Dieting during PMS

What you can eat to make that time of the month go by a little bit faster.

Each month, women across the globe suffer pain, bloating, discomfort, mood swings, and more—all because of the natural cycle their bodies go through. While some have tried every cure under the sun, some women have given up on the idea of finding any relief. But before you wave good-bye to hope, head to the pantry, grab a fork, and start eating. Because you may just find the relief you want right on the tip of your tongue.

Count Calcium

Studies have found a number of food items help reduce premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms in females. One of the items that seems to have a remarkable effect on the severity of PMS symptoms is calcium. It is recommended that you consume around 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day to fend off the frustrating bloating and cramping that accompanies PMS. Since it is relatively easy to get this much calcium (one cup of yogurt has nearly 500 milligrams and a cup of milk has 300), you can make PMS a little more tolerable without much effort.

Forget Fat, Find Flax

There are mixed reviews about the link between fatty foods and PMS-related breast pain. But since cutting back on fatty foods will reduce your likelihood for an array of other dangerous and deadly diseases in the future, there is no harm in finding out whether a reduced-fat diet will help eliminate breast pain as well. While cutting back on fat, you can add some flaxseed to your diet, as it appears that flaxseed is a great way to fend off breast pain each month. For optimal benefit, try to eat about 25 grams of flaxseed each day.

Shun Sugar, Keep Complex

As you lie in bed, miserably bloated and in pain, the thought of a piece of cake may be comforting. But don’t let that thought turn to action! Eating sugar may actually cause your PMS symptoms to grow more severe, particularly if you’re prone to swelling. In addition to avoiding sugar, you should avoid excess salt and eat plenty of complex carbohydrates, which help your body steer clear of retaining water. Complex carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, so they’re fairly easy to find and usually taste fantastic!

Kill Caffeine

As you roll out of bed, you may think that a good dose of caffeine is the only thing that will give you the strength to deal with PMS. Unfortunately, a dose of caffeine will actually make things worse by messing with your mood and increasing your likelihood to suffer breast tenderness.

Pass up Problems

If you are allergic to certain foods, live with lactose intolerance, or suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), do whatever is in your power to keep these issues under control. Ignoring them and eating however you want may only make you slightly ill during most days, but when you’re in the throes of PMS, eating anything and everything you want makes all your symptoms that much worse. Dealing with these dietary issues before PMS sets in ensures you will be in good eating habits that will help you get through PMS unscathed.