You don’t have to dread your period any more! Here are 4 natural things I use every single month to help with PMS symptoms–and especially cramping!
Oh, the woes of womanhood!
It wasn’t until I was well into adulthood that I realized I was not immune to PMS mood swings. Actually, it was my husband who pointed out that I got extremely emotional, irritable, and even downright snarky at a certain time each month!
Menstrual cramps have plagued me much longer, though. As an eight grader, I writhed in so much pain on the floor of my best friend’s bathroom, that I asked her to bring me the tampon box, so I could get the 1-800 number to call the toxic shock syndrome hotline.
“Surely,” I thought. “Period cramps shouldn’t hurt this badly. I must have TSS!”
Then there was the time at summer camp, when I lay on the floor and closed my eyes and envisioned Jesus on the cross. I told myself that if I just focused on His pain, the cramping would dim in comparison.
It was not uncommon for me to pass out from the pain of period cramps, embarrassing as it was to have to be carried to the school office as a teenager.
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After college, I was a missionary for a year in Costa Rica. While there, my cramping was so extreme that one night I passed out in my bathroom and hit my head on the tub. I was all alone, but I managed to call some other missionaries once I came to.
They took me to the emergency room, and upon my release a doctor there put me on birth control pills to help alleviate my cramping. For a while this worked for me.
I have several big qualms about birth control. Long story short, I don’t take it anymore, and don’t believe in taking it. I don’t think it’s good for your health, among other reasons.
But I still had no idea what was going on with my body.
Fast forward a few years, and I got married and we started getting pregnant. We had 3 back-to-back pregnancies.
And miraculously, my cramping disappeared.
Looking back, I think I probably had some endometriosis. I didn’t know it at the time, but pregnancy alleviates endometriosis.
I was pregnant and breastfeeding back-to-back for 6 1/2 years. However, when my youngest started weening about a year and a half ago, those awful cramps that I had as a teenager came back.Â
I thought, “What in the world is going on?” I literally woke up in the middle of the night one night and the cramping was so bad I passed out just like I did when I was younger.
It was then I started looking into some more natural things I could do to alleviate the cramping. I knew that I did not want to go on birth control even though that’s what had helped me before.
The following 4 natural remedies have helped me tremendously. If you’re tired of painful periods, talk to your healthcare professional and give these a try!
4 Natural Remedies for PMS and Period Cramping
1. Chaste Berry or Vitex
My integrative doctor recommended that I take Chaste Berry, which also goes by the name Vitex. Chaste Berry works by helping to regulate your hormones.
Since weaning our youngest my PMS has really amped up; I have more anxiety, moodiness, and cramping. I can see a huge difference between when I’m taking Chaste Berry and when I’m not. When I forget to take it over the course of the month, I’ll have a really bad period the next month.
I don’t just take it during my period–I actually take it all month long. If I’m diligent about it, my cramping is not nearly as painful.
2. Female Formula from Trilight Health
The second thing I take is Female Formula from Trilight Health. This is an herbal extract that I use for menstrual cramps.
I don’t like the taste, but it really does help me. I just take a squirt right out of the bottle instead of measuring.
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3. Essential oil blend
The third thing I use is Clary Calm from doTERRA. This essential oil blend comes pre-diluted as a roll-on. I rub it on my abdomen over the area where I’m cramping. I also use it on my feet and on the back of my neck.
Plant Therapy has a  Balance Synergy, and Young Living has a similar female formula called Dragon Time.
4. Heating pad
The fourth thing I use every single month is a heating pad. The one I use is just a cheap heating pad from CVS. I keep this out when I’m actively having cramps.
Talk to your trusted medical professional about these four natural remedies for PMS and cramping relief. They have made a huge difference in my life and I love that I don’t have to rely on traditional painkillers!
Jessica
I’m so glad I read this as your story sounds just like me! I used to get “attacks” as I called them because my cramps were so bad I would be almost passed out in the floor. It went away when I was put on birth control. Then I went off and got pregnant. Now I’m 8 months postpartum with my second and having very bad cramping from my cycles trying to come back so I’ve been needing to try something natural to help.
Angela Ferrara
Just a little fyi. Redheads feel more pain than the general population. It has something to do with the redheaded mutant gene. Lol. My oral surgeon gave me extra anesthesia due to this fact.
From one redhead to another.
Angela
Marcie
Thank you for these recommendations! I have terrible cramps due to Endometriosis and am willing to try almost anything!
Heart
What happened to you (during your mission) in your bathroom was really scary! Good thing you had managed to ask for help. Even if I don’t have cramps that much, I still need to take note of your recommendations so I’ll know what to do when it attacks me. Thanks for sharing.
Kaitlyn
Thanks for the info!
I don’t usually experience cramps this painful. But I have found taking extra Magnesium Glycinate, even topically applying Magnesium oil, and taking Fish Oil has decreased my cramping a lot.
wendy
I use Vitex, Sloflo, red raspberry leaf, and essential oils to help with mine. Unfortunetly my oldest (15) none of this works on her and she vomits from the pain each month. We are trying BC pills, but not sure if they are going to work yet, only been two months so far, and still pain and very unpredictably. I feel bad that she took after me on this one, at least her twins sisters don’t seem to have this problem. Oh yeah, and the terrible leg cramps I get at night that would wake me up, coconut water (Nirvana organic) stops the pain and lets me sleep.
lyss
What? I don’t have to dread my period??! Sounds like a dream! I used to resort to ibuprofen, but lately it doesn’t even touch it, so I don’t bother. : ( I guess the only herb I’ve tried is red raspberry leaf, which I still drink because it’s supposed to be so good, but it doesn’t help much. Magnesium oil didn’t help. Homeopathic remedy was a joke.
I think I’ll have to try chasteberry. How long did it take for it to start working for you? Hormone help is what I need. I’ve always had cramps, but PMS seems to be getting worse, too. As in, period pain off and on for at least a week before my period! I just want to be normal and not have to schedule my life around “that time” especially since it’s sometimes unpredictable. Going to try some herbs…
Agnes
Pilates excercises and Magnesium, worked like charm for me. It was the third month after I joined Pilates classes (1-2 a week) when I was expecting the cramps, had the Ibuprophen pills ready at work, and the cramps would not come. No pain at all! After I quit the classes the cramps were back in 2-3 months so seems like the excercises do something to deep muscles that help reduce the pain. When I can’t go to classes I take Magnesium, it helps a bit.
Erin
Thanks so much for sharing about the pilates! That is awesome!!
Cari
Raspberry Leaf tea from Traditional Medicinals is the only thing that I use and it really helps me.