The Single Herb That Crushed My Period Pain

I attempt to work through unpleasant symptoms in the most gentle way possible and then work my way up as I see fit. That being said, I generally use herbs, homeopathy, food, or mindset before I reach for synthetic meds. I’m not anti-medicine, there's a time and place for it...but I strive to avoid the side effects and/or build-up that can come with the use of synthetic medication. Additionally, most natural modalities don’t just suppress symptoms, but they actually stimulate your body’s natural healing response.

It took me 6 years to finally discover this single herb that has brought my cramping, back pain and bowling ball between the legs sensation (also known as labia pain) down by 75% or more. I closely track my cycle and my associated symptoms anyway, so when I decided to test out this herb my results were easily observed. My period was notably better when I used the herb verses when I did not.

• Birth Control Masked My Period Symptoms for Years

  
  

I was on birth control from age 16 to 24 which heavily curved any symptoms during my periods. I really had no pain or discomfort with my periods while on the pill. I have a great deal of regret about suppressing crucial phases of my menstrual cycle for so many years, but I didn’t know what I didn’t know. If you’re interested, The Business of Birth Control is a wonderful documentary and resource to learn about how this common hormonal medication is impacting women in so many ways outside of simply avoiding pregnancy. As I learned, I quickly wanted to clear the hormone out of my body. THIS book guided me in learning my cycle so that I could get off of the pill and simply track my cycle instead. I earn a small commission if you purchase this book through my link. Whether you want to get off of hormonal birth control, you are trying to conceive or you want to learn more about your body and cycle...It is the book to read! My mind was blown after I read it and I truly enjoyed learning about my body and cycle. This was the starting point of me having a conscious awareness of my body and its messages. There is so much power in knowledge!

Anywho…after I got off the pill I started to realize what my period actually felt like. I personally experienced:

• mood swings (3+ days prior to starting)

• increased anxiety 

• severe low back pain  

• uterine cramping

• labia pain which I describe as a bowling ball between my legs- feeling swollen and extremely heavy “down there”

  
  

• When Ignoring My Period Symptoms Wasn't Cutting It

I consider myself pretty “chill” when it comes to illness or pain. I used to just simply ignore it and wait it out without really questioning why I was experiencing symptoms. Luckily I’ve done a lot of learning and have a much deeper respect for God’s intelligent design of my body. I understand that symptoms are our body’s way of communicating messages. They should be looked at with curiosity and not just suppressed through medications or surgery (in my opinion). They also shouldn’t be ignored, which was how I previously handled them. I was so out of touch with my bodily sensations and I never tried to understand what was going on.

So though I could “get through” my period, I was getting to the point of dreading its arrival because of the symptoms. That, in combination with my new respect and understanding for bodily signals, led me down a path of exploration and reading.

• Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

  
  

If your period symptoms are very unpleasant and you want to do something about it, red raspberry leaf tea is an inexpensive, low-maintenance way to care for yourself during your cycle. 

I first heard about red raspberry leaf tea while pregnant with my second. I drank it through my second and third trimesters as I read about its toning effects on the uterus. Since I was planning a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) I wanted to optimize my uterine integrity, plus it was an inexpensive tea that I enjoyed. There is varying information about drinking red raspberry leaf tea during the first trimester of pregnancy. Some claim it is not safe to ingest during the first trimester while others believe it is not harmful.

• When to Drink the Tea

  
  

Over the last 6-8 months I’ve focused on tracking my period symptoms and how they respond with and without the tea. I drank 1 cup of red raspberry leaf tea daily for about 3 days prior to my expected period (or whenever I noticed my early period symptoms). I would continue this daily through the first 3 days of my period. I chose to do this because day 3-4  is when my symptoms normally tapered off anyway. You should look at your individual cycle and symptoms to guide how many days you drink the tea.

Ask yourself:

1. When do I notice my period symptoms (X amount of days leading up? The day you start?)

2. How many days do my symptoms last?

• Preparing the Tea

*I receive a small commission if you purchase through the links I provide

You can buy the individual tea bags here - this cuts down on prep time if you need it on the go or just prefer the tea bag method

You can also buy the loose tea leaves here and prepare it yourself, which is what I do. The bag lasts a long time and the quality is top-notch.

Supplies:

1. pot

2. half-gallon jug/ jar (wide mouth)

3. tea

4. strainer

5. water

6. honey (optional)

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea Supplies

Single Cup

1. Start boiling water (I use a teapot or a small pot)

2. Lay out your coffee cup and place this tea strainer inside (it will probably be too big to fit all the way into the bottom of the cup- but it will still work. I’ll explain why I recommend it later)

3. Scoop about 1 tbsp of tea into the strainer

4. Once water is boiling, shut it off and pour over the tea

5. Let steep for 5-10 min, remove the strainer

6. I add about 1 tsp of honey

7. Enjoy

   
   

Half Gallon Jug

1. Fill a pot with enough water to fill a half-gallon jug 

2. Boil the pot of water

3. If you're using a glass jug to hold the tea, fill this jug with hot tap water so it is warm (if you pour boiling water into it while it is cold/ cool it can shatter)

   
   

   

   Warm the Jar Before Pouring Boiling Water Inside

   
   

4. Once your pot of water is boiling, pour out the warm water that you had sitting inside the glass jug

5. Place this strainer inside the half-gallon jug (this strainer fits well inside these shouldered half-gallon jars)

   
   

   

   Strainer Fits Inside the Jar

   
   

6. Scoop 4 tbsp of tea into strainer

7. Pour boiling water over the tea until the jug is full

8. Let steep 20-30min

   
   

   

   Allow Tea to Steep for 20-30min

   
   

9. Add 2-3 tbsp honey (or more if desired) and stir (do this while the tea is still warm so the honey incorporates)

10. Place the tea in the fridge and enjoy it over ice over the next few days

    
    
    
    

    With Love,

    
    

    Elaina