Is Your Period the Pits? Here's help with this Amazing Natural Support--Turmeric Tea. It's a great help if you are struggling with heavy periods and other menstrual issues.
This inspiration for this post came from a reader’s experience telling us that she uses turmeric to control excessive blood flow during menstruation.
I too notice that when I am not being diligent about drinking medicinal teas and taking herbs, my period can be very short and heavy; leaving me exhausted, anemic, and very pale.
We love turmeric for so many things, controlling inflammation, supporting the liver, GI issues and much more, but I hadn’t ever used it to help with menstrual issues.
When I began researching turmeric, it talked mostly about its blood thinning properties and its ability to break up blood clots, so I was still unsure how it could be of benefit to reduce and slow excessive blood flow during menstruation. Then I read that it is traditionally used to stop blood flow during early pregnancy.
So it seems, like many herbs and spices, turmeric can help regulate the body, intuitively working to bring things back into balance.
Why Does Turmeric Work?
1. During the menstrual cycle, an imbalance in female hormones such as progesterone and estrogen, can lead to excessive amounts of the uterine lining to build up and shed during the menstrual period. To treat excessive bleeding a physician may prescribe large doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen.
These types of medications act to decrease uterine blood flow.
2. By inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis, turmeric works in much the same way as the physician prescribed non-steroidal medications--but without the side-effects. Prostaglandins are chemicals that stimulate uterine contractions and contribute to pain and inflammation, so the ability of turmeric to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis may also explain why it can also have a beneficial effect on menstrual cramps.
My Experience With Turmeric Tea
If I am taking care of myself, I often don’t even know my period is coming until I actually get it. Then the first day, I usually have some slight cramping. I decided it was the perfect opportunity to try the turmeric.
Although my cramps are not usually severe, I was definitely uncomfortable, so I made some turmeric tea. I did notice an improvement within an hour of consuming the tea in my cramps that evening.
I have continued to drink a cup a day of turmeric tea throughout my menstruation and my flow has stayed consistent, but not heavy.
I also do not feel anemic or overly exhausted. Rather than my flow being extremely heavy for three days, my flow is not as excessive and spread over five to six days.
I definitely plan to make turmeric tea a part of my monthly routine.
Other herbs we find helpful in helping reduce PMS symptoms:
St. John’s Wort Tincture
Kava Kava Tincture
It's possible that adding curry dishes to your diet can help with feminine issues as well. I'm sure your family wouldn't mind you making My Most Requested Recipe, Pakistani Kima, on a regular basis (just to get some turmeric in your diet :). Please note - this post is for educational and entertainment purposes only. I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice nor is it making health claims about turmeric. Please consult with your physician prior to using any supplements. }
Where to Get Turmeric Tea
You can simply buy the tea bags already made:
1. Turmeric Lemon Tea
2. Turmeric Root Tea
or---you can purchase turmeric and add some to a pot of water, boil and drink (straining is optional). I find added sweetener helps a lot since straight turmeric is a little hard to stomach.
Here is some Bulk Organic Turmeric or you can visit Starwest Botanicals and check out their offerings as well. You do want to have some fat when you take turmeric, however, in order to make full use of its benefits.
Alternatively, this dairy and sugar-free turmeric tea recipe is great as well. Let's start out with what you will need:
What You Will Need
- Dairy-Free Milk (like Easiest Coconut Milk or Easiest Almond Milk)
- Turmeric
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Stevia (or other low-carb sweetener - see this post on how to use stevia)
- Stevia Scoop (if using stevia)
Recipe Notes
- My Easiest Coconut Milk and Easiest Almond Milk are great homemade options for a dairy-free milk.
- Here is a great brand of stevia scoops. Also, see this post on how to use stevia.
- This recipe qualifies as an "S" on the Trim Healthy Mama plan.
Turmeric Tea Recipe for Menstrual Relief
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat milk on the stove top until hot.
- Stir in the spices and stevia.
- Enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is merely an approximation. Optional ingredients are not included and when there is an alternative, the primary ingredient is typically used. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts since they have been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Note from Adrienne - I have also read some amazing reviews about this Essential Oils Blend that many say has done wonders for their menstrual issues. Sounds like it's worth trying for sure!
What helps ease things during YOUR period?
References:
Curcumin Suppresses Interleukin...
Curcumin blocks prostaglandin...
Natural COX-2 Inhibitors: The Future of Pain Relief
Kristin Urdiales @ NatureHadItFirst is an author, blogger, speaker, and mother of two children. Kristin was only fourteen when her mother became ill with lupus in 1992. Having already begun to suffer from migraine headaches and extraordinary fatigue, she knew that she was most likely on the same path if she did not make some changes. It would not be until Kristin was in her early 30s that she and her mother would truly discover the things that would improve the health of her entire family.
Some foods are great for heart disease, inflammation, hormones, etc, but are terrible for people like me who didn’t know until my 30s that I was born with Von Willebrand bleeding disorder. After chronic anemia for years, and being told by medical people that I just don’t eat enough iron foods (even tho I ate more meat, organ meats, greens and more vitamin C foods than anyone I know) and after hormone tests always came back good, and scans showed no fibroids, cysts or any other anomilies, finally a woman nurse practitioner suggested I get tested for bleeding disorders. The male doctors had not taken my symptoms seriously. Turned out I have VWD. I finally had an explanation. Before being diagnosed, I regularly ate certain foods to optimize health and hormones and I later found out some of what I used actually thins blood, which is good for most people but not someone with VWD... high omega 3s (such as my daily cod liver oil), daily turmeric with pepper, eating lots of garlic, magnesium.... anything that thinned blood increased my bleeding. Approximately 1/100 people have VWD, but most of them don’t know it because they aren’t tested. I was going a little crazy trying to have a perfect natural diet to optimize hormones so I could stop being anemic, and all along I didn’t know VWD was the problem causing my dangerously heavy periods. Now, if this turmeric tea recipe on this website helps your period it may be because it helps your hormones and inflammation, but if anyone loses more than 3 Tablespoons blood each cycle, that is more than normal, so ask to get checked for bleeding disorders, fibroids, hormone imbalance and other things. I lost 1 to 2 cups or more of blood each month so all the iron I ate was basically coming back out. My ferritin got down to 1, and hemoglobin 7. I now limit turmeric, cod liver oil and garlic to 1 week out of the month, which is the week after my period stops. Take care of yourselves ladies ??
Our bodies are so complicated. I hadn't heard of this. Thanks for sharing! 1/100 is a lot of people!