When it comes to menstrual cramps, what you drink can have a significant impact on what you feel.

For example, there are certain drinks that actually can help relieve painful cramps and other drinks that can make them worse.

So what drinks should you be drinking and what drinks should you be avoiding? We’ve compiled a quick list of both below.

Drinks That Help Relieve Menstrual Cramps

1. Water –

In this case, you should drink hot or warm water instead of cold water because your body can immediately use warm water without having to use body temperature to warm it up.

Here’s a tip: Add herbs such as raspberry leaf to make the hot water more tasty and more beneficial. Raspberry leaf tea has been used to treat menstrual cramps for centuries. Just add one teaspoon of the herb to one cup of boiling hot water.

Another reason to drink water is that it helps your body “rinse” out toxins and in this way helps your body’s menstrual flow which is also pulling toxins out of your body.

In addition to just drinking water, some foods are also high in it, such as watermelon, cucumbers, lettuce, celery and berries.

Another beneficial drink to relieve menstrual cramps is a yogurt smoothie.

2. Yogurt Smoothies –

This drink is high in calcium which can relieve cramps and also contains beneficial probiotics which combat constipation, which can also be a cause of cramps.

Additional ways to increase your intake of calcium during your period can include eating high calcium foods such as cheese and other dairy products and dark green leafy vegetables such as mustard greens, collard greens and turnip greens.

3. Green Drink Smoothies –

This do-it-yourself drink can be made from spinach, mustard greens, collard greens and/or kale. These dark leafy greens are high in magnesium which can help relieve cramps.

Just add fruit for flavor and protein powder to get a tasty, healthy drink. Here’s one recipe you can use:

Add your choice of spinach, kale, mustard greens and/or collard greens to your blender. Then add an apple, protein shake mix, berries, and a tablespoon of green herb powder (alfalfa, barley greens, wheat grass juice dehydrate, spirulina, and chlorella).

Turn on the blender and then drink for immediate relief of cramps.

4. Ginger Tea –

Another great drink to relieve menstrual cramps is ginger tea. Ginger is an antispasmodic herb that is high in germanium, the element that helps oxygenate the body.

More oxygen in the body means less chance for pain. As a result, ginger tea can be quite soothing when you drink it.

You can make ginger tea with either powdered ginger or ginger root. If using the root, grate about a tablespoon and place it in a coffee cup. Pour boiling water on top and let it steep about 5 minutes.

5. Prune Juice –

One more drink for menstrual cramp relief is prune juice. This drink is beneficial because many women get constipated during their period and constipation can be a cause of cramps. Prune juice is great for relieving constipation.

Now that you know what to drink, what drinks should you stay away from during your period?

Here are two:

1. Sugary drinks –

Drinks that contain a lot of sugar, like soda and fruit juice rob the body of essential calcium and magnesium, which you need to prevent cramping. Food and drink that is high in sugar also will cause blood sugar fluctuations that can be responsible for mood swings, another symptom commonly found in women with PMS.

2. Alcoholic drinks –

Alcohol lowers magnesium levels and can result in more frequent, more sever cramps.

One way to ensure your levels of magnesium and calcium remain high and your chance for developing cramps remains low is to take a period vitamin.