Most women experience some menstrual pain, For up to 15 percent, it is severe enough to interfere with work and other activities for one or more days every month. Before a period begins, the cells that form the lining of the uterus, also called endometrial cells, begin to break down during menstruation and release large amounts of inflammatory prostaglandins. These chemicals constrict the blood vessels in the uterus and make the muscle layer contract, causing painful cramps.
Some of the prostaglandins enter the bloodstream, causing headache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Researchers have measured the number of prostaglandins produced by cells of the uterus and found that it is higher in women with menstrual pain than for women who have little or no pain.
NSAIDs have been found to decrease menstrual flow, which may reduce menstrual pain. There may be a more fundamental approach. Oral contraceptives, or birth control pills, lower the production of prostaglandins by slowing the growth of the uterus lining.
However, diet changes may lead to similar results. Estrogens are female sex hormones, a sort of hormonal fertilizer that makes the cells of the body grow. These hormones are responsible for breast development at puberty, and each month they cause the lining of the uterus to thicken in anticipation of pregnancy. Then, for about two weeks, the hormone rises toward a peak and falls quickly around the time of ovulation. It rises again in the second half of the month and then falls just before the next period for a total of two rises and falls throughout the cycle.
The uterus sheds its lining in a menstrual flow, accompanied by crampy pain. Naturally, eating foods that decrease inflammation in the body will help to tame menstrual cramps.
