Easing Menstrual pain

Its that time of the month again and its killing me. So this time, to divert my mind, I decided to share some useful things you can try at home to feel slightly better the next time you get hit by this evil pain.( Guys who think "ohwhatsthebigdeal" can keep their smart alec quips to themselves.no, its not PMS, its YOU.)

1.Food- Avoid over eating at this time. It is better to have small amounts at regular intervals throughout the day than have three large meals at one go. Take care to control salt intake as salt will cause water retention resulting in bloating. Junk food and other fatty food especially fried food are a strict no-no.Avoid meat and dairy products though fish can be very good for you.Include vegetables, especially leafy vegetables, and fruits in your diet.Anything containing caffeine- coffee, cola, chocolate is OUT OF BOUNDS as is alcohol(you have NO idea how much they could hurt). But drinking anything warm will help so tea, especially herbal tea and warm milk are your new best friends. Dates, cranberry juice and Chawanprash cleanse your blood and ease pain. Not eating healthy at this time could also give you gas. Gas+Cramps= ouchouchouch. Drink lats and lots and lots of water.( You are supposed to drink four litres everyday on normal days, so have around 5 during your periods)

2. Exercise- Exercise can do wonders in easing the pain. Walking for about 30 to 45 minutes will help relax your abdominal muscles.there are also some easy Yoga postures you could try. One is lying on your back with your knees bent,slowly bring your knees towards tour chest and "hug" them for about 5 to 10 seconds. While doing so make sure you aren't putting too much pressure on your lower back.Repeat this 10 times atleast.The second Exercise is similar but in the opposite way.Sit straight backed with your legs under you in a kneeling position-so your bottom( for want of elegance) should be touching your heals and your thighs should be touching your calves.Now put your hands behind you or in front on the floor depending on your comfort,and bend till your head touches the floor and your chest touches your knees.Again, be careful to not hurt your lower back. You could also just sit straight backed and slowly breathe in and breathe out.

3.Heat- Anything that provides heat to the abdomen would ease pain. A warm water bath can work wonders. So can a Heat Pad or a hot water bottle placed on your abdomen.

Remember, these do not work for everybody.The whole point is to just relax your muscles and get the blood flowing without hiccups.So the diet is a must but the rest is up to you. Simply lying down and listening to soothing music may also do the trick for you.Get your hubby or your mommy to do a back massage for you!I do not personally take painkillers due to an unexplained fear of stomach ulcers(yes, painkillers give you ulcers) but a lot of the people I know use non steroid ibuprofen or even oral contraceptive pills.

And now I shall go kill someone(its not YOU, its PMS). Have a Happy Period.