Women's Health Articles

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is related to hormone fluctuations in the body. Someone experience severe PMS symptoms while others only experience mild niggling symptoms and a lucky few don?t notice any changes at all.

A few PMS symptoms are:

Irritability
Mood Swings
Bloating
Headaches
Cramps
Difficult sleeping
Breast tenderness
Fatigue
Crying spells
Joint aches and pains

Unfortunately for the unlucky women who experience severe PMS symptoms this time can feel like a rollercoaster of emotions with some even being bedridden for several days.

For severe PMS symptoms your doctor can prescribe over the counter medications which may help alleviate the problem. There are also natural supplements that can be taken to help with the less severe forms of PMS.

Generally a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the monthly symptoms of PMS although in some cases it may not get rid of them altogether. Here are a few things you can do to ensure a good natural defense against PMS:

Reduce Stress ? You can do this by getting more sleep. Yoga and meditation have been especially successful in treating PMS symptoms. Deep breathing exercises and focusing can help too.

Get More Exercise ? Exercise and an active lifestyle is nature?s cure for many ailments including PMS. Get out there and be active, go for a walk even if you don?t feel like it. The fresh air and exercise will help you feel much better. And make sure you take up a regular exercise routine during the month to help with your overall PMS symptoms.

Eat a Balanced Diet ? Just like exercise a balanced diet can work wonders for PMS sufferers. Although you should aim to eat healthy all throughout the month there are certain things to avoid during the PMS cycle.

Limit your salt intake, salty foods will cause more bloating and fluid retention.

Limit your alcohol intake, alcohol is a depressant, combine it with PMS and it?s a recipe for disaster. Try not to drink during your PMS cycle and limit alcohol consumption throughout the month.

Avoid Caffeine, caffeine can cause added anxiety during your menstrual cycle. Try to avoid it during this time or restrict your intake to one or two cups a day.

And as for what you should eat:

A balanced diet with lots of complex carbohydrates, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, lean proteins and fruit.

Recent research has shown that calcium may aid in alleviating the symptoms of PMS. Take a daily supplement to ensure you?re getting enough.