| Eating
for PMS
Four categories of PMS symptoms have been identified. A female
might experience symptoms from one or more of these categories,
or the pattern of symptoms might change each month.
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1. Tension Symptoms:
nervous tension, teariness, mood swings, irritability, and
anxiety.
2. Hyperhydration symptoms: weight gain, swelling in the
hands and feet, breast tenderness, and bloating
3. Craving symptoms: increased hunger, gastrointestinal
problems, cravings for sweet or salty foods, headaches,
dizziness, and a pounding heart.
4. Depression symptoms: fatigue, poor concentration and
memory, frequent crying, insomnia, depression, and confusion. |
Some causes are believed to
be from hormone changes. During this time women have lower levels
of endorphins (our feel good chemicals), increased prostaglandins
(pain sensors) and estrogen swings all affect how we feel.
What can we do from a nutrition
standpoint to ease the symptoms?
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·
Decrease caffeine!
How caffeine aggravated PMS symptoms is unclear, although
caffeine's effects on the nervous system are well-known
and probably contribute to the symptoms, especially headaches,
irritability, and anxiety. Coffee, tea, pop, and energy
drinks contain caffeine. Try decreasing it and evaluate
over several months, since results might not show up immediately.
· Decrease alcohol.
PMS sufferers are more
likely to drink than non sufferers during this time. Although
the increased alcohol intake might slightly reduce that
pain and discomfort associated with PMS, it also aggravated
antisocial behavior, hostility, and anger. Worse yet,
alcohol, raises blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol
and increases the permeability of cell membranes, affecting
how well nerve cells function, and possibly contributing
to mood swings, depression and other emotional problems.
· Drink more water
Women with PMS drink less
water than do other women, possibly because they mistakenly
believe that drinking water causes fluid retention. In
fact, just the opposite is true. Drinking more water and
consuming less salty snack foods help the body rid itself
of excess fluid, which might reduce swelling, breast tenderness,
and bloating.
· Decrease simple
sugar
Sugar sensitivity may
be aggravated during PMS, intensifying the emotional highs
and lows, escalating a minor food craving into a binge,
and magnifying PMS symptoms. As opposed to the temporary
sugar high, eliminating sugar and caffeine from the diet
and consuming more complex carbohydrates such as sweet
potatoes, corn, whole grain pastas and breads, might be
a permanent solution.
· Increase fiber and soy
The foods mentioned above
are all higher in fiber. Studies show high fiber to enhance
estrogen excretion which may improve hormone balance.
Soybeans and soy products contain estrogenlike compounds
called phytoestrogens that help offset fluctuations in
a woman's natural estrogen. While not exactly like estrogen,
phytoestrogens act much like the hormone, binding to the
body's estrogen receptors and supplementing the effects
of estrogen without the discomfort.
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From
the book Food and Mood
Elizabeth Somer M.A.,R.D.
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