Premenstrual syndrome…the butt of many jokes. But it doesn’t feel like a joke to those who suffer from it. There are 150 possible physical and behavioral symptoms that fall under the umbrella of PMS. Seven to fourteen days before the menstrual cycle, PMS can strike. It can last those whole 2 weeks or some part of it. Some symptoms are minor. Others are severe and can interfere with a woman’s life. Approximately 40% of women suffer from some form of PMS and it is mystery why some suffer and some don’t.
But nutrition CAN offer some remedies:
Vitamins and Minerals to be sure to get enough of (or a little extra):
- B6 (make sure it is the activated P-5-P)
- Magnesium (mg glycinate is one of the best absorbed forms and doesn’t stay in GI track and cause loose stools)
- Calcium
Diet:
- Reducing sugar intake (prevent sugar ups and downs and hypoglycemia by reducing the sugar in your diet and eating plenty of protein and healthy fats to maintain blood sugar throughout the day)
- Reduce Caffeine
- High fiber diet (After being used, estrogen gets dumped into the gut and excreted with the rest of the waste. But if you don’t have enough fiber to bind it, that estrogen may get reabsorbed leading to higher than necessary levels of estrogen in your blood. This can lead to symptoms.)
Herbs (These herbs have been known to normalize hormone levels and alleviate symptoms):
- evening primrose oil
- gingko biloba
- black cohosh
If you have severe PMS with at least 5 major symptoms that interfere with life, you might have PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) and should seek advice from a medical professional.
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