Painful menstruation, referred to as dysmenorrhoea by doctors, is one of the commonest health problems that women suffer from. As many as 90 per cent of women in the western world experience this disorder. In more than 10 per cent of women, the problem is so severe that they are unable to function normally while menstruating.

This condition translates into millions of dollars of lost wages and productivity, as well as a significant decrease in women's quality of life for several days each month. One medical textbook estimated that painful periods cause the loss of over 140 million work hours each year in the United States. At the same time, billions of dollars are being made from the sale of 'pain killing' drugs, which do nothing to deal with the underlying cause.

In my view, dysmenorrhoea is in most cases, a lifestyle related disorder having to do with nutritional, physical, hormonal and emotional imbalances. In a minority of cases it may be the result of other medical conditions, like pelvic inflammation, fibroids and endome-triosis, in which event, those underlying problems should be treated. For the majority of sufferers, here is a natural 5-step plan.

1 Good nutrition

Good nutrition at a cellular level gives your body the nutrients it needs to correct and heal imbalances and prevent cramps.

Choosing a diet high in fresh vegetables and fruit, whole grain, beans, peas, nuts and fish is ideal.

Drastically reduce or eliminate dairy products, meat, fried foods and other unhealthy fats, sugar, alcohol, added salt, MSG and other food additives,

Start a programme of nutritional supplements that includes soy protein, vitamins, minerals, trace elements and botanical factors. I recommend a programme called the Cellular Nutrition Programme, as it provides all these elements in a simple combination.

2 Special supplements

In addition to the general nutritional recommendations above, there are specific supplements that relieve cramps and prevent inflammation in a healthy, effective, natural way:

The muscle relaxant herb Dong Quai or angelica sinensis has been used for thousands of years to prevent and relieve cramps. I use it in tablet form, which combines it with the calming relaxing herb chamomile. It is most effective if taken throughout the month and the dosage increased just before and during the period. This combination is also a good general herbal tonic for females.

Fish oil supplements that contain generous quantities of omega 3 fatty acids have natural anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties. Unfortunately, our diet tends to have excess of omega 6 fats, which encourages the cramps and menstrual pains. Heavy dosages of fish oil capsules may be necessary to correct the imbalance.

Calcium and magnesium supplements have powerful muscle relaxant and cramps inhibiting properties.

Mild diuretic herbs like celery, parsley, dandelion, sarsaparilla and uva ursi are useful in relieving the bloating, fluid retention and congestion some women experience.

Ginger and ginkgo biloba will improve the circulation in the pelvic area and relieve nausea and vomiting.

Individuals who have uterine fibroids will benefit from the use of castor oil packs. This novel therapy was covered in a previous article.

3 Cleansing/detoxification

Cleansing the body, particularly colon cleansing, is an important aspect of the programme. Any congestion in the pelvic area will exaggerate menstrual pains. I recommend a high fibre diet along with fibre supplements, aloe vera and herbal cleansers. Colon irri-gation therapy by a trained colon therapist can also be very effective.

4 Relaxation and stress management

Painful periods are often a body/mind disorder. The condition is made worse by anxiety, fear, depression and stress. Your social conditioning and beliefs are also extremely important.

Unfortunately, in some societies woman are still considered unclean during their menses and some religious practices impose severe restrictions on women at that time of the month.

Researchers have found that women who grew up in a household with women who had painful periods are much more likely to have painful periods themselves. Relaxa-tion and stress management tech-niques and hypnosis can be extremely effective interventions. Aromatherapy also offers essential oils like lavender that relax and relieve stress and tension.

5 Benefit of exercise

Exercise promotes pain relief and prevents cramps because of its physical, psychological and hormonal benefits. I particularly wish to extol the benefits of yoga with its emphasis on deep breathing, tension relief, muscle relaxation and body awareness.

6 Hormone balancing

An imbalance between the main female hormones - oestrogen and progesterone can cause painful periods and severe bouts of pre-menstrual syndrome. Natural hormone supplementation with natural progesterone cream under a doctor's supervision can be very helpful along with the herb Dong Quai.

So, instead of just popping pain tablets each month, consider starting the programme above and help your body balance and heal itself.

You may email Dr Vendryes at vendryes@mac.com, visit him at www.anounceofprevention.org or listen to An Ounce of Prevention on POWER 106FM on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. His book An Ounce of Prevention is available from the Vendryes Wellness Centre and from Sangster's Bookstores.