The main defense for women who battle PMS symptoms is education. They need to take time to make a battle plan.  This is best done by consulting with others and independent research. The weapons a woman of any age can use to fight PMS symptoms and support her body are a whole foods diet, supplements, exercise, stress management, and possibly hormonal modulation. Being informed and encouraged will help a woman win the battle against PMS.

Personal Story

Some of my first experiences in researching health conditions had to do with battling PMS symptoms in myself and my daughters. How could I make those cramps go away?! As I researched PMS, I learned that a healthy diet and stress management were the foundation for winning the battle. Improving my diet and practicing stress management techniques made a huge difference in my life.

Dietary Recommendations

The primary dietary factors to encourage for a woman with PMS are as follows:

1. Always try to eat a breakfast which is a whole food balanced plate.
2. Seek to eat a hypoglycemic diet, meaning a diet which keeps blood sugar levels even.
3. You may wish to increase meal frequency with smaller amounts of food at each one.
4. Try to eat more complex carbohydrates (dark leafy green vegetables, legumes, whole grains).
5. Strive for regular protein intake at meals and snacks (legumes, eggs, fish, lean meat, nuts, or yogurt). It is best to limit red meat.
6. Be conscientious to have a high fiber intake by including whole grains and legumes. Increase vegetable and fruit intake.
7. Be sure to include bitter foods (arugula, dandelion greens, dill, kale, sesame seeds, turmeric, or coffee).
8. Increase foods with essential fatty acids and Vitamin E (salmon, tuna, sunflower seeds, or spinach).
9. Magnesium-containing foods (avocados, bananas, dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, yogurt, and dark chocolate).
10. Potassium-rich foods (bananas, dates, figs, peaches, sunflower seeds, and tomatoes).
11. Natural diuretics (asparagus, artichokes, parsley, and watercress).
12.  Include healthy fats (coconut oil, avocado, olives, nuts, seeds) and their oils.
13. You may try to avoid caffeinated beverages such as coffee and sodas for two menstrual cycles. The reason being they may increase anxiety. If you have a noticeable improvement, you can continue for a longer period.
14. If you have cravings for sweets or carbohydrates, you may want to choose starches which are sweet potatoes, whole grains, or legumes and not refined products with little nutrition. This may also cut the chances of the weight gain that occurs with PMS.
15. You may work with your health care provider, nutritionist, or herbalist to help you in choosing dietary supplements which are beneficial.

Physical Recommendations:

Physical interventions can also make a positive impact.

1. Exercise moderately 30 minutes/day as a first line of defense against PMS.
2. Smoking cessation may decrease the number of cramps.
3. Stress reducing mind-body techniques, such as deep-breathing or meditation.
4. A heating pad can give some relief for cramping.

Improving diet and practicing physical interventions may help a woman in the battle against PMS.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. Please encourage others by writing in the comment section above.