How to Treat Menstrual Cramps With Nutrition

Believe it or not, you can treat menstrual cramps with nutrition. Adjusting your diet can reduce the severity of menstrual cramping, especially if you suffer from moderate to severe pain. Most women suffer from cramping at some point from mild discomfort to debilitating pain. Being able to treat menstrual cramps with nutrition is an easy way to feel better fast.

Instructions

1. Eat a low fat, high fiber diet to treat menstrual cramps with nutrition. Many women crave sweet or salty foods during this time, but you should be careful of your food choices. This kind of diet also helps increase energy levels and stabilize mood.

2. Plan smaller, more balanced frequent meals. Space them throughout your day instead of eating three large meals. Make sure they are nutritious and include a variety of fruit, vegetables, chicken and fish.

3. Take a multiple vitamin with minerals each day. To treat menstrual cramps with nutrition, it's important to get that daily dose. Include important minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium, increasing the amount of calcium and magnesium before and during your period.

4. Eliminate alcohol if you tend to retain water each month. Avoid it completely or stick to mainly light wine.

5. Avoid diuretics. Even though many women have used them for years believing that they reduce period bloating, they can eliminate all of the helpful minerals from your body along with the water. Instead, just reduce your salt intake and alcohol during this time.

6. Increase your consumption of foods with omega-3 fatty acids. They have an anti-inflammatory effect and help to stabilize mood. These foods have also block production of prostaglandins, which cause menstrual cramps.