Ginger works as well as ibuprofen for Period Pain

Most women have some occasional pain or discomfort during their period. Typical symptoms include cramps, headache, nausea, backache, and fatigue.

Menstrual cramps or period pain are most often felt in the lower abdomen but may also occur in the lower back or spread down the legs. The medical term is dysmenorrhea.

Menstrual cramps affect as many as 50 percent of women of reproductive age and between 60 percent to 80 percent of teenaged girls.

There are basic lifestyle factors you need to consider as in my experience these small changes can make a big difference:

• Walk or exercise regularly. 
• Follow a healthy diet high in a variety of grain, fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetables, and plenty of cold water fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines. 
• Reduce sugar, junk food and caffeine intake

For those who really suffer you can try the herb Ginger. A study was conducted in America in 2009 that compared the effects of ginger and ibuprofen on pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea (period pain).

This was a double-blind comparative clinical trial conducted from September 2006 to February 2007. Participants were 150 students (18 years old and over) with primary dysmenorrhea from the dormitories of two medical universities who were alternately divided into two equal groups.

Students in the ginger group took 250 mg capsules of ginger rhizome powder four times a day for three days from the start of their menstrual period. Members of the other groups received 400 mg ibuprofen capsules, on the same protocol. Severity of disease, pain relief, and satisfaction with the treatment were compared between the groups after one menstruation.

Results showed Ginger was found to be as effective as ibuprofen in relieving period pain.

At the end of treatment, severity of dysmenorrhea decreased in all groups and no differences were found between the groups in severity of dysmenorrhea, pain relief, or satisfaction with the treatment.

So you can find ginger in capsule form in most health food stores - often packaged up as a travel sickness aid.

Or you can drink it as Herbal Infusion. Grate fresh root into a cup or use dried ginger root and pour over boiling water and infuse for 10 minutes.

I recommend drinking 3 cups a day - ideally a couple of days before your period, and definately during!

Click here to go the page on my website with more information on other health benefits of ginger....

Leanne 

More reasons you might need magnesium

Magnesium is a basic but significant mineral that is involved with over 320 biochemical reactions in the body. Because it’s such a critical nutrient, it’s a serious problem that many are deficient in this key nutrient.

The first sign you are deficient in this nutrient is leg cramps, eye twitching, restless legs.  Magnesium deficiency can also lead to constipation, high blood pressure and menstrual cramps.

So it's an important nutrient!  

Some of the reasons for deficiency include the fact that our food has lower magnesium content due to poor quality soil, we lose magnesium when stressed, and sweating causes magnesium depletion.

There are other reasons you need magnesium too.  They are easy to remember as they all start with 'I'....

• Insomnia can be caused by many reasons, with magnesium deficiency being at the top. Magnesium calms the nervous system, relaxes muscles and counters stress. Replenishing magnesium can lead to a longer, uninterrupted sleep pattern.
• Insulin resistance is when cells don’t respond adequately to insulin’s attempt to shuttle glucose into the cell after eating, resulting in elevated blood sugar and increased fat storage. It is the hallmark of pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Research shows that people with adequate magnesium levels have improved insulin sensitivity. People with the highest magnesium levels have a lower risk of developing diabetes, even if they have the risk factors such as smoking, low activity level and excessive weight.
• Inflammation is at the root cause of so many health problems, such as arthritis, heart disease and obesity. Magnesium has been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory. More than one study has shown that as magnesium levels decrease, CRP (a marker for inflammation) increases. Elevated CRP is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

A maintenance dose is around 400mg a day – if deficient you can take twice this for a week.