For some it’s simply an annoying presence, while for others (myself included), it’s excruciating, as if we were personally paying for Eve’s sins. That part of the month comes with contempt, knowing what pain it brings. We ready the painkillers and hot water bags, in a desperate attempt to curb the pain, yet we still tend to have an uncomfortable experience. So as a second attempt, we go to google to research on foods and drinks that reduce the discomfort, and this has been my general experience trying most of them.
Chocolate
This one I was eager to try, I loved chocolate so if it could help the one thing I dreaded most, then I would adore it even more. There’s something about being on your periods that keeps you eating healthy. I’d probably be the healthiest person alive if I was constantly on my periods, then again I’d be anemic, so maybe not. I chose a healthier alternative, being black chocolate, curious to see how it would react with my pained abdomen. And well, not as good as I imagined, it cooled down a little with reoccurring sharp pangs of pain every once in a while. It wasn’t a solution I was satisfied with, but I enjoyed the taste anyway. A hot chocolate drink works pretty well though.
Water
I already took this in plenty before finding it on the internet, and water has never disappointed. Despite several trips to the washroom, the water helps reduce the pain. Not completely however, you still need a pain killer, but drinking this regularly helps calm and sooth the pain overtime.
Bananas
Whoever said bananas help reduce period pain just wanted attention. I find bananas actually help kick start the dreaded pains. I recall picking a banana and eating it, expecting a more relaxed experience just to feel betrayed when I had to take a painkiller soon after due to the discomfort. This has not happened once, but several times over. At this point when I’m on my time of the month, I hardly even look at bananas.
Avocados
This works far better than bananas, any day actually. Besides loving its taste, the results during my periods are incredible, the pain tends to subside for quite a while after devouring it. This fruit basically finishes in the house in a matter of a day, thanks to my cravings. I honestly have no complaints here.
Calcium
I’m talking about leafy green vegetables. I constantly find myself eating and drinking away while on my periods. Being dehydrated or hungry is like begging for agony. And I find that eating vegetables right before taking painkillers helps tremendously, it’s like the pain completely disappears, for a few hours at least.
Tea
This works great particularly when mixed with cinnamon and ginger, I find that it also helps reduce the strain on my body. Accompanied with a good breakfast, and a painkiller, the pain usually doesn’t return for most of the day.
Things to avoid; Dairy and Caffeine
So one article I read said that yogurt usually helps curb pain, well that was a whole lot of lies, for me at least. I might as well have gone to stand naked in the cold (being exposed to cold causes me terrible pain) because that’s how helpful the yogurt was. As for the abstinence of caffeine, well that’s one of the reasons I detest being on my periods. I can’t take one of my favorite drinks, coffee, for at least three days,sigh.
Exercise
It’s not a food or drink, but apparently it’s a method to help reduce pain. This one has its moments, sometimes it really helps, but most times it just makes the pain worse. So my technique is to lie in bed all day, and keep busy to distract from the pain, maybe go for a walk at times.
Stoney
You know that drink that you can’t take in gulps because you’ll definitely get chocked, well I haven’t seen it in any article on the internet, but it works wonders. Give it a try sometime if you haven’t already, but if it doesn’t work for you, well were all different. It soothes me just as much as tea does, without including any breakfast, but a painkiller always has to be there somewhere, my insides are just one big drug factory.
