Originally published September 19 2005
Changes in diet can ease PMS symptoms
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The following diet tips may be able to help ease the symptoms of PMS in some women: Avoid salt, caffeine, alcohol and fat in the last few days before your period; eat carbohydrates with a low glycemic index to help increase levels of serotonin in the body and improve mood; and get adequate levels of calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and vitamin B6.
An estimated 70 per cent of menstruating women experience some form of PMS; as many as 40 per cent have symptoms that make life difficult.
This hormone imbalance is thought to cause fluid retention and alter levels of serotonin and dopamine, two brain chemicals that affect mood, appetite and sleep.
Eliminating table salt and high-sodium foods for the last few days before your period can help minimize fluid retention and bloating.
A low-fat diet may curb PMS, too.
It's thought PMS-related mood swings and food cravings are caused by a deficiency of serotonin, a brain chemical associated with feelings of calmness and relaxation.
A study from Harvard Medical School in Boston found that consuming a carb-rich beverage significantly decreased depression, anger and carb cravings in women with PMS.
Sugary foods like cookies and candy cause blood-sugar spikes, followed by sharp declines, a pattern that can worsen mood swings.
Choose "low glycemic" carbohydrates, which release their sugar more slowly into the bloodstream.
These include grainy breads with seeds, large-flake oats, bran cereals, brown rice, sweet potatoes, pasta, apples, citrus fruit, grapes, pears, legumes, nuts, milk, yogurt and soymilk.
Evidence suggests an adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D can reduce the severity of PMS symptoms and may even prevent its initial development.
In one study, U.S. researchers gave 466 women with PMS 1,200 milligrams of calcium in a supplement or a placebo for three months.
Another study in the June issue of Archives of Internal Medicine followed 3,025 women for 10 years and found that, compared to women with a low calcium and vitamin D intake, those with the highest intakes were 30- to 40-per-cent less likely to have PMS.
British researchers found that a daily 200-milligram magnesium supplement taken for two months significantly reduced PMS fluid retention.
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