducing the menstrual pain.

2) There are certain foods that can help ease menstrual pain and discomfort. Eat lot of whole grains like brown rice, popcorn, bread, pastas. Also include lots of fruits and green leafy vegetables in your diet during those days.

3) Use either hot water bag or ice bag whichever suits your body. Hot compress is more ideal as it can give you immediate results to ease the menstrual pain. If it doesn’t seem to work then use ice packs instead.

4) Massage during periods gives your body a relaxing feel. Try and do some gentle upward hand movements on your lower abdominal area. Repeat the steps 7-8 times. You can also use any of the essential oils such as lavender or rosemary for the massage.

5) Take adequate sleep as it will help restore the reproductive system. Lack of sleep can disrupt your cycle.

6) Take supplements like calcium and magnesium throughout the month, as these nutrients work in concert to aid muscle relaxation. The natural sources of calcium are soybean, oranges, spinach etc and magnesium sources are brown rice, bananas, dry fruits like almonds, cashews, raisins etc.

7) Cut down caffeine especially coffee as it narrow downs the blood vessels. Instead, drink a lot of water in your daily routine.

Dr. Shobha Gupta
IVF Consultant at Mothers Lap IVF Centre