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 

Why does drinking water matter so much?

Why are we always being told to drink so much water?  Do we really need to or is it a bottled water companies marketing dream?  I think a bit of both really!  
But there are some very good, often not considered reasons for making sure you drink enough water.

• Water ensures we remain energized: Suboptimal hydration slows the activity of enzymes, including those responsible for producing energy, leading to feelings of fatigue. Even a slight reduction in hydration can lower metabolism and reduce your ability to exercise efficiently.  If we are not drinking around 25-35ml per kg of body weight daily this dehydrates our cells and we cannot then produce enough energy at a cellular level. 

• Water is important for proper detoxification: Water helps our body to flush out residual toxins created from our own metabolic waste, as well as toxic chemicals, pollution, cleaning products, skin care/hair products, foods, alcohol, medications etc.   Without essential water it puts further pressure on our detoxification pathways – liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, digestive system and skin which can lead to further complications and increased sluggishness.

• Water is also crucial for our Digestion: Our bodies produce an average of 7 liters of digestive juices daily. When we don’t drink enough liquid, our secretions are more limited and the digestive process is inhibited.   Not enough water can also cause problems with regularity and lead to constipation.

• Important for healthy blood pressure:  A lack of fluids can also contribute to high blood pressure.  When we are chronically dehydrated, our blood becomes thicker and more viscous. In response to this reduced overall blood volume, the blood vessels contract and the body must work harder to push blood through the veins, resulting in elevated blood pressure.

So some pretty important reasons to remain hydrated.  If you are bored with plain old water add a squirt of lemon juice or some leaves of peppermint or lemon balm from the garden.  

Herbal Infusions and Fruit Infusions are another way to get water into you, as they don't contain caffeine and can be good for those who struggle with lots of plain water.    You can chill them
down and sip cold through out the day if you prefer.

Soft drinks, diet or not, will deplete you and do not count as fluid intake!

How much should you drink?
We're often told 6-8 glasses of water a day and this is a relatively good guideline. But it depends on each person - if you eat a lot of fruit and veges then you will be getting more water from them than someone who doesn't.

Also if you drink a lot of caffeine, salty processed foods, are stressed or exercise a lot then you will need to drink more fluids to make up for the extra that is lost.