PMS: survival instructions

According to statistics, 90% of women aged 13 to 50 suffer from premenstrual syndrome. Experts have up to 150 symptoms of PMS, which also can be manifested in various combinations. However, as doctors say all of the symptoms can not mix in one woman. And that’s good news.

What happens to us

In the premenstrual period, the level of sex hormones fluctuates in a woman’s body and manifestations of PMS depend on the individual response to such fluctuations. For example, some women have a headache for a week before menstruation, weight gain, and acne appear on their faces. Others 2-3 days before menstruation begin to suffer from depression and insomnia.

Survival instructions

No matter how ruthless you are about PMS, take on a weapon to combat it.

Say YES!

• Regular sex. Making love is the best prevention of PMS.
• Proper nutrition. The week before menstruation, limit your fat intake. Eat more complex carbohydrates – vegetables and fruits, cereals and bread from coarse flour. Food should be divided: small portions should be distributed into five or six meals a day.
• Vitamin and mineral complexes. The main fighters with PMS are vitamins A, E, B6, magnesium and calcium.
• Fitness. The most useful types are pilates, yoga, swimming, aqua aerobics and belly dance. Exercises will help to increase circulation in the pelvis.
• Water. Drink as much mineral water as possible, at least five to six glasses before each meal, including snacks. This helps to reduce appetite and to restore water balance.
• Diet, which contains beans, soybeans, peas, lentils, beef liver, various greens, whole grain cereals, bananas. These foods contain a lot of vitamin B6. It reduces fatigue, smoothes mood swings, helps cope with depression, “dries” tears. Love spinach, zucchini, seeds and nuts. They have a lot of magnesium. This element is needed to relieve premenstrual symptoms. And magnesium reduces the craving for sweets.
• A visit to a gynaecologist if the suffering is so severe that you cannot do the usual duties. Today, there are many medicines in the arsenal of doctors to help mitigate all unpleasant manifestations of PMS.
• Folk medicine. Irritability, boredom, tearfulness, aggressiveness can be removed with a decoction of St. John’s wort. If you are prevented from living in these days of anxiety, talkativeness, aggressiveness, turn to soothing natural remedies. Valerian root, dog nettle, viburnum bark, peony root – tinctures and decoctions are suitable. To cope with apathy, lethargy, lacrimation will help biostimulants – ginseng, Eleutherococcus, lemongrass. If you have high blood pressure, drink an infusion of hawthorn flowers or fruits or marsh flowers.

Say NO!

• Any stressful situation. Do not overwork, sleep at least eight hours.
• Strong tea, coffee and caffeinated beverages. Usually, we use them as a source of cheerfulness, but with PMS, they do not work, and, on the contrary, worsen weakness. And this is again the fault of hormones. It is better to drink herbal teas, carrot and lemon juices.
• A lot of salt. During PMS, fluid is trapped in the body and causes temporary weight gain and swelling. Salt only counteracts this problem. By the way, not only the arms and legs are swollen these days, but also some parts of the brain. It aggravates the headache, as well as inattention and forgetfulness.
• Any alcohol, even beer and wine. Alcohol will only increase anxiety, aggression and migraines. And even with PMS, the production of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which neutralizes ethyl alcohol and prevents intoxication.
• Chocolate and other sweets. Many women during a PMS become a sweet tooth. You will have to give up this habit.