Natural Ways to Ease Those Awful Monthly Cramps

Twice a month, Yahoo Health’s Hormone Whisperer Alisa Vitti, HHC, is answering the most common questions about hormones and how they relate to weight, sex, acne, bad moods, low energy, and everything in between. Read her introductory column to learn more about Alisa’s approach to stopping hormonal chaos and getting into hormonal flow.

THE QUESTION: Help! My cramps cause me to double over in pain.

ALISA’S ANSWER: I hear far too often from women that there are several days out of the month when cramps really sideline them from their lives. They are popping the Advil, Midol, or Aleve and they are on the couch until it passes.

I myself struggled with cramps and of course I needed to know WHY this was happening. And these weren’t just little polite cramps. No, I had cramps that felt like actual labor-like contractions that turned me green and sheet white, came in waves, and knocked me out.

If you know me, you know I have to fix my hormonal imbalances — it’s my way of life, I just can’t help it! So I took it upon myself to learn about the causes of cramps (and how to make the pain stop). Now, I’m here to tell you how to have pain-free cycles (and pass the info along to your girlfriends who are likely camped out in cramptown with you).

You don’t have to put up with period pain — not today, and not next month. And the good news: There are natural ways to do so!

The FLO Science:  Why do you have cramps?

There are two causes for cramps: one is chemical and one is functional.

The uterine muscles contract due to stimulation by a chemical series called prostaglandins. There are three types: PgE1, 2, and 3. PgE2 is the one that causes uterine contractions and pain. Leave it to the genius design of your body to have only one that does that and two that counteract it — yup, PgE1 and 3 are antispasmodic. They’re natural painkillers!

The more PgE2 you make, the more crampy you feel. (They also play a part in the vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches that come with your cycle.)

Meanwhile, on the functional side, pain can be caused by any of the following conditions: endometriosis, fibroids, infections, IUD, ovarian cysts, narrow cervix, or a retroverted (tipped) uterus. (For me, a tipped uterus turned out to be what I had along with elevated PgE2 levels!)

Related: PMS Week Cravings Demystified!

The FLO Fix: Natural Solutions for Cramps

Leave cramptown for good with these strategies:

Apply counter-pressure to the sciatic nerves in your lower back. Push your thumbs inward toward the spine and down toward your feet. You can apply a hot water bottle to your lower back, as well. Trust me, this works — I used this technique to get me through 20 hours of natural labor — so it’ll totally help your cramps! (Click here for more natural cures for cramps.)

Instead of Advil, pop some almonds! A few days before your period, increase your dietary dose of vitamin E and magnesium and continue this protocol two days into your menstruation. Almonds and hazelnuts are good sources of vitamin E, and leafy greens like collard greens have lots of magnesium.

Consider switching from tampons to pads. The insertion of the tampon can make pain worse for those who are sensitive to cramping. You can always swap back when the pain has subsided for that month.

To really clear up cramps for good, you’ve got to lower your PgE2 levels and boost your PgE1 and 3 levels. This, of course, is connected to what you eat and drink throughout your cycle as well as your general, overall health. Cut back on the saturated fat and dairy, which up that gnarly PgE2 series — and boost your linoleic acid levels by eating salmon, sardines, flax, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. These will increase the PgE1 and 3 series.

Related: The Nutrient Deficiency That No One Has Heard Of, But Almost Everyone Has

While these are good changes to make to help alleviate your cramps, you must take the next step if you want to leave cramptown for good. You can start with my 4 Day Hormone Detox, but another HUGE thing you can do is pay attention to your stress, and don’t be afraid to take it easy. Stress hormones can make menstrual cramps worse, so try planning your schedule somewhat to accommodate your period. This doesn’t mean you must be confined to bed for three days every month — only that you may benefit from easing off on unnecessary activities and appointments. Try being super selective with your period-day plans for three months, and see if you feel better from taking some time out.

Related: A Guide To Interpreting Your Period

Good things come in threes: I want to hear from you in the comments!

First, are you ready to leave cramptown? What suggestion are you going to try?

Second, what are your top health questions for me, your trusty Hormone Whisperer? Your question could be featured in my column!

Third, everyone you know is hormonal: Spread a little good ovary karma and share this article with your friends on social media, and be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter,Pinterest, and Instagram.

Need more Hormone Help? If you’re ready to get to the root of your issues, it’s time you started dealing with your hormones. Get out of symptom chaos so you can get back into hormonal FLO. Sign up here for a free download of my 4-Day Hormone Detox from my book WomanCode.

ABOUT ALISA: Alisa Vitti, HHC, is an integrative nutritionist, best-selling author of WomanCode, creator of the WomanCode System, and the founder of FLOLiving.com, a virtual health center that supports women’s hormonal and reproductive health. A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Alisa has been featured on The Dr. Oz Show, has a web series on Lifetime, and has been a regular contributor for CBS, Fox, Shape, Women’s Health, MindBodyGreen, and the Huffington Post. She’s also presented at TEDx, Talks@Google, Summit Series Outside, Hay House, WIE Symposium, and SHE Summit.