1. Take two Ibuprofen tablets in the morning the day your period starts. Continue to take two tablets every six hours. Ibuprofen tablets are anti-inflammatory pills so they will ease the earlier rounds of cramps, making the more painful cramps that can occur in the following days seem more bearable.
2. Use heating pads to ease the muscle tension. When cramps happen, there are many more muscle contractions that occur. The frequent, repeated muscle contractions make it very hard to stand or sit up straight. Heating pads that can be bought in any drugstore relax the muscles, lessening the contractions.
3. As soon as your period starts, eat foods high in potassium. Potassium-rich foods like bananas, spinach, chicken and fish help kidneys get rid of excess water; therefore, lessening the amount of bloating that happens.
 4. Eat fewer water-retaining foods the week before and during your period. Foods like chips, processed-foods and alcohol contain a lot of sodium which causes the body to hold onto a lot of water and causes bloating.
5. Get to the gym. Seriously! I know it is the last thing anyone wants to do, especially when they feel like they are working hard when they reach for a box of chocolates, but really make sure to work out. You work up a sweat which gets rid of excess water that reduces bloating, and moving around consistently for 30-45 minutes can help lessen muscle contractions thereby lessening your risk of cramps.
These are just a few easy things you can do to get rid of or lessen your chance of bloating or getting cramps. Most cases are pretty mild or manageable, but if you notice serious pain or water-retention every time you get your period, make sure to go and talk to your gynecologist. These could be symptoms of more serious menstrual-related conditions that could be detrimental to your health. And of course, reaching for the pint of ice cream couldn’t hurt either…