10 Ways to Prevent Period Pain
There are many reasons for painful periods. While period cramps are definitely common, that doesn’t mean that they are normal. Any sort of pain is a sign from your body to investigate that something is not working properly or something is out of balance.
Endometriosis is an extreme case of period pain and requires a medical diagnosis. This condition has life-disrupting period pain characterized by a growth of uterine tissue somewhere else in the body.
Here are common reasons for period pain:
Period pain can be due to:
Nutrient Deficiencies: B6, magnesium, omega-3, zinc
Prostaglandins: inflammatory compounds released right before your period to help shed the uterine lining
Estrogen Dominance / Low Progesterone
Poor Estrogen Detox
Gut Issues
Inflammation
Lifestyle / Stress
Here are 10 ways to prevent period pain:
1. Omega-3
Omega 3s are one of the ways to prevent period pain. Omega 3s have anti-inflammatory properties that can help balance out prostaglandins that are anti-inflammatory products produced in the body. When produced in higher amounts, it can mean more severe cramping.
The best-absorbed forms of omega-3s are called DHA and the EPA, which are found in fatty fish like salmon and sardines, and fish oil. While there are plant foods that contain omega-3s like walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flaxseeds, these contain the form called ALA which does not convert to DHA and EPA that well. Since we need these essential nutrients, for vegans or those who don’t eat fish, you can get enough by taking an algae-based omega-3 supplement, a plant-based alternative for fish oil.
2. Magnesium
Another one of the ways to prevent period pain is magnesium. Many of us have low magnesium levels, but it goes unrecognized in clinical medicine because levels are rarely evaluated. You can think of magnesium as our calming and relaxing mineral. It helps to loosen tight muscles, maintain the health of our muscles (including our heart – the most important muscle), prevent migraine headaches, balance blood sugar, ease anxiety due to its role in our stress response, and ease menstrual cramps.
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3. Ground Flax
Ground flaxseed is one of the ways to prevent period pain due to its phytoestrogen component. Flaxseed contains dietary lignans which help to inhibit enzymes that are involved in estrogen metabolism, and are a type of phytoestrogen (plant estrogen). Phytoestrogens exert a weak estrogenic effect, so in the case of high estrogen in women, the phytoestrogens can inhibit the existing estrogen’s function which will lower estrogen naturally. It is important to note that flaxseed should be consumed as ground or milled because the whole seed contains a natural coating that our body can not digest fully. In order to get the most benefit out of flaxseed, pour it in a food processor and blend until it forms a powder, and then it can be added to oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, or pancakes.
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4. Turmeric
Curcumin is the bioactive ingredient in turmeric, making it one of the ways to prevent period pain. Curcumin is best known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It helps to reduce inflammation and scavenges free radicals that can damage cells. Moderate or severe cramping can be an indication of inflammation in the body. The antioxidant effects are beneficial to reduce the internal stress response which can balance out progesterone and estrogen, which results in decreased prostaglandins.
Curcumin is not absorbed well in the bloodstream. Combining turmeric with black pepper or looking for curcumin supplement formation with black pepper or piperine can enhance the absorption of curcumin. Piperine is the bioactive compound found in black pepper that has been shown to increase the absorption of curcumin.
FREE pain-free period 5-day MEAL PLAN:
5. Vitamin B6
Another one of the natural remedies for endometriosis is vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin used to create red blood cells and aid in macronutrient metabolism. Additionally, Vitamin B6 has been broadly accepted over many studies to treat PMS symptoms including pelvic cramps. Estrogen metabolism is another one of the properties of Vitamin B6 which helps convert estrogen into its active form. With its benefits in aiding in stable hormone levels, this makes Vitamin B6 one of the ways to prevent period pain.
6. Zinc
Zinc is one of the natural ways to prevent period pain because it can help to reduce estrogen and increase progesterone. This helps with period pain because levels are typically high in estrogen and lower in progesterone during the time you have cramps. Zinc is an important mineral used to help promote the reproductive system. A study found that zinc is able to increase the number of binding sites on a progesterone receptor which will increase total progesterone levels. By increasing progesterone levels you can balance out estrogen which is one of the ways to prevent pain.
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7. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is another one of the ways to prevent period pain. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that has many beneficial functions like improving immune function, creating scars for wound healing, and helps maintain tissue and skin integrity. A study found that vitamin C was associated with higher progesterone levels in perimenopausal women when typically they would be low. This shows that vitamin c has a hormone balancing effect that can improve and prevent period pain.
8. Vitex
Another one of the ways to prevent period pain is to take vitex. Other names include chaste berry, chaste tree berry, and vitex agnus-castus. The therapeutic effects of vitex are due to the indirect effects it has on different hormones and mood chemicals (neurotransmitters) in the body.
Due to the effect vitex has on the pituitary gland, increasing the release of luteinizing hormone (LH), this promotes ovulation and raises progesterone levels. This effect will balance out the estrogen and progesterone ratio making vitex beneficial for preventing period pain, but be careful not to take vitex because you do not want your LH levels to get too high.
Taking vitex for two to six menstrual cycles may help to reduce PMS symptoms like period cramps. Particularly it can help to reduce breast pain or tenderness, constipation, mood swings, and headaches.
A systematic review of 17 randomized controlled trials (the gold standard of research) found vitex to be safe and effective for PMS and PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder). Another study found that vitex is more effective than antidepressants for PMDD.
9. Manage Stress:
Another one of the ways to prevent period pain is by managing stress. Stress is a response in our body that occurs when there is a mild or severe threat. This stress response makes us produce higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, from the adrenal glands. Since it is a hormone if you have elevated levels of cortisol, this will imbalance estrogen, and progesterone levels. As a result, stress can make period pain worse because it will promote the inflammatory response and will also deregulate the hypothalamic-pituitary axis response in the hippocampus. This is the part of the brain that releases hormones and that contribute to the reproductive system.
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10. Balance Blood Sugar:
Lastly, balancing blood sugar can be one of the ways to prevent period pain. This is because when you have unstable blood sugar with intense peaks and drops, you run the risk of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance occurs when the cells do not accept insulin when it tries to input glucose into the cell. This causes a hyperglycemic state as well as a high insulin state. Period pain can worsen with blood sugar imbalances because insulin will stimulate aromatase, which is the conversion of testosterone into estrogen. The increase in estrogen is a factor for exacerbating the symptoms of period pain. To balance blood sugar as one of the ways to prevent period pain, try to eat consistently throughout the day. This means at least 3 meals with snacks if needed, skipping meals can lead to blood sugar imbalances. Additionally, at each meal, try to include a carbohydrate, protein, and fat source in order to slow the absorption of the glucose into the bloodstream.
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