“Oh great, it’s that time of the month!”
This statement usually generates a series of groans from everybody in the room. It’s the time that a woman just doesn’t feel like herself. Some women only experience abdominal cramps and a cranky mood. Others feel horrifically bloated, overly tired, and irritable to the point where they want to go into hibernation for a week! PMS occurs in the week or two before women get their periods. Symptoms include mood changes, lethargy, loss of concentration, breast swelling and tenderness, fatigue, trouble sleeping, upset stomach, diarrhea, headache (or migraine), changes in appetite, and weight gain. With the onset of menstruation, PMS symptoms usually disappear. Nobody knows why some women are more prone to PMS symptoms than others. It’s believed that some women are more sensitive to the hormonal upheaval that occurs during the menstrual cycle. If you experience PMS symptoms, try some of these nutritional remedies to help make “that time of the month” more manageable.
- Start with a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of organic fruits, organic vegetables, and whole grains. According to Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., these types of foods will help stabilize blood sugar levels and provide plenty of fiber, which may help even out hormone levels.
- Try eating lean meats that include chicken and fish, which contain vitamin B6. This vitamin has been shown to tame the symptoms of PMS.
- Increase the amount of protein in your diet. It may help in resisting those pesky cravings women tend to get (especially for chocolate and salt).
- Try eating foods made of soy. Soy products act as natural estrogens. A small study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that women who ate soy were able to reduce breast tenderness, headaches, cramps, and swelling.
- Eat fewer dairy products as they block the absorption of magnesium, and increase its urinary excretion.
- Drink 1 quart of distilled water daily, starting a week before the menstrual period and ending one week after.
- Try to limit your intake of foods that are too salty and sweet. They will worsen your bloating.
- Foods high in sugar may exaggerate mood swings.
- If possible, try to eliminate caffeine, which will only worsen anxiety, tension, or irritability. Also abstain from drinking alcohol which can worsen your mood, especially if you feel depressed.
- If you take supplements, Pyridoxine helps the body convert tryptophan into serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter. Keep the dose low (50 to 100 mg, Minkin says), since too much can cause nerve damage.
- Get regular exercise. Walking even one mile a day can be very helpful.
References
Yu, W. (2007). What to Eat for What Ails you. Beverly, MA: Fair Winds Press.
Balch, P. A (2006). Prescription for Nutritional Healing. New York, NY: Penguin Group
