Attn. ladies: Let’s dive into some small talk about THAT time of the month. Men… if you’re out there… you may as well dodge this post real quick because we know you probably get freaked out about periods. Or if you’re one hell of a man, you’ll read this and send it over to your suffering, squirming, fetal-positioned girlfriend/sister/friend.
With that being said… let’s disucss MENSTRUAL CRAMPS.
EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH.
Lit-er-ally WHYYYY?
Now I know some women are blessed with “easy”, short cycles with minimal cramping; but me on the other hand… well I’m convinced that I’m going to die every 28 days for the past 10 years. No worries — every 28 days I do live (surprise!), but the only way for me to NOT be hunched over like Quasimodo was to pop tons of ibuprofen around the clock. Being a nurse, I know that this is a big no-no but I had yet to find an alternative solution. This habit led to stomach issues but what’s a girl to do?!
Anyway, this post is for the ladies like me.
SO ABOUT GINGER TEA….
It’s no joke. I needed this concoction a long, long time ago.
With my new job, every Monday we have administrative days at the building that my boss owns which just so happens to be a wellness and conference center. The acupuncturist introduced me to ginger tea for menstrual cramps. I was immediately intrigued and more than ready to try it the next time satin came to town.
INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE GINGER TEA
peel ginger
add 5 thin slices of ginger to 2 cups of boiling water
reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes
add lemon and honey if needed
A study from the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine found that ginger was just as effective as ibuprofen for relief from painful period cramps. AMAZING. You can read more on this study and find out just exactly how ginger fights cramps here.
Take note that you should brew this tea with fresh ginger. You can buy ginger teas from the store but these won’t be nearly strong enough to battle your cramps!
So ladies — PLEASE feel free to leave your survival tips below. MUCH appreciated!