Ingredients:
Black Cherry Or Tart Cherry Juice (with NO additives), I always use R.W. Knudsen's brand "Just Black Cherry", which can be purchased in Healthfood stores, most upper-scale grocery stores like Publix and Kroger, or online at Amazon.com. I have NEVER tried regular cherry juice with added sugar, I'm not sure that it would work.
Red Raspberry Capsules (crushed raspberry leaves with a kosher vegetarian capsule) I always use "Natures Sunshine" brand.
Directions:
Drink a 1/2 Cup of Cherry juice right before the onset of your period (Like the night before, if yours comes regularly), or right when you start, drink 1 to 2 cups. Drink at least 1/2 cup 3 times per day while your period continues, or drink more for more pain. There's no side-effects, so you can drink as much as you feel you need throughout your cycle! The Cherry juice is specifically for pain.
Begin taking the Red Raspberry capsules at the onset of your period, according to the labeled directions. You don't have to take more than the label suggests, because this stuff is amazing. You just want to take it regularly, so that it stays in your system. My Red Raspberry capsule directions say to take 1 to 2 capsules 3 times per day with meals. I take the maximum amount during the first day of my cycle, and then taper off as the days pass.
The Science:
Cherries have a natural component called anthocyanin that stops inflammation. So much so that the FDA allegedly asked cherry growers to stop publicizing scientific studies that show that cherries work as well or better than Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen. I suppose it was hurting sales of those medications in those specific areas. Cherries can be used for arthritis, gout, muscle inflammation, and more. It is said in some studies that Tart Cherries are superior to that of black cherries, but having tried both, the Black Cherries have worked better for my menstrual pain. I would suggest trying both, unless the first one knocks out your pain totally.
Red Raspberry leaves have been used for centuries to ease inflammation, especially inflammation associated with the female organs. It contains fragrine, an alkaloid that nourishes the ligaments and tissues of the female organs. It's most useful in toning the muscles of the pelvic region, specifically the uterus. It's also used frequently to avoid miscarriage, to help milk production, to tone the uterus in preparation for labor, and to ease labor pains, etc. I am extremely cautious when carrying a baby, and while I did take ONE red raspberry capsule per week in late pregnancy (to tone and prepare), I was too afraid to risk taking anything regularly, besides food. This is to be decided by you, according to your research and your convictions during pregnancy. After tons of research, I see nothing that contraindicates taking it while not carrying a child. As a matter of fact, even websites that try to play down or debunk the amazing effects of natural substances have a difficult time with this one. Simply put, it works.
My Story; it's personal... but I'm gonna put it out there for the benefit of humanity: Gentlemen, you may now excuse yourselves.
Normally I have a 7 to 9 day period, with doubled over pain for the first two days and some pain for the remaining time, besides the last day (usually). I also experience an extremely heavy flow for about 5 days. I have to wear a tampon and a pad for at least the first 3 days to protect my clothing. Day 6-9 is what most people would consider normal flow. So I'm not talking about a remedy for a couple of cramps and a little short period. I'm talking about a fix for an absolute nightmare that lasts 7 to 9 days.
An old home remedy passed down from generation to generation was to grow cherries and jar/can them so that all of the women in the family would have plenty to get them through the year. It's been said that eating a 16 oz bag of cherries will alleviate menstrual cramps. And while I do love fresh cherries, I just don't have the time to sit around eating them all day. The juice contains the potent stuff, it's not the pulp or the fiber that we're after. So I sought after real cherry juice. I know that sugar is debilitating to the body, and thought that that may counteract the good effects of the fragrine, so I wanted a juice with NO additives. I really wanted a juice that had not been pasteurized, because I know how wonderful fruit juice is in its raw potent state... but no such luck. The FDA has people so scared of a little bacteria, that they're willing to kill the enzymes that we need. I lost hope a little about that, but continued on to find something that works. BOOM! I found a Cherry juice with no additives at my local Publix. The brand is listed above in the ingredients section. So I bought a jar, with that old family secret a girl mentioned at a Natural Remedies Seminar in Wildwood, GA in the back of my mind. I dug into the "medicine" cabinet (which is filled with ONLY herbs and spices) for that bottle of Red Raspberry I had left over from my last pregnancy. I went ahead and took 2 capsules, just for good measure. It had been quite sometime, and I figured the ole' uterus could use some toning! Well, time had come two days later for my period... but no period came. Mine comes like clock work. What in the world was going on? So I went on about my business and that night felt a slight pain, resembling a menstrual cramp. I knew Aunt flow was due to arrive shortly, so I took 2 more red raspberry capsules before bed, and drank about a half a cup of cherry juice. The next morning I woke up and started my routine, and it wasn't until I went to the restroom to find that I had started. It blew my mind! Usually I'm hit with excruciating cramps about 2 hours before the flow starts. What was even more strange is that I didn't even mess up my clothes. It was a scant amount, not what one would consider a normal flow. I started to wonder if I could be pregnant or if something was wrong... not really considering that the cherry juice and red raspberry could actually be responsible for such an incredible difference. To make this long story shorter.... By day 3 my period was gone. I had not experienced ANY cramps, except for that initial signal cramp the night before I started, my flow was barely noticeable, and my period was shortened by 6 days. I was and still am astonished every time my period rolls around. My life has changed. Dramatic, I know, but true non-the-less. I hope that you'll try this and tell everyone you know. I can imagine there will be some individuals that might not benefit like I have from this remedy, but for God sakes it's worth a shot. And don't forget, try the tart cherry juice from the same brand, if you don't get the results you want from the black cherry juice. I tried the tart, because one time my publix was out of the black cherry. It still helped me tremendously, but my period was literally un-noticeable with the black cherry juice, even though the tart is more potent according to clinical trials. Please research the benefits of cherry juice and red raspberry for a more robust understanding of why these two together are like a little miracle! You will not regret it!
