Most women have experienced some degree of menstrual cramps at some point. But while for the lucky ones the pain is mild and not very long lasting, others find themselves unable to perform their normal routine for one to three days each month because of the severe menstrual pain (also called dysmenorrheal) that they experience.

Dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps) can be:

1. Primary – occurs most often in young women and often becomes less severe after a woman has given birth or when she reaches her mid-twenties.
2. Secondary –when menstrual cramps are caused by other conditions, such as endometriosis, fibroid tumors, pelvic adhesions, ovarian cysts or by the use of and IUD (intrauterine device) for birth control.

Menstrual cramps are caused by the normal contractions of the uterus, which are, in their turn, caused by prostaglandis, a hormone-like naturally occurring substance.

Tips on how to relieve menstrual cramps:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen used at the first sign of your period help reduce the severity of the cramps by inhibiting the release of prostaglandis.
• Regular exercise helps prevent severe menstrual cramps.
• Zinc, calcium and B vitamins have been found to reduce cramps, bloating and other symptoms.
• Some herbal remedies that may reduce menstrual cramps due to their antispasmodic effect include Viburnum Prunifolium, Scutellaria Spp. And Cimicifuga Raemosa.
• Take a warm bath filled with aromatherapy or place a heating pad on your lower abdomen and back.

Everybody, men and women alike, would like mommy to get back to her good looking shape as soon as possible after giving birth. But is that realistic? And what are the steps to take to lose all the extra pounds? It is good to know what to expect, because otherwise you might grow very disappointed and frustrated. No, you won’t be back in your pre-natal shape when you step out of the hospital. The good news is that you can get back there in 6 to 8 months. Just be realistic, patient and perseverant.

First of all, consider that it took nine months to put on those pounds and it is unrealistic to expect to get rid of them overnight. You should give yourself just at least about the same time for the process to be reversed. Don’t pack clothes that you wore before being pregnant to wear when coming home from the hospital. Even after giving birth, there are still lots of extra fluids in your body and it will take about 2 or 3 weeks to eliminate them. Then, consider that it takes about 4 weeks for the uterus to contract back to its normal size.

There are three basic ways that will help you lose the extra pounds:

• Breastfeeding
• Healthy diet
• Exercise

Let’s briefly discuss about each one.

BREASTFEEDING is not only very healthy for the baby, but will also help the mother lose weight, since producing the milk requires about 500 calories every day. That can help reduce some of the fat that was gained during pregnancy. Actually one of the reasons your body put on weight during pregnancy was to store the energy it takes to breastfeed the baby. Therefore, losing calories through breastfeeding completes a natural program.

The other two methods –healthy diet and exercise are the basic weight loss methods in any situation. There are still a few specific details that should be applied in this particular case:

• Don’t diet for the first three months after birth. Start by just eating a well-balanced diet and moving your body.
• Wait 6 weeks after a vaginal birth and 8 weeks after a c-section before you start exercising.
• Low-impact exercises are recommended, such as walking or swimming.
• Focus on nutrition, not on weight-loss diets.
• Eat several, small, healthy meals a day.
• Be patient and perseverant.
• Ask your doctor before changing your diet or starting any new exercise program.                                                 Ruth Taylor