Dreading that time of the month? When you don’t just have to change your whole week to meet Aunt Flo’s requests, but also face her wrath with dreaded cramps, vomiting, fever, lack of appetite, and whatever else you personally go through. Here are some surefire tricks that have been said to relieve those uncomfortable pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, with some added health benefits.
1. Bring On Some Vitamin B
Around 75% of women in the world are said to suffer from PMS. One tip is to consume foods rich in Vitamin B such as beans, bananas, nuts, chicken, in your daily diet. It may not stop the discomfort entirely but will reduce its effects, especially just around the time PMS symptoms start to act up, which is usually 10 days before your period. Why not, keep a bag of mixed nuts or a banana handy during this time?
2. Seek Out Some Vitamin C
Citrus fruits, berries, pineapples, potatoes, and more, are packed with anti-oxidants and vitamin C, which helps reduce bloating, fatigue, breast tenderness, and even heavy flows. Try eating these a week before your periods and consume them raw or half cooked because, cooking removes all their essential nutrients.
3. Eat Up Some Vitamin E
As a natural vitamin that helps ease period cramps like magic, it also reduces the intensity of mood swings and the emotional turbulence during your period. Other PMS symptoms it helps reduces and balance, include heavy bleeding. Take a vitamin E supplement about a week before your period and three days after you get your period. Besides improving your energy levels, those cramps, anxious outbursts, depressive feelings, and cravings will gradually reduce.
4. Calm It Down With Non-Dairy Calcium
As a growing kid, we are told to consume calcium-rich foods so we can have strong bones most usually through milk. But, during your periods it’s best to get your calcium from non-dairy sources such as different kinds of nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and even veggies like cabbage and beans.
5. The Power Of Iron
Heavy blood loss depletes the amount of iron in the body, and can cause anemia, which further causes period cramps too. So, amp up those iron rich foods in your diet too, such as spinach and leafy greens, raisins, egg yolks, soybeans, chickpeas, turkey, oysters, and shellfish. Studies have shown that iron-rich reduce many of those PMS symptoms or at least make them easier to bear.
6. Cram On That Chocolate You Crave
Even those who are not chocolate lovers, will start to crave the oh-so-delicious nature of chocolate. Don’t overeat it though, eat enough to satisfy those non-stop and random cravings. Eat some chocolate pudding which is low-sugar and low-fat or better yet, keep some dark chocolate with you handy, as it is good to regulate your period cycles, thanks to its plant-based omega-3 fatty acids. An unusual craving for chocolate however, indicates magnesium deficiency.
7. Manage It with Magnesium
An overlooked but critically needed mineral, those who are low on magnesium face an increase in PMS symptoms and usually more intensely, such as bloating caused by water retention in the bladder, breast pain or sensitivity, mood swings, anxiety, and even depression. Some foods with magnesium include, rice, oats, chocolate, soybeans, and even mixed nuts. Increase the amount of magnesium-rich foods you take and see lesser signs of PMS-ing.
8. Keep It Simple With Complex Carbs
Women who eat complex carbohydrates have been shown to face lesser PMS symptoms than those who do not, mainly because they help manage food-cravings and increase the body’s serotonin levels, which is a feel-good or happy hormone, reducing depressive feelings. Foods high in complex carbs are avocados, quinoa, oats, apples, corn, root veggies, onions, sunflower seeds, and heaps more.
9. Wash It Out With Water
Staying hydrated with fresh juices, water, and the like can drastically reduce bloating during your periods. Make sure to lower those dehydrating habits such as drinking coffee or caffeinated drinks, eating salty foods, alcohol, and sugary foods. Drink around 8 to 10 glasses of warm water a day and indulge in water-rich foods like cucumbers, watermelons, and carrot, to deflate that bloating.
