PMS? 10+ Lifestyle Tips and Home Remedies For Quick Relief

Struggling with PMS? Here are Simple Home Remedies and Tips For Relief

By Luke Coutinho Lifestyle, 2022 difficult periods, hormonal imbalance, Lifestyle Tips, menstruation, menstruation tips, painful periods, period care, periods, pms, PMS home remedies, PMS remedies, PMS symptoms, PMS tips, Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, premenstrual syndrome 0 Comments

PMS stands for premenstrual syndrome. These refer to several physical and emotional symptoms that girls, women, and people who menstruate undergo before, during, and sometimes even after their period cycles.

Approximately 3 out of 4 women experience Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms at some point in their lifetimes. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a more severe form of PMS that affects less than 5% of women of childbearing age. It occurs in women suffering from chronic stress, depression, or a history of postpartum depression. In addition, it can get worse as you approach menopause in your 40s or mid-40s.

Every woman experiences PMS differently. These symptoms can range from physical discomfort to emotional fluctuations and alter over time.

Struggling with PMS Here are Simple Home Remedies and Tips to Manage It — Representational Image only. Photo Credits: Freepik/@gpointstudio

Some symptoms to look out for

Feeling low
Feeling depressive
Anger outbursts
Anxiety
Irritability
Tendency to give in to emotional eating
Constipation
Bloating
Headache
Swelling hands and feet
Low libido
Mood swings
Crying spells
Social withdrawal
Insomnia
Poor concentration
Thirst
Appetite changes (food cravings)
Breast tenderness
Weight gain
Aches, pains, cramps (Lower back, abdomen, and so on)
Cramps
Fatigue
Nausea
Breakouts/acne

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is multifactorial. Several hormonal changes in your body close to and during your period cycle can lead to them, among other factors. Chronic stress can also be a leading contributor to it. If not handled at the right time, PMS can negatively impact health-related quality of life, and this is real.

Many women take painkillers during or before their cycle. We all know the side effects of these on your kidneys and liver. I may not understand the pain that people who menstruate go through. But I know one thing from my experience consulting people from across the world is that what you eat before and during your period cycle can affect how you feel and how your body responds to it.

When your body goes through this natural change, you lose hydration and several vitamins and minerals. The first step is to address this and replenish everything that gets depleted. When we do this, the body gets what it needs to balance your hormones, reduce pain, and keep you healthy and happy.

What does a person lose when going through a period cycle?

Water
Iron
Magnesium
Zinc
B vitamins
Calcium, and more.

Losing these can cause your energy levels to drop and your inflammation to increase. It can lead to fatigue, weakness, spasms, cramps, nausea, and mood swings, among other PMS symptoms.

We have seen that simply replenishing what is lost helps most of our clients get through their following cycles smoothly and with reduced PMS symptoms.

Do you crave chocolate on your period? Because you lose magnesium, you crave foods loaded with it. Chocolate is rich in magnesium. Remember, the darker the chocolate, the better.

My favorite remedy to manage PMS

My top remedy for those going through PMS is this. You don’t have to wait for your period cycle to start this. I advise everyone with difficult and painful period cycles to start doing this right now. Start building your body throughout the entire month with this simple change, and you will experience a difference.

You may have heard of cacao and cocoa. Both of these are different. While your cocoa beans are highly processed, cacao is roasted. Choose cacao.

All you need to do is:

Take 1 tbsp of raw cacao powder. Mix it with a cup of water.
This powerful concoction is rich in iron, magnesium, B vitamins, calcium, and most vitamins and minerals you tend to deplete on your period.

Now cacao and water may be boring for some people. You can take this a step further.

Mix raw cacao with almond milk.
You can opt to add dates, a dash of Sri Lankan cinnamon powder, and a pinch of vanilla powder.
Turn this into a healthy and protein-rich breakfast smoothie that keeps your hormones in balance. It is crucial to maintain protein levels during your period.

Cacao also has an amino acid called tryptophan which is the precursor of your happy/feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine and your sleep hormone melatonin. This is why when some people go through their PMS cycles, they experience mood swings and feel extremely low. Having cacao can help.

My favorite juice for those going through PMS

This juice is a combination of cucumber, carrot, and beetroot. Add a 1-inch piece of ginger, and squeeze in some lemon juice. It is excellent for replenishing your iron, magnesium, and zinc.

Also try: Luke Curated: PMS Calm Cycle Tea

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are immunity boosters and loaded with B vitamins and magnesium. Most people equate potatoes with weight gain without realizing that it isn’t the potato that makes you fat but your poor eating habits, greed, and sedentary lifestyle. Potatoes are good for you. Unless your sugar levels are out of whack, you have little or no movement, or you are deep frying them. Keep it simple and real.

Check out recipes you can make with sweet potatoes here.

Have light foods

When you make the required dietary changes, you can also combat bloating that accompanies your PMS. When on your cycle, eat foods that are gentle on your system.
Include:

Raw foods
Lightly-cooked foods
Dried figs
Pumpkin seeds
Rice
Millets
Green leafy vegetables
Raw cacao
Sweet potatoes, and so on.

Other lifestyle changes you can make:

Manage your stress levels. Seek professional help if needed.
Confide in a loved one.
Maintain a journal to document your feelings and symptoms.
Try deep breathing and pranayama.
Yoga asanas that can reduce your menstrual cramps, enable blood circulation in the reproductive system, and relax your mind include:
- Balasana (Child’s Pose)
- Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose/Butterfly Pose)
- Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose)
- Savasana (Corpse Pose)

Get regular movement. Walk for 10 minutes after every meal.
Studies reveal that engaging in at least 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise (brisk walking, cycling, swimming, running, playing a sport) increases your heart rate and boosts your lung function. It can alleviate PMS symptoms like low mood, lack of concentration, and fatigue.
Avoid or cut down on caffeine.
Avoid excessively sugary and salt-laden foods at least two weeks before your cycle, especially if you struggle with bloating, tender breasts, and swollen limbs.
Limit your consumption of junk and processed foods.
Nix the cigarette butt. Studies reveal that those who smoke tend to experience worse PMS symptoms.
Limit or avoid drinking alcohol.
Get good, restorative, and deep-quality sleep. Being sleep-deprived will only worsen your symptoms further. There is a reason it is called beauty sleep.
Eat a diet rich in complex carbohydrates that regulate your insulin and blood sugar levels and are rich in fiber. These include whole grains, barley, brown rice, beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, lentils, potatoes, and unprocessed oats.
Add calcium-rich, magnesium-rich, iron-rich, and B-vitamin-rich foods.
Eat a rainbow. Keep your fruits and vegetables diverse and colorful. Looking for healthy snacks? Add nuts and seeds (soaked overnight).
Stay hydrated adequately. You can also infuse your water with lemons, limes, or cucumber if they suit you.
Eat healthy fats that give you omega-3s and omega-6s (Nuts, seeds, eggs, fatty fish, and so on.)
Engage in self-care. Here are 21 ways to do it. Use a heating pad to relieve your pain. Have a warm bath. Diffuse essential oils. Do what you can to feel good.