Many women are desperate to relieve the symptoms of PMS. But did you know that many of the symptoms of PMS can be relieved by following a PMS-friendly diet?

For a PMS-friendly diet, try the following:

    • Avoid salty foods, like fast foods and processed meat. Salt can worsen bloating by aggravating water retention
    • Don’t drink alcohol during or before your period
    • Don’t go without food for long periods. Have five smaller meals per day instead of three bigger ones
    • Avoid caffeine as far as possible, because it can contribute to breast tenderness and irritability. Rather drink water during your period. Reducing your caffeine intake will also help
    • Drink at least eight glasses of water per day and eat foods rich in fibre to prevent constipation due to PMS
    • Avoid fatty and sugary foods, because they give you a quick boost only to make you head for an all-time energy low, which will make mood swings worse
    • A glass of milk per day or calcium supplements are known to relieve the symptoms of PMS, like cramps, cravings and mood swings
    • Carbohydrates relieve moodiness, because they boost the release of serotonin (a chemical that has been linked to mood) in the brain
    • Some women find relief from the symptoms of PMS by cutting meat from their diets during menstruation.

Most women should see an improvement when following these guidelines, but if these measures do not help, it is best to see a health professional.

 

Sources
www.ahealthyme.com
www.pms.org.uk
www.mylifeguardforhealth.com
http://obgyn.uihc.uiowa.edu