Practitioners usually recommend taking it from 14 days after a period begins until the start of your next period. Do not take dong quai while menstruating, as it can increase blood loss. One of the first things you should do is back off on consuming chocolate, coffee, soda, and anything else with caffeine, says Dr. Silbert. These types of foods can lead to cramps. Menstrual cramps have also been associated with sugar and refined carbohydrates, adds Dr. Brody.
Calcium works wonderfully to relieve some women s cramps.
The research suggests that the calcium helped reduce breast tenderness, headaches, and abdominal cramps. Researchers think that these benefits stem from calcium s ability to relieve muscle contractions. A good daily dose is 1,000 milligrams, says Dr. Moore. Like calcium , magnesium helps relieve muscle contractions, says Dr. Moore. Other studies suggest that increasing magnesium can ease or eliminate PMS symptoms.