Lifestyle Choices That Affect Menstrual Cramps

Last Updated on Monday, 16 August 2010 04:01 Written by Natural Health Team Monday, 16 August 2010 04:01

Health Information about Lifestyle Choices That Affect Menstrual Cramps

The importance of a healthy diet and an active lifestyle has been branded into our minds over our lifetimes, and there is a good reason for it — these activities lead to an overall better life.  Moreover, when it comes to lessening or even completely eliminating menstrual cramps — your lifestyle can play a major role regarding the severity of these unwanted monthly pains.

Obesity, drinking and smoking

In 1996, the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reported findings on a study that followed 165 women over the period of one year. The most telling findings of this study concluded:

* Very heavy women increased the risk of succumbing to menstrual cramps by about 75%

* Active smokers increased their risk of suffering from cramping pain two or more days by about 50%

* Drinking (alcohol) while dealing with menstrual cramps increased the intensity of, and the duration of, the cramps.

In simple terms — being obese, or even overweight, is a major contributing factor to menstrual cramps, being an active smoker may significantly increase your chances of extending the length of time you have to deal with menstrual cramps, and drinking during your time of the month may very well make your cramps hurt more and last longer.  This study performed some twelve years ago really underscores the need for women to choose moderation over indulgences, and a health-conscious lifestyle over one rife with vices.

Importance of exercise and rest

When you are talking about lifestyle, rest and exercise naturally fall in line here. We all know that exercise is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, but where it is especially relevant to warding off menstrual cramp pains is in what exercise helps to produce in our bodies — endorphins.

Endorphins are our built-in “happy pills”, or more aptly — like the morphine button they give out at the hospital to injured or ill patients; they are our bodies natural pain killers. Exercise stimulates, or triggers, endorphin production during the initial stages of a workout regimen, and can have a significant impact on the amount of pain that you might experience during your period.  Now, while you can reserve your exercise routine to your time of the month and will still benefit from the release of endorphins — making a lifestyle choice of continual exercise can make it much easier to commit to a half-hour of light exercise during your period to help alleviate any pain or discomfort that you feel at that time.

Proper rest, much like exercise, is an important factor in your bodies ability to deal with pain adequately.  In our never-a-dull-moment society, many of us fail to get adequate sleep at night, or even “down time” during the day.  A well-rested body is more capable of coping with, and compensating for, painful menstrual cramps.

In all honestly, maintaining a healthy lifestyle — one that incorporates ongoing exercise, a conscious effort to maintain a healthy weight, getting plenty of rest and giving up unhealthy vices, especially during your period, may be all it takes to lessen the intensity of, or to eliminate completely, the monthly pain felt from menstrual cramping.

Animated video demonstrating how menstruation happens and how this often leads to painful menstrual cramps

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Healthy Food Choices During Pregnancy

Last Updated on Friday, 15 January 2010 01:32 Written by Natural Health Team Friday, 15 January 2010 01:32

When a woman becomes pregnant, it is always imperative that she will take care of her health in a more careful manner than ever. Because pregnancy involves the phase wherein a baby is prepared for its entry into the world in her mother’s womb, it is important for the baby to obtain the proper amount and kind of nutrients that will ensure a healthy and safe delivery.

Eating Right during Pregnancy

There are various factors that a woman can do to ensure that her health and that of the baby is in good state. For some women, a little exercise will help while others have their own routine that are also beneficial for the baby and for the mother, along with providing a hope for a safe delivery. However, one thing that a pregnant woman should not ignore is to make the healthy choices of foods during pregnancy.

During pregnancy, the baby is totally dependent on its mother for nutrients. This is why a pregnant woman must bear in mind that what she eats is not only for her own health but for the baby as well. Here, a lot of misinterpretations exist. Some pregnant women insist that just because there are now two of them to feed, it means she has to double her regular food intake. This is entirely wrong. She does not necessarily have to double her food intake. She just need to make sure that the proper dose of the needed nutrients is more than enough. She also needs to make the healthy food choices.

Healthy Foods to Eat during Pregnancy

What are the healthy food choices for pregnant women? There may not be a single list of foods that will be good for all pregnant women. This is because each pregnant woman has her own unique needs. Nonetheless, it is possible to list down foods that will be right for all pregnant women regardless of their state:

Lean meat, fish, eggs, and peanut butter. These are rich in protein and they help regulate the protein concentration in a pregnant woman’s body. Inability to regulate protein content in the body, especially in the urine, may cause preeclampsia, which can have fatal consequences. Protein is also vital for cell growth and blood production. These foods are likewise good sources for iron, which is critical in blood cell production.

Bread, cereals, rice, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables. These are rich sources of carbohydrates, which are needed for the body’s energy. Moreover, carbohydrates also help in keeping the body warm.

Milk, cheese, yogurt, and sardines. These are rich in calcium, which is very vital in making sure that bones are strong as well as in maintaining nerve function.

Carrots, sweet potatoes, and leafy green vegetables. These are important for having a healthy skin, for bone growth, and for good eyesight.

Citrus fruit, tomatoes, and fortified fruit juices. These are great sources of vitamin C, which is needed to aid in iron absorption and for healthy gums, bones, and teeth.

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What are some healthy food choices for my one year old?

Last Updated on Thursday, 24 December 2009 01:32 Written by Natural Health Team Thursday, 24 December 2009 01:32

I don’t want to be the too busy mom who warms up mac and cheese or spaghetti O’s for her little one. I want him to have healthy meals to set him up to make healthy decisions later on. I’m just running out of ideas for him. He won’t be one until September, but he already is through with me spoon feeding him. Also, I’m so used to watching how much he eats by reading the ounces posted on the side of the baby food jar. How do you know how much food to give a pre-toddler?

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Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Baby: Healthy Food Choices

Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 December 2009 01:33 Written by Natural Health Team Tuesday, 22 December 2009 01:33

March of Dimes videos and DVDs are available for presentation on your closed-circuit TV, digital and/or on-demand systems. For licensing information, please contact productquestions@marchofdimes.com or 914-997-4781. www.marchofdimes.com Dr. Siobhan Dolan goes food shopping to talk about the essential nutrients pregnant women need, and provides tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy diet.

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