You’re old enough to have already made up your mind on certain things you’d like to see disappear once and for all: crime, pollution, high food prices, animal cruelty and oh yea, your period! Some of you would actually not mind having your period so much if it just wasn’t so darn inconvenient and painful. No matter how you try to circumvent your life around it, it sneaks up on you sometimes like a thief in the night, ruining your planned vacation, your day, your mood, your emotions and sometimes, your clothes!

Well ladies, today is your lucky day! Prepare to discover five Ways to fight off, or at least have a cordial relationship with menstrual cramps. Some of these can also help in other areas like lowering high blood pressure.

Apply heat to the painful area

You feel all ‘crampy’ and cranky around this time because the muscles in your uterus are contracting. Heat, however, helps to relax the muscles and give you some reprieve.

Exercise

Since we were toddlers, we’ve been preached to and taught about the importance of exercise. It makes our skin glow, keeps us fit, helps us slink into those hot little black dresses and is overall great for our health.

Did you know though, that the release of endorphins, as the body pumps more blood, helps to ease your cramps? Well, you can thank me later. You don’t need an expensive gym membership to do the job, just run a few laps around the block, climb the stairs at your home, jog on the spot in your bedroom or let your dog carry you for a walk. Of course, it would be advisable to always check your doctor before engaging in any strenuous activity or anything that would cause your heart rate to elevate.

Chamomile tea

For years, this fragrant tea has been used as a sedative to calm nerves and now you can use it to calm those pesky cramps because the levels of your body’s brain boosting amino acid glycine have been proven to increase, while drinking chamomile tea.

Increased levels reduce muscle spasms and thereby, lessen your cramps. The ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians enjoyed this refreshing tea for a number of reasons, and now, you can follow suit.

Consuming fatty fish

Omega 3 fatty acids are good for your heart, but science has also shown them to be quite helpful in reducing menstrual cramps, due to their anti inflammatory properties. So, enjoy a delicious meal of well prepared mackerel, herring, tuna, sardines, or salmon, to counteract your bloating. If the fishy taste is too much for you, try taking fish oil capsules as recommended by your doctor.

Magnesium

I saved the best for last and here’s your green light to indulge in... Chocolate! Well, dark chocolate, but it’s still chocolate!

During your period, magnesium levels will fluctuate and you need those to be properly replenished to relax your muscles and ease cramps. Dark chocolate has about 80 per cent cocoa in it and will help to curb sugar cravings, quite common around this time. If you’re not much of a chocolate fan, try eating other foods to get your magnesium fill. These include nuts, brown rice and pasta, greens and leafy vegetables. Now that you’re well equipped to take on the river red, get out there and live your life with more confidence and comfort ladies, just the way you were meant to!