It is that time of being a woman… cramps… moodiness… just want to curl up in a dark room with a movie on, an oversized chunky throw, and a bowl containing a never-ending supply of chocolate. It seems to be the normal thing to do everywhere during your cycle, but what no one talks about is the fact that you don’t need to be a prisoner to your painful body for a week every month. You can use these 3 brilliant steps to stop moodiness and cramps naturally, and permanently.
Yup. I said it. The girl who used to spend an entire 8 days each month curled up in a fetal position nearly in tears, gripping a bottle of Aleve that never actually worked for me, convincing myself that if I didn’t take the pills it might be worse. I could barely function and accepted it as just a part of being a woman. I mean… all my friends dealt with some intense cramping too, so it must be normal… right?
Stop your period cramps with these 3 brilliant ideas to stop moodiness & cramps, naturally
- Give your intestinal microbiome balance a boost
- Ditch toxic disposable tampons and pads for healthier alternatives
- Use essential oils
Gut health, microbiome gut flora balance, and how it helps
Those three tips are exactly what I did to go from an 8 day extremely painful period to a 3 day, light cycle that I barely notice.
It’s pretty wild. All the science and classes I took growing up and since becoming an adult studying through a nursing program during my last year in the Navy never indicated that our gut would have anything to do with our overall health, let alone our menstrual cycles. But alas… I came across some research that discussed it while pursuing natural remedies for my chronic autoimmune and seizure disorder.
Turns out, that when you have a poor microbiome balance (think Candida), it causes you to become estrogen dominant and can cause a whole host of issues. Fixing your gut health helps tame that gut flora balance, and decreases a lot of inflammation issues along with decreasing period cramping severity… and autoimmune stuff (thankfully), including PMS & Candida Overgrowth
While changing my eating habits did help some with my intense cramping making them more manageable, I still hated the pain coming from that time of the month. I learned along the way to defeating my systemic candida issues that gut health goes a long way to also clearing up menstrual cramps, moodiness, and chronic inflammation. I was pleasantly surprised after taking a probiotic drink how simple and effective just supporting your gut health can be.
Stop using harmful feminine hygiene products!
This one was HUGE for me. We swapped out all our household cleaners, personal care products, and cosmetics as a means to decrease and eventually stop my seizures and chronic autoimmune disorder. And it worked beautifully (I’ve been fully symptom-free since 2013). But I never thought a feminine hygiene product would be something to worry about until I researched what is actually in them.
By definition, feminine hygiene products (think pads, tampons…etc) are medical products. I assumed because of that status that there must have been more safety testing than my shampoo. I was horribly wrong. Disposable tampons and Pads are very much toxic products. And the chemicals used in them somehow manipulate the sensitive area of our bodies which causes heavier bleeding, which causes additional cramping.
Since learning that, we hightailed my computer browser over to Amazon and ordered a few new products: cloth pads and 2 silicone cups… which are all washable, reusable, non-toxic, AND since using them, my periods have become significantly, lighter and shorter, and less painful. I can actually function now like a normal person during that week every month.
And yes, I do recommend having more than one silicone menstrual cup. It has been invaluably convenient to have a clean one at all times.
I’ve noticed since using the cloth pads and menstrual cups that I need less. I use fewer pads and need fewer cup changes each day because my cycles became lighter. Huge win.
7 essential oils great for helping your menstrual pain not be so obnoxiously troublesome:
Essential oils are a HUGE part of my life (obviously). There isn’t much of anything I don’t use them for because they work so well. Period cramps are no different. This is my go-to for completely removing all my menstrual pain, naturally!
There are several essential oils that can help you tame your inner beast.
DIY Period Relief Essential Oil Blends
Personally, I don’t really DIY essential oil blends for my cycles… mainly because I want something I can keep on hand that is available quickly. I don’t often think about period cramps until they sneak up on me IF they do (they often don’t anymore, which is why I rarely think about it). So I tend to go for my favorite pre-made blend.
Happy Period Essential Oil Blend:
- 6 drops Fennel essential oil
- 6 drops Clary Sage essential oil
- 5 drops Marjoram essential oil
- 2 drops Lavender essential oil
- 1 drop Yarrow essential oil
- 1 drop Jasmine essential oil
** PLEASE NOTE ** Don’t be fooled by clever marketing. Not all essential oils are created equally. Don’t miss my complete guide on how to find quality pure essential oils to ensure you’re not wasting your money on brands that legally conduct misleading, unethical, and deceitful marketing practices.
Have you tried these tips for having a happier period??
I’d love to hear about your experiences and questions in the comments below!
Looking for more info about adopting a healthier lifestyle? Check out our online courses or my home business opportunity centered around maximizing your physical and mental health.
Nicole is a military-trained research analyst, homeschooling mom, healthy lifestyle coach, flexible business consultant, and writer for MotherhoodTruth.com and GracefullyAbundant.com. After living through and overcoming a season of homelessness and chronic health, Nicole developed a passion for helping others develop healthier habits using functional nutrition, herbalism, and renewing faith.