Premenstrual Symptoms - A Bane Of Every Woman
When it is one of those days when you feel bloated, have breast
pain, gain weight, have acne, headaches, cramping and mood
swings, you know it is one of those days that every woman
dreads. A lot of women suffer from premenstrual symptoms (PMS)
and it can cause a lot of inconvenience to the sufferer. There
are a plenty of home-based treatments available for the PMS
sufferers but it needs some experimentation to determine the
right one for you.
The common treatments for PMS are:
* Reduce your intake of saturated fats: When you consume a lot
of fatty foods, your PMS symptoms and pain tend to worsen. Avoid
fatty cuts of beef, lamb and pork and go in for fish and
poultry. Replace butter, which has high content of saturated
fats with flaxseeds, safflower and corn, which are rich in
polyunsaturated fats.
* Minimize salt intake: Excessive intake of salt leads to water
retention. Many snack foods and some fast-foods have very high
salt content. These foods will lead to bloating. Hence it is
advisable to choose fresh fruits and vegetables over packaged
and processed foods.
* Take more of carbohydrates to minimize the cravings: It is
common to crave for high carbohydrate foods like ice cream,
chocolate and potato chips during PMS. But switching to complex
carbohydrates like whole grains, pasta, cereal and bagel will
effectively counter the food cravings experienced during PMS.
Also, these foods are the excellent sources of fiber and thus
remove the excess estrogen from the body. High-carbohydrate,
low-sugar foods help in relieving the psychological symptoms of
tension, anxiety and mood swings associated with PMS. Women who
eat high-fiber foods are more alert and happier than those who
don't.
* Move your body: Exercise has been shown to reduce many
physical and psychological symptoms associated with PMS. This is
because exercise releases endorphins, the chemicals in the brain
associated with easing pain and increasing the sense of
well-being. It also reduces breast tenderness, food cravings,
fluid retention and depression.
* Eliminate caffeine: If you are sensitive to caffeine, it is
best to avoid caffeine like tea, coffee, colas and chocolates.
Studies have proved that women who consume two or more cups of
caffeine a day are likely to suffer from PMS, since caffeine is
a stimulant and can lead to anxiety and irritability. It also
leads to breast tenderness.
* Read labels on pain relievers: Some over-the-counter medicines
contain caffeine. Hence, if you take them during PMS, they will
aggravate the symptoms. Read the contents of the medicine
carefully before taking them.
* Skip alcohol: Alcohol is a depressant and a diuretic and can
worsen PMS headaches and fatigue. It can increase depression.
Hence, avoid taking any alcoholic beverages including wine or
beer, if you have PMS.
* Prevent menstrual acne with vitamins A and D: Vitamins A and D
have been proved to suppress menstrual acne. Eat plenty of
carrots, cooked spinach, cooked sweet potatoes and cantaloupe
for vitamin A and plenty of sunshine or fortified milk for
vitamin D.
* Improve your mood with vitamin B6: Taking more of vitamin B6
has been shown to improve mood swings, fluid retention, breast
tenderness, bloating, sugar craving and fatigue. You can take
supplements of 25 to 100 milligrams a day or increase your
intake of vitamin B6 by eating more of potatoes, bananas, fish,
white meat in chicken and turkey.
* Reduce stress and allergies by taking vitamin C: Vitamin C
helps in alleviating the stress experienced during PMS. Being a
natural antihistamine, it helps women whose allergies worsen
during PMS. Take more of vegetables like broccoli, Brussels
sprouts and raw peppers and fruits like cantaloupe, grapefruit,
oranges, cranberry and citrus fruits.
* Vitamin E helps: Vitamin E has been shown to have a powerful
effect on the hormonal system, thus relieving painful breast
symptoms, anxiety and depression. Cooking oils and salad
dressings like olive oil, safflower oil and corn oil as well as
some fruits like blackberries and apples contain vitamin E.
* Fight PMS with calcium and magnesium: Calcium prevents
menstrual cramps and pain. Magnesium helps the body in absorbing
calcium. Magnesium helps in controlling premenstrual food
cravings and stabilizing moods. If you do not suffer from
lactose intolerance, you can opt for skim milk as a source of
calcium. Include green leafy vegetables, beans, peas, tofu and
canned salmon for calcium and spinach, tofu, rice bran and some
fish like halibut and mackerel for magnesium.