ESSENTIAL OILS AND AROMATHERAPY TO HELP THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE

Dr. Elena Lucchi, Head of Food Supplements

Beliefs and myths have hovered around the female menstrual cycle since ancient times.

In the Old Testament the woman who “ menstruates […] is impure for a week. Whoever touches it remains impure until evening" and in the first treatises of the 5th century BC. C the Greek philosopher Democritus considered women imperfect for the same reason. Pliny the Elder even claimed that " When a menstruating woman arrives, the must sours... the crops become sterile... the plants in the gardens burn..." .

Fortunately, things have changed since then, even if some prejudices remain.

It certainly cannot be said that the menstrual cycle is not a nuisance, especially when it is associated with pain, swelling, abdominal tension, cramps.

From a study ^*1 conducted on 2883 women, recruited in six different European countries, including Italy, it emerged that 57% of those interviewed would prefer to have their periods with a longer interval and many would prefer not to have them at all. But the menstrual cycle represents the maximum expression of femininity and with this perspective, critical days can become moments of self-care and strength. At the beginning of the 11th century, Trotula de Ruggiero, the first female gynecologist in history, tried to explain that, while man could eliminate " noxious humours" through sweat, women could do so through this "periodic liberating flow" .

It is nice to think that, with its duration of 28-30 days, the menstrual cycle can be related to the time of revolution of the Moon around the Earth and therefore represents the connection with the rhythms of nature. Precisely to rediscover this emotional bond, BeC has developed the holistic SPAZIOTEMPO line of natural products, composed of absolute and pure essential oils, which through smell lead to the achievement of complete well-being. A few drops of Uriel 741 orMetatron 528 emotional oils applied to the abdomen contribute to purification and help restore strength and balance.

A harmony that we can also achieve through a healthy lifestyle, with a balanced diet, with the right amount of physical activity and rest. In particular, a diet rich in water, green leafy vegetables and foods with a high magnesium content, such as legumes and whole grains, can help reduce the sensation of bloating and water retention and maintain mood. Concentrated sources of nutrients can be added, such as food supplements, formulated with specific high-level extracts, to counteract abdominal tension linked to the menstrual cycle. Among these is LENI MAL® , which acts thanks to its content in Boswellia and Ginger, present both in the form of extract and essential oil ^*2 .

Not only!

The simultaneous presence of other essential oils, effective both individually ^*3-4 and in mixture ^*5 contributes to a more complete action.

As reported in scientific studies, aromatherapy is effective against the symptoms of dysmenorrhea both through inhalation and application through massage ^*6 or oral use ^*7 : for this reason we are convinced that the combination between LENI MAL® and emotional oils can be the starting point, to get the best even from days that are traditionally considered critical.

Beyond all clichés!

Bibliography:

^*1 Nappi RE et al Women's preferences for menstrual bleeding frequency: results of the Inconvenience Due to Women's Monthly Bleeding (ISY) survey Eur. J. Contrac. Repr. Health Care 2016 , 21 , 242–250

^*2 Chen CX et al Efficacy of Oral Ginger (Zingiber officinale) for Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Evidence. Based Complement. Alternate Med. 2016 , 2016, 6295737

^*3 Nikjou R., et al The Effect of Lavender Aromatherapy on the Pain Severity of Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Triple‑blind Randomized Clinical Trial Ann. Med. Health Sci. Res. 2016 , 6 , 211–215

^*4 Mousavi Kani K. et al The Effect of Aromatherapy (with Lavender) on Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int. J. Pediatr. 2019 , 7 , 9657–9666.

^*5 Ou MC et al Pain relief assessment by aromatic essential oil massage on outpatients with primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial J. Obstet. Gynaecol. Res. 2012 , 38 , 817–822

^*6 Sut N., Kahyaoglu-Sut H. Effect of aromatherapy massage on pain in primary dysmenorrhea: A meta-analysis Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 2017 , 27 , 5-1

^*7 Lee, M.S.; Lee, H.W.; Khalil, M.; Lim, HS Aromatherapy for Managing Pain in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review of Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trials. J. Clin. Med. 2018 , 7 , 434

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