For most women, that certain time of the month can bring all sorts of wellness-bashing joys. Whether you’re fighting against severe cramps, irritability, or bloating, you can improve your wellbeing with nothing more than your shopping list. The right foods, and vitamin and mineral supplements (VMS), can help you to reduce the symptoms of PMS, as they can help you balance your hormones, stabilise your blood sugar, and increase your nutritional intake.
Firstly, you can improve your hormonal balance by eliminating any non-organic dairy, beef and chicken from your diet, as this means that no added growth hormones and pesticides will enter your body and cause oestrogen dominance and other symptoms of PMS, especially cramping. ‘White’ foods, meaning sugar and starch, changes the way your body metabolises oestrogen, and converts more testosterone into oestrogen, so trade your white rice and bread for brown or wholegrain varieties, and swap your sugar for a natural sweetener, such as honey, and use only sparingly.
To stabilise your blood sugar, you should be eating a high-protein and high-healthy-fats diet. Make sure you choose high-quality, organic products that contain no added hormones, such as butter and cream from grass-fed cows, meat from pastured, organic animals, eggs from pastured hens and healthy fats from avocados, olive and coconut oils and fatty fish such as salmon and herring.
To replenish vitamins and minerals you may be lacking in, start by throwing out any low or non-fat foods, as these often contain chemical stabilizers. You should also avoid toxin-overloaded foods, such as those containing chemical preservatives, additives, artificial sweeteners and colouring. Instead, opt for nutrient-dense foods, including two daily servings of cruciferous vegetables like kale, collard greens, broccoli and cabbage. This family of vegetables contain Indole-3-Carbinol, which helps you to balance hormones and regulate oestrogen levels.
Finally, you can boost your PMS symptom relief with supplements and herbs. With a multivitamin and mineral formula that is rich in vitamin B, vitamin E, calcium and magnesium, you can give your body the nutrients it needs and help to relax your muscles, reducing menstrual cramps.
You can also ward of cramps with evening primrose oil, and regularly taking omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation. If all else fails, cramp bark is a wonderful herb alternative to aspirin or ibuprofen. Just remember to keep your diet as clean as possible throughout the month and check with your doctor for drug interactions before beginning a new supplement or herb.
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