Exercise and PMS
Many women are surprised when their PMS symptoms seem to disappear after they’ve begun a regular program of exercise. Not only can regular exercise reduce your PMS symptoms, your overall health will improve as well. Regular exercise significantly reduces your risks for heart disease and many types of cancer. Regular exercise also helps improve the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.The best results from a regular exercise program come when you spend at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week, doing an aerobic activity such as walking, swimming, biking, or jogging / running. If you need help getting started, try About.com Walking Guide Wendy Bumgardner’s 10 week free Walk of Life walking and exercise email class.
Relaxation Therapies and PMS
Relaxation techniques help relieve the everyday stress and anxiety that many of us experience. Because psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress frequently increase with the onset of PMS, relaxation therapies such as- yoga,
- meditation,
- biofeedback, and
- self-hypnosis often help to reduce these symptoms.
Sleep and PMS
While it can sometimes seem difficult to achieve, make sure that you’re getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night to help reduce the intensity of your PMS symptoms. Not getting enough sleep can increase the severity of your PMS symptoms. A lack of proper sleep affects your ability to concentrate, makes you to feel tired when you wake up and throughout your day, and can have a profound negative impact on your energy level. If you don’t feel refreshed when you wake up in the morning, you’re probably not sleeping enough.Diet and PMS
Dietary changes that may help reduce your PMS symptoms include eating light, frequent meals that are rich in complex carbohydrates, which includes whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Your diet should also be low in sodium, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine. If your PMS symptoms include bloating or fluid retention, it’s particularly important to reduce your sodium intake since salt is a huge contributor to such symptoms.Herbal Treatments for PMS
While most herbal treatments for PMS are generally ineffective, some experts recommend chasteberry. Several small studies show that chasteberry appears to reduce the symptoms of PMS in some women. However, due to the poor design of these studies, researchers cannot assure the safety and effectiveness of this herb. Researchers plan more studies of chasteberry and PMS.Chasteberry is currently the only herb considered possibly helpful to women who have PMS. Although women in one small study saw an improvement in their PMS symptoms following three months of treatment with chasteberry, this herb requires further study to determine if it is safe and effective.
Vitamins and Minerals for PMS
Mild to moderate PMS symptoms often respond well to calcium supplementation. You probably already know that calcium is important for helping to reduce your risk of osteoporosis or bone loss. However, you may not be aware that studies show that taking 600 mg of calcium twice