All-Natural Dysmenorrhea and Menorrhagia OTC Treatment
Menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding) and dysmenorrhea (painful periods) are common ailments that affect some women, and the treatment for these conditions almost always involve anti-inflammatory medication or hormones. Some women, however, cannot take hormones, due to conditions like a history of DVTs or pulmonary embolism, certain cancer treatment, or medication interactions. When medication or hormones to treat heavy bleeding or painful periods can't be used, the next step is invasive surgical intervention, most of which will result in infertility.
But there might be a solution that is as simple as your kitchen pantry that can help with both conditions, and many others as well, with almost no side effects, for only pennies per day: apple cider vinegar.
Apple Cider Vinegar as Medication
I wrote an article about the various over-the-counter uses in alternative, complementary medicine for apple cider vinegar. I posted that article's link on Facebook. Tons of my friends, who are also into natural and holistic healing and health practices, commented on the amazing wonders of apple cider vinegar. Some of these included help with high blood pressure, stomach indigestion, helping absorb nutrition in food, and much more.
But by far, the number one use most of the women came back with was that it helped with the menstrual cycle.
How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Menstrual Relief
So after reading so many women who said apple cider vinegar helped with painful periods, I did a quick web search to find out if others agreed. Wow! The amount of information that can be found about this simple, inexpensive liquid that most people already have in their pantry anyway, was overwhelming. And sure enough, multiple articles, posts and websites all tout apple cider vinegar's efficacy for treating painful periods.
To help relieve the cramps and bloating of painful periods, WebMD suggests discussing it with your doctor. However, if there are no reasons why you shouldn't take apple cider vinegar, trying this has almost no side effects for most women (after all, we eat the exact same vinegar in salad dressings, marinades and other food dishes), so giving it a try before trying more expensive and potentially invasive or toxic options simply makes sense.
Apple Cider Vinegar for Painful Periods
At the onset of the first cramps from menstruation, take 1-2 teaspoons of organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar or two tablespoons of diluted, filtered apple cider vinegar and mix it with fresh, clean, filtered water. Stir and drink it slowly. If the flavor bothers you, add some honey and lemon to your water and enjoy it that way, but do not heat the apple cider vinegar tonic, because it will lose some potency if you do. Natural, organic and local honey is a great thing to add, because it has its own health benefits as well. Continue to drink this tonic 2-3 times per day, for the duration of your period and perhaps for a day or two afterward.
Apple Cider Vinegar for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Taking apple cider vinegar as a tonic, like mentioned above, works pretty much the same as for cramping, but if your bleeding doesn't improve, you can slowly increase the amount of apple cider vinegar you use, up to 2 tablespoons organic and 4 tablespoons filtered, until the bleeding improves.
However, many women report that the heavy bleeding improves very quickly after sipping the tonic and will stay reduced as long as you drink the tonic 2-3 times per day during the week of your period.
Other Benefits from Apple Cider Vinegar
Whether apple cider vinegar helps prevent painful periods and heavy bleeding during your period if you drink the apple cider vinegar tonic every day instead of only during your period is unknown. Because of the other health benefits that you can gain from drinking this home remedy, it certainly shouldn't hurt anything to try.
