For many women, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a burden that can greatly affect their quality of life, impacting their ability to perform regular daily activities affecting their workplace performance and often making it difficult for them to cope with the demands of everyday life. Unfortunately PMS is often viewed as an unpleasant, but unavoidable, consequence of being a woman. It doesn’t have to be this way! Women do not have to live with the monthly annoyance and inconvenience of PMS. If you, or someone you know, is affected by PMS, the good news is that there are a wide range of nutritional and herbal medicines available that can help.
What is PMS?
PMS is the name given to a collection of physical and emotional symptoms related to a woman’s menstrual cycle. The symptoms of PMS present in the days or weeks before a period, and usually resolve once the period has started. Some women may experience mild symptoms for just a day or two before their periods, whereas others can feel physically uncomfortable and emotionally strung out for up to 2 weeks every month! The most common symptoms of PMS include:
|
Emotional |
Physical |
| · Mood Swings | · Abdominal bloating |
| · Irritability | · Digestive upsets e.g constipation, diarrhea |
| · Unexplained anger | · Breast tenderness/swelling |
| · Depression | · Headaches |
| · Teariness/weepiness | · Back pain |
| · Anxiety | · Fluid retention |
| · Poor concentration | · Acne |
| · Low libido | · Clumsiness |
| · Food cravings |
Is this all part of being a woman, something you have to accept and learn to live with?
The answer is no!
What Causes PMS?
There are many factors that have been found to contribute to this pattern of dysfunction. Imbalances in the female reproductive hormones; oestrogen & progesterone, in the 2 weeks before a period are the most likely cause, however, other hormones can also play a part. Nutritional deficiencies in vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium and essential fatty acids are also known to increase the severity of PMS symptoms.
4 Nutritional Solutions to Help Reduce PMS Symptoms
Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids: These healthy fats can help to manage pain, inflammation and PMS mood symptoms. Food sources include oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna, anchovies), flax seed and flax oil, walnuts, chia seeds.
Vitamin B6: May assist in reducing anxiety, moodiness, irritability, sugar cravings, breast tenderness and abdominal bloating. Food sources include fish, organ meats, turkey, chicken, sweet potato, sunflower seeds, banana, spinach.
Calcium: Research shows that women with low calcium levels have higher rates of PMS. Calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body and if levels are inadequate, it may cause symptoms of fluid retention, food cravings, muscle aches and moodiness. Food sources include green leafy vegetables, salmon & sardines (with the bones), brazil nuts, almonds, sesame seeds (tahini), dairy, soy (tempeh/tofu).
Magnesium: This vital mineral is required for stress management, energy production and maintenance of healthy moods. Magnesium deficiency can be associated with PMS symptoms including irritability, depression, confusion, headaches and muscle aches. Food sources include green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, raw cacao and wholegrains.
Stress, poor food choices and lack of physical activity can also contribute to the emotional and physical symptoms of PMS. By helping to rebalance your hormones, address nutritional deficiencies and factors such as stress and diet, you will no longer need to dread ‘that time of the month’.