No one likes getting their periods. It comes with a lot of mood swings, bloating, cramps, and the will to die. Growing up, I have always searched for ways on how to make my period cycle less painful. I am here to share a few things that made me feel better. But every woman goes through different levels of pain. These might not work for all of them. But giving them a try would definitely make you feel better.

Get moving: When we are menstruating, we obviously don’t feel like getting up from our bed. But, exercising does release endorphins which help block pain receptors. Even taking a walk can be very helpful. I remember in lockdown when I would not really move so much. I had faced the worst cramps so, trust me moving does help.

Yoga: There are yoga poses you can try depending on which body part your cramps are at. You can always look up the internet to see what yoga pose would help relieve your cramp. Yoga does not even require you to move.

Stay hydrated: we are more dehydrated during our periods which leads to more cramps. So, it is best to increase our intake of water. It will also help reduce bloating. If you are not fond of the taste of water, you can try drinking fruit-infused water. You can also try eating water-based fruits such as cucumber and watermelon.

Do not skip meals: during our period, we often don’t feel hungry because we are already bloated. But skipping meals only makes it worse. We can then experience abdominal cramps.

Resting: during our cycle, we are more tired. So having a good sleep is very important. Sleeping will also make you feel well-rested. 

Avoiding a few foods: caffeine, alcohol, excess salty and, fatty food will make your cramps worse. So, you might want to skip on that. For all the people who cannot start their day without a morning coffee, you can try drinking ginger tea instead. I know it is not the best substitute, but ginger helps soothe muscles.

A few foods you can enjoy during your cycle:

Dark chocolates: This is by far my favorite tip because I love dark chocolates. Dark chocolates are a great source of iron, potassium, and magnesium. We must also avoid sugary food during our periods as it makes matters worse, so eating dark chocolate might help.

Banana: they are rich in potassium, and they help avoid bloating. I always eat bananas during my periods.

Leafy green vegetables: I personally do not like green leafy vegetables, but they do help in relieving cramps. What I like doing instead is drinking a green juice that has kale, spinach, lemon, ginger, and lettuce. It surprisingly does not taste bad.

Fruits: fruits are rich in all the vitamins that our body needs during our cycle. They can also help prevent your sugar cravings. If you crave ice cream. You can always try eating frozen fruits with dark chocolate syrups. It is tasty and fun to eat. You can also try dipping fruits in nut butter. Nut butter is also a great source of protein.

I know these tips seem like a lot of work because all we want to do is eat, sleep and eat junk food during our cycle. But, I try to avoid the foods that would make my cramps worse. I’d rather eat healthily and follow these tips than suffer in pain. So, you can give these tips a try.