Please Help Now!

[iluvmangos]

I've been raw vegan since April 23. I got my period yesterday. I had no cramps yesterday, but today, I'm in pain. I thought I read a post here recently that someone said they used pineapple for menstrual cramps. I don't know if it was a recent post or one I found looking through old posts. I'm gonna go buy some pineapple today, but I don't know how much of it I need to eat to get relief. How much should I eat? Are there any other foods I could eat to help pain?

[iluvmangos]

I got some pineapple and chopped some up and put a cup of it in a smoothie with half a cup of red raspberries, a banana, and about a cup and a half of kale. Red raspberry leaf tea used to help me with cramps so, I was hoping the red raspberries would help, too. I did have some red raspberry leaf tea today, although it's not raw, because I was desperate and figured it was better than the ibuprofen I was thinking about popping. I like to take a natural approach if I can. The tea did not work for me at all today, but I hoped the raspberries might help anyway.

I'm drinking my smoothie right now. I don't really like the seediness of the rasberries in my smoothie. It's not the best I've ever had, but not the worst either, I suppose.

[coco]

pineapple has great anti-inflammatory properties, if you can have one ripe pineapple daily that would be great but cramps usually only last a day or two. someone else recommended blueberries to me one time but i don't know the science of why. still, blueberries, like i need an excuse to eat them!

when i used to get bad cramps a hot water bottle and rest was a terrific remedy. lots of fluids help, iron rich foods like greens and beets (juiced or not). i did use some herbal teas that i blended myself, alfalfa, red raspberry leaf, damiana, etc. there is probably a blend of woman's tea at the healthfood store, you could make sun tea if you are adverse to using boiling water though a warm drink can ease cramps too.

one last thing, visualization is a powerful tool. if you can open yourself to being accepting of your body's process at this time, it is surely doing a neccessary job though you may not understand the why of it. visualizing your flow in a peaceful, accepting way, seeing yourself connected through it to all life, giving your mental assistance to the cleansing and renewal of your womanly body... it can put the focus more on the process and lessen the pain for you.

good luck. take a warm bath or shower if you feel up to it and get into bed with a good book or movie.

[rawstrength]

The first few periods on raw were terrible for me. My last two periods I had no PMS and no cramps.
It's menstrual detox.
Coco's suggestions are great. Visualization and positive thinking, though they may not seem to be working, will help get you through this trying time.
Remember, it will pass!
Also, drink lots of water. Dehydration will only make the cramps worse!

[iluvmangos]

I've always had bad periods, unless I drink red raspberry leaf tea, but lately that hasn't even been working for me. I was hoping that this period wouldn't be so bad since going raw, but apparently a week isn't quite long enough. :)

The cramps were gone within an hour of drinking the smoothie. Before that, I almost thought I was gonna have to stay home from my daily walk, but the cramps never came back and I ate another thick slice of pineapple just before I went on my walk to keep them at bay. No cramps yet. :D

[Apple^^]

chives!
I only have mild cramps so I don't konw how effective it is, but it sure removes the pain for me

[klomasius]

Apparently the core of the pineapple has the most concentrated anti inflammatories.

I saw a youtube video where a guy cut out the core, froze it and put it through a juicer to make pinepple core ice cream!

Hope you get better. :)

[iluvmangos]

I feel better today. No cramps yet. Hopefully, I won't have any. I'm gonna keep munchin' pineapple today.

Thank God for pineapple! :D

[klomasius]

Yay pineapple. Tasty and helpful! :D

[annielauri]

Another fairly quick natural cure for cramps is to rub a mixture of clary sage, fennel and lavender essential oils on your stomach. I have a mixed essential oil from Aroma Vera called "Feminine" which is the clary/fennel. I then mix it in some lavender lotion. I don't mind the mixture of smells, infact it is very soothing to me, but my boyfriend hates it??? Works in 10 - 20 mins on even very severe cramps!