Bothered by painful menstrual cramps month after month? Try popping 200 IU of vitamin E twice daily on the two days before your period and continuing for three days into your period. In one study where young women with a history of period pain did just this, they experienced a significant reduction in discomfort, reports the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Credit goes to vitamin E’s ability to prevent the build-up of certain chemicals called prostaglandins that cause painful uterine contractions. Bonus: Taking vitamin E also resulted in significantly lighter periods.
Gabrielle Lichterman, founder of Hormonology® and a longtime women’s health journalist, is leading the growing movement among women to live in sync with their menstrual cycles and know more about all the ways their hormones impact their moods, health and behavior. This is a movement that was launched in 2005 with her groundbreaking book, 28 Days: What Your Cycle Reveals about Your Love Life, Moods and Potential, and her creation of Hormonology®. She offers a variety of tools--including her popular Hormone Horoscope® Apps, free eBooks, infographic "cheat sheets", videos and tips--to share vital information about hormones.
