How to help yourself during PMS?

Hormonal processes take place in women's bodies before menstruation , which causes us to become more sensitive, feel that our pants are getting too small or too big, our complexion seems to be worse and somehow more things start to irritate us. You can read more about why this is so in a separate article . For some women, the physical pain and emotional stress is so great that it interferes with daily life. It is not worth ignoring such symptoms, because the troublesome premenstrual syndrome can lead to, among others: to depression and be a signal of gynecological or endocrine diseases.

 "I don't know what I want..." - briefly about what PMS is.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a condition that women experience in the second phase of the menstrual cycle, and the most intense symptoms occur in women between the ages of 25 and 35. ¹ The presence of symptoms is caused by hormonal changes that occur during the luteal phase. (last phase) of the menstrual cycle. They may be aggravated by a sedentary lifestyle , improper hydration of the body, overwork , poor quality of consumed products and fatigue of our body. ² .

PMS symptoms.

According to research, the incidence of PMS in women of reproductive age worldwide is approximately 47.8% . Among them, approximately 20% of women experience symptoms so serious that it may hinder or prevent everyday functioning, social relationships, and also affect our professional activity. ³ . The severity of symptoms varies for each woman. These symptoms may be mental (emotional) or physical. There are approximately 300 symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome ⁴ . In most cases , they disappear within a few days and also disappear during pregnancy and after menopause ⁵ . However, some women may begin to experience PMS up to 2 weeks before the start of a new menstrual cycle.

The characteristic physical symptoms of PMS include ^6,7,8 :

• Breast swelling and tenderness, nipple pain.
• Migraine headaches.
• Bloating and digestive disorders.
• Weight gain.
• Nausea.
• Acne flare-ups.

The characteristic mental and behavioral symptoms of PMS include: ^9.10 :

• Irritability.
• Mood swings and feeling irritated.
• An increase in anxiety levels.
• Self-esteem disorder.
• Depressed mood.
• Reduced libido.

Women with very troublesome PMS symptoms are more likely to suffer from insomnia , poor concentration , depressive states, and even depression itself . That is why it is so important to diagnose the syndrome, consult a doctor and implement appropriate treatment ¹¹ .

How to relieve PMS symptoms?

Lifestyle, nutrition and overall health are important issues in treating menstrual symptoms. For women with mild PMS symptoms, it is best to start with a diet that will minimize the symptoms. So what should it be like? Mainly due to flatulence and digestive disorders - easily digested and not burdening the digestive tract and rich in protein and vitamin D ¹² , A, E and B6 (which supports the production of serotonin and improves the absorption of magnesium) ¹³ .

Introduce products rich in:

• Vitamin B6 - broccoli, potatoes, whole grain products, bananas, dairy products, fish and eggs.
• Vitamin D – chanterelles, fish, eggs, butter, yellow cheese.
• Vitamin A - beef liver, eggs, dairy products, fish, red, orange and green vegetables and fruits - e.g. sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, spinach.
• Vitamin E - olive oil, sprouts and germs of cereal seeds, tomatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach, peach, black currant, fish, eggs, dairy products.
• Magnesium - couscous and buckwheat, oatmeal, cocoa, parsley.
• Potassium – potatoes, walnuts, bananas, green vegetables.
• Calcium – dairy products, plant milk enriched with calcium, natural yogurts, tofu.
• Iron - eggs (soft-boiled, scrambled), spinach, broccoli, pumpkin seeds.
• Unsaturated fatty acids - steamed oily fish, previously soaked nuts and seeds, cold-pressed oils, e.g. evening primrose.

In addition to diet, remember how important a role exercise plays . This doesn't mean you have to run marathons or lift weights at the gym. A much better solution is moderate exercise, which will strengthen your pelvis, have a soothing effect on your mind and ensure proper breathing. We are talking about yoga and pilates - research shows that these forms of exercise are very effective in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome ¹⁴ . Importantly, it is worth introducing physical activity into your lifestyle not only during the period of PMS symptoms, but permanently, even in the form of short daily walks . You can read more about their health benefits here .

