Help for PMS
Your doctor can prescribe hormone supplements and other treatments forsevere PMS, so do not be afraid to mention it. There are also many self-helpbooks with detailed diet and exercise programs which can be very helpful.
Here are a few suggestions for mild PMS symptoms. Like cramps, you canease PMS by relaxing, exercising and eating right. If you treat one, youtreat the other too. These are not miracle cures, just common sense.
Get plenty of sleep! If you feel a little run down, you should respectthat. Go to bed early, take a nap, rest whenever you need to. Don't tryto pep up by eating a lot of sugar and drinking caffine. Your body mightneed more rest than usual.
Eat right! Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables,rice, pasta, fish and whole grains. You may have strong cravings for saltand sugar during your PMS time. Unfortunately, they are the some of theworst things you could eat if you have PMS. Be strong! Or at least tryto eat some healthy foods in between the bags of chips. You might findthat healthy foods actually satisfy your cravings.
Exercise all month long. Regular exercise may be the best way to preventPMS, it's good for your general health anyway, and it helps cramps.
Relax/Meditate: If everybody is getting on your nerves, maybe it isbecause you are not spending enough quality time with yourself. Make timeto curl up with a good book in a quiet place, or hide in your room andlisten to your favorite music. Take a sick day and go to the park. Learnyoga or a some meditation technique which will allow you release the stressof everyday living.
Be easy on yourself: The time before your period is a sensitive time,when things that never bother you suddenly do. You might be very criticalabout yourself, finding flaws in everything you do and replaying bad memories.Tell yourself that this is the PMS talking. Recognize the things that arebothering you, but don't rag on yourself.
Help for bloating: When you can't button pants that you wore three daysago you know you are retaining water. Diuretics are drugs which make youpee out all of that extra water. Diuretics are found in diet pills, andin drugs like Pamprin which are specifically for menstruating women. Teaand coffee are also diuretics. The problem with diuretics like these, isthat they mess up your body chemistry. One thing they do is drain the potassium- an important mineral - from your body. Cut down on the amount of saltyou eat to prevent bloating, and drink a lot of water. Yes, drinking alot of water actually reduces water retention.
Evening Primrose Oil : This is a popular alternative medicine cure forboth cramps and PMS. Evening primrose oil (borage oil and black currantoil work similarly) is available at health food stores in the form of pills- gelatine capsules. Some women take one or two capsules every day, otherstake it only during the two weeks before their periods. You have to beon evening primrose oil for a couple of months before you get any results.It is rather expensive, so it is probably best to figure out how littleyou can take and still get results.