Madeline Kennedy , Laura Goldman Jul 23, 2021

Kecia Gaither, MD, director of Perinatal Services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, says the following herbs are her favorites: Gingeris a natural anti-inflammatory that may help reduce your levels of prostaglandins, compounds that can cause pain. In a small 2009 study, women who took four ginger capsules daily for three days when their periods started experienced the same pain relief as women who took ibuprofen. Gaither says it can be taken as a powder, chopped up and made into a tea, or eaten as ginger candy. Zinc is a mineral that also reduces inflammation. Gaither recommends taking it daily for four to five days before your period starts. The recommended daily amount of zinc for women is 8 mg per day. Black cohosh was used long ago by Native Americans to relieve menstrual pain and continues to be promoted for this purpose — though there isn’t much data regarding its effectiveness. 

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