Be kind to yourself.

When our period approaches, we usually crave something sweet . However, it is better to leave bars, milk chocolates and sweet muffins aside, because they will not help relieve your symptoms. It is also worth limiting table salt, alcohol, processed products, spicy spices and sweetened drinks. Remember that you don't have to, and you shouldn't even deny yourself all the pleasures that food gives you. You just need to find healthier alternatives. You can choose products containing potassium (bananas, raspberries, almonds, tomato juice or apricots) or dark chocolate, which contains tryptophan ( an amino acid that helps alleviate the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and migraines) and products rich in magnesium and iron , which also contribute to to reduce PMS symptoms ¹⁵ .

Make yourself a quick dessert. Pudding cooked with any milk (without sugar) with the addition of dark chocolate and banana or a handful of raspberries is perfect as a dessert, and it takes no more than 5 minutes to prepare.

Don't hesitate to seek help from your doctor.

Ways to deal with PMS should always be tailored to you individually , because each of us is different. Most women experience at least one symptom of premenstrual syndrome every month. However, if these symptoms are very severe , persist for a long time , and diet or exercise do not help, you should definitely see a doctor. Very troublesome premenstrual syndrome may indicate gynecological diseases (e.g. polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis), endocrine diseases (e.g. thyroid disorders) or mental diseases , which require appropriate treatment ¹⁶ .

Bibliography:

1. Wojciech Krawczyk, Ewa Rudnicka-Drożak, Independent Laboratory of Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of M, General Medicine and Health Sciences, 2011, Volume 17, No. 3, 145-147.
2. As above.
3. Pratyusha R. Gudipally 1, Gyanendra K. Sharma. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan. 2021 Nov 14.
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5. By Mayo Clinic Staff, Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), mayoclinic.org, accessed September 21, 2022.
6. P. W. Budoff. Premenstrual syndrome. Prostaglandins and their Inhibitors in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology pp 367-389.
7. Gianni Allais, Ilaria Castagnoli Gabellari, Chiara Burzio, Sara Rolando, Cristina De Lorenzo, Ornella Mana, Chiara Benedetto. Premenstrual syndrome and migraine. 2012 May.
8. Krawczyk W., Rudnicka-Drozak E. Premenstrual syndrome. General Medicine and Health Sciences, 2011, Volume 17, No. 3, 145-147.
9. By Mayo Clinic Staff, Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), op.cit.
10. PW Budoff, op.cit.
11. Mingzhou Gao, Dongmei Gao, Hui Sun, Xunshu Cheng, Li An and Mingqi Qiao, Trends in Research Related to Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder From 1945 to 2018: A Bibliometric Analysis, 2021 Apr 21.
12. Afsane Bahrami, Amir Avan, Hamid Reza Sadeghnia, Habibollah Esmaeili, Maryam Tayefi, Faezeh Ghasemi, Fatemeh Nejati Salehkhani, Mahla Arabpour-Dahoue, Azam Rastgar-Moghadam, Gordon A Ferns, Hamidreza Bahrami-Taghanaki, Majid Ghayour-Mobarhan. High dose vitamin D supplementation can improve menstrual problems, dysmenorrhea, and premenstrual syndrome in adolescents. 2018 Aug;34(8):659-663.
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14. Nirav Vaghela 1, Daxa Mishra 1, Maitri Sheth 2, Vyoma Bharat Dani, To compare the effects of aerobic exercise and yoga on Premenstrual syndrome, 2019 Oct.
15. Ejsymont J, Zegan M, Michota-Katulska Ewa. The influence of vitamin D, B6, calcium and magnesium intake on the occurrence of premenstrual syndrome symptoms. Problems of Epidemiological Hygiene; 2014, 95(3), pp.765-771.
16. Tkaczuk-Włach J, op.cit.