Exercise away menstrual cramps

Menstrual cramps are pains in the stomach and groin regions as a result of a woman's menstrual period. Menstrual cramps most often occur in a girl who has just started having her periods, or after the first year. Surveys reveal that over 90% of adolescent girls report having menstrual cramps. But happily menstrual cramps tend to improve with age, and among adult women only one in seven report severe cramps....the kind of pain that makes you double over. There are biological reasons for cramps, but the pain is intensified by emotional stress and lack of exercise. In our pill popping culture, aspirin or acetaminophen is recommended for girls experiencing mild cramps, ibuprofen for moderate pain, and oral contraceptives for severe menstrual cramps. Herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, fenugreek, fennel, and Dandelion tea are also believed to relax the uterine muscles and ease menstrual cramps.

Exercises like yoga are the best way of easing menstrual cramps. The camel pose shown here helps to stretch the pelvis and belly. The Wide Squat pose stretches the hips and buttocks, while the child's pose relaxes the spine and lower back. Another useful yoga exercise for easing menstrual cramps is the pigeon pose.

Regular walking is another good exercise. Getting an abdominal massage and using abdominal heating pads seems to work for some women. It is important to also get adequate rest and sleep. Sexual intercourse and masturbation also works in providing relief from menstrual cramps.