Premenstrual Syndrome: How Diet and Lifestyle Can Help Ease Symptoms

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a common condition that affects millions of women worldwide. It is characterized by physical and emotional symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness, headache, and mood swings. While the causes of PMS are not well understood, research suggests that diet and lifestyle can play a significant role in managing its symptoms.

A healthy diet rich in calcium and vitamin D may help alleviate PMS symptoms. Calcium, found in foods such as low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt, and fortified orange juice, has been shown to reduce the severity of PMS symptoms. Vitamin D, also found in these foods, may work in the brain to relieve depressive symptoms or anxiety.

Eating regular meals and snacks throughout the day can help avoid becoming overly hungry and irritable due to blood sugar levels plummeting. Focus on whole foods, rather than overly processed or convenience foods, which are often high in sodium. Drinking plenty of water can also help reduce bloating and water retention.

Exercise, stress reduction, and supplements such as a daily multivitamin, 100 milligrams of vitamin B-6 a day, 600 milligrams of calcium carbonate with vitamin D daily, may also temper mood changes and reduce water retention.

Maintaining a healthy body weight and being physically active can help prevent PMS symptoms. Stress plays a huge role in the intensity of PMS symptoms, so finding ways to relax your mind, such as exercising or deep breathing, is essential.

A recent study showed that smoking, especially in teens or early 20s, may increase a woman’s risk for moderate to severe PMS.