Don't forget part of being healthy and alive is having fun
Menstrual Pain be Vanished!!!
We all have a name for it, the monthlies, the curse, the visit from Aunt Flo. Some of us lose a day, a few days and even weeks to the cycle that makes us women! If you or a loved one deal with one of these, some of these, or all of these once a month or more in relation to the menstrual cycle, cramps, bloating, headaches, breast tenderness, mood swings, irritability what you are about to read my help you as it has helped me. Before any self-treatment check with a good medical professional to rule out any tumors or other like causes. PMS (not all women that have painful periods have PMS), debilitating cramping and pain, heavy bleeding, swelling up like a blowfish is NOT normal. Your body should have even ebb and flow to it and its cycles and only you can learn to and act on keeping your body in tune.
As I was researching this and going through many materials I soon found there are many reasons or a least many guesses to what can cause menstrual cramps, bloating, headaches, breast tenderness, mood swings, irritability and other things associated with getting the monthly period. Here is a listening of some of the more reasonable possible causes and some suggestions to try.
1) To much estrogen and not enough progesterone. The herb Chaste Tree works directly on the pituitary gland to balance out these hormones and for many it seems to be an excellent remedy for PMS and other menstrual problems. It is also used to help bring back a women's natural balance after stopping birth control pills. It has more progesteronic than estrogenic action therefore helps to balance a body that has to much estrogen. False Unicorn is also good as a hormone balancer and was used by the Native Americans as an ovarian and uterine tonic. Just to know it is also used to make one fertile so, if you don't want a child you may not want to choose this herb. Wild Yam also has a balancing effect on these hormones and is an antispasmodic which will help with any cramping you might have.
2) Lack of magnesium seems to be a high cause of menstrual problems. There is more and more research being down on this and it is showing that increasing ones daily magnesium to help relief menstrual pains is helping many women. You can find magnesium in nuts, legumes, cereal grains, and dark green vegetables. Magnesium also helps to relax muscles. When taking magnesium it is strongly suggested to take calcium with it on a 2 to 1 basis the calcium being the 2 and the magnesium being the 1. The highest one should go on magnesium is 700 mg per day. Magnesium isn't toxic even in high doses, but more than that will interfere with the processing of calcium in your body.
3) Too much high saturated fat. This doesn't mean you need to become a vegetarian, but you may want to cut down on animal fat. To much of it bogs down the body anyway. Most of us want a good hamburger or steak here and there. That isn't a problem. Eating at fast food joints everyday could be as in everything else moderation and common sense should be your guide.
4) Not enough essential fatty acids. Fatty acids are involved in producing progstaglandins, which again regulate the effects of sexual hormones. Lack of these fatty acids can cause PMS, breast tenderness and period pain. You can increase these fatty acids by taking primrose oil 500 mg twice a day is the suggested daily dose. There is a great benefit to using this especially for women who have breast tenderness.
5) Poor circulation is another cause of menstrual problems. Ginger is a great way to increase circulation. However, in the summertime also remember that ginger increase the bodies temperature so, if you are hot the last thing you want to drink it ginger tea. In the book Herbal Healing for women (which by the way is a great book) there is a tea that would be good for increasing the circulation and also good for relieving cramps. Cinnamon Ginger Tea, 1 part valerian root, 1 part gingerroot, 1 part cramp bark, 1/2 part cinnamon bark. Mix 6 tablespoons of the last 3 ingredients for this mixture per quart simmer for 20 minutes add valerian and infuse for 30 minutes or more. There is also a hormonal regulator tea in there that looks as thought it should work well. Two other herbs that increase circulation are cayenne and rosemary.
6) Low levels of dopamine may also be the cause vitamin b6 increases the dopamine levels. B6 can be very dangerous if taken in high doses some of the side effects of to much B6 are numbness or tingling sensations. The current RDA is 2 mg a day. And you should never take more then 50 mg a day and this is too much for some. It is also better to take this in a vitamin B complex or a multi-vitamin because magnesium and riboflavin are required to process the B6.
Above are just a few of the cause of menstrual problems and possible cures. These are the one that seems to have the most basis in some sort of fact. Women should also be aware that menstrual problems can sometimes bring on low-blood sugar hence the craving for the sugar. However, sugar especially loads of it just make matters worse. Signs that you have low blood sugar are increase in appetite, irritability, feeling faint, tired, and headaches before meals. What one should do for this is to eat un-refined carbohydrates about every 2 hours. Also reduce your salt intake, the body needs only 1800 mg of sodium a day. The average American diet has anywhere from 4,000-7,000 mg a day. That will bring a lot of water retention and you don't want to use diuretics if you don't have to because they strip the body of essential that it needs like potassium which relieves water retention.
Please sign the guest book and let me know what you would like me to research next on holistic health. Good health and soul to all
Tracey Griffith
June 9, 1999
Not held responsible for any information used as with any other information always double checks the facts. It is your own body.
References
Herbal Healing for Women by Rosemary Gladstar. Totally awesome book
The Complete Women's Herbal Anne McIntyre 1994. (Every Women and Growing girl should have this book)
Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs by Claire Kowalchik (Editor), William H. Hylton (Editor), Anna Carr, 1998.
Healing Herbs, Preventions Magazine Guide, April 28, 1998.
And just for fun here is another great book I love
Bitchin' in the Kitchen The PMS Survival Cookbook
