When you’re on your period, there’s pretty much nothing you wouldn’t try to feel back to normal.

Mood swings, cravings, aversions, cramps, and more can make you feel less than happy every few weeks.

And while some things can make us feel better immediately, often they are chemical-laden products that impact other areas of health and wellbeing. Dysmenorrhea, or painful periods, happens to 50% of women. If you’re looking for how to get rid of period cramps fast and you want some easy ideas besides using birth control pills or pain relievers, you’ve come to the right place!

Getting Rid of Period Cramps and Other Issues

Here are ten simple things to do to ease cramps and get your body back to normal as soon as you can.

1. Apply Heat
2. Eat Well
3. Take Herbs and Herbal Teas
4. Enjoy Epsom Salt Baths
5. Up Your Water Intake
6. Stretch and Use Yoga Poses
7. Sit in the Sun
8. Lessen Caffeine Consumption
9. Reduce Stress
10. Use Non-Toxic Period Products

Apply Heat

A heating pad or simple homemade rice sack (heat for 45 seconds or more) can help you apply heat to your pelvic area. Heat wrap therapy encourages blood flow to your abdomen and relaxes the muscles around your uterus.

If you want to up the power, utilize some diluted essential oils before applying the heat. Lavender, cinnamon, clary sage or roman chamomile are all great options to minimize the discomfort you feel in your lower back and lower abdominal. Simply add 2-3 drops of organic, 100% therapeutic grade to a tablespoon of carrier oil like coconut, and you’ll enjoy the benefits!

Eat Well

It’s a fantastic thing when you start to eat to fit your body’s needs! Omega-3s like fish oil help reduce inflammation and help you absorb Calcium, something else that can help make pain a little more manageable. Salmon with fresh dill and dark greens will give you a significant boost in these essential nutrients!

When you lose that much blood, you can feel a little sluggish from less iron in your body. To beef up your stores, try adding in a delicious steak or hamburger! But if you’d rather chew on some greens, kale or spinach will also up your iron levels!

Other foods that can help you are tropical fruits (banana, kiwi, and pineapple), oats, eggs, and a little dark chocolate!

Take Herbs or Herbal Teas

Herbalism is the art of assigning herbs to physical ailments for relief! We love this simple method to help your body feel better! Here are some of the best herbs to keep your women’s health in check and your cycle less intense —

Cinnamon bark: Reduces inflammation throughout the body

Skullcap herb: Can reduce inflammation and uterine spasm associated with painful cramps 

Vitex berries: Helps a range of PMS symptoms, including breast tenderness, cramping, and headaches

Licorice root: Contains phytoestrogens, which mimic the effects of estrogen on the body, relieving PMS symptoms and cramps

At Femallay, we’ve curated a delicious tea that incorporates all of these herbs and the right levels to give you the relief you’re looking for!

Enjoy Epsom Salt Baths

Most people wouldn’t say no to a delightful warm bath (with a precious few minutes to themselves)! But by adding in a cup or two of Epsom salt while on your menstrual cycle, you’re giving yourself a great dose of magnesium (reduces pain) while letting your stress melt away!

Up Your Water Intake

Drinking enough water keeps you hydrated, fights against headaches and bloating, and helps your menstrual period to run its course faster! So you can add “Minimizing pain during your menstruation” to the long list of reasons to keep drinking 10 cups or more a day! 

To further help your period cramps, try drinking celery juice! Celery is high is anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to alleviate muscle cramps and lessen headaches. This trendy drink does have incredible health benefits like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, potassium, and manganese — all with low caloric intake. Simply put the bunch through your juicer and drink 1-2 cups first thing in the morning up to 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything else. 

Stretch and Use Yoga Poses

Moving your body at every phase of your cycle will help, but here are some great yoga poses to help stretch out your stomach, pelvis, hips, and lower back and relieve menstrual cramps!

Adaptive Child’s Pose requires you to start with your knees on the ground. The wider you extend, the more pain relief you may feel. Fold forward slowly, extending your arms straight out. Lean your forehead on the ground, breathing through your belly. Concentrate on relaxing your hips and slowly stretch your back.

Bound Angle Pose helps to soothe your digestive tract and help you deal with menstrual cramps. It also allows you to feel more energetic, giving you a nice pick-me-up when you’re not feeling like a superwoman!

Another great pose is Cat and Cow Pose — simply move to all fours, with your back straight and knees hip-width apart. Take a breath in, and for Cow Pose, lower your stomach and pelvis toward the floor and look up. For Cat, exhale and slowly move to arch your back and look down. 

Sit in the Sun

We know the sun is wonderful for so many things! As you absorb your daily dose of Vitamin D, which happens to help your body provide natural menstrual pain relief, it’s also helping you remain calm and happy. Double win for you!

Lessen Caffeine Consumption

As we try to limit our caffeine consumption, one important reason affects the menstrual cycle. It can shorten your cycle to 25 days and lengthen your period because it constricts uterine blood vessels. By creating a diuretic effect, you may also feel stronger crams. Caffeine also contributes to bloating, mood swings, anxiety, headaches, and fatigue. 

If you can limit your caffeine during your period, your body will thank you!

Reduce Stress

Along with limiting caffeine, reducing stress is sometimes easier said than done, but it’s essential for your period health. Your hormones are intertwined, and excessive stress throws things out of whack. Try some breathing exercises, journaling, and meditating or praying to help reduce your stress and, in turn, reduce the severity or inconsistencies in your period cycle.  

Use Non-Toxic Period Products

Did you know that chemical byproducts are lurking in your tampons and cotton pads? So many disposables use chemical processing to bleach or sanitize the product without thinking about the many hormone disruptors left behind! When you choose a silicone or charcoal bamboo solution for your period care, you’re giving your vagina a break from the toxic load, helping it steer clear of unwanted potential carcinogens and other compounds that can disrupt your cycle’s health!

We hope that you can take a few of these tips on how to get rid of period cramps and find some relief during that time of the month! If you have any questions about how our products can help you have a better period, don’t hesitate to reach out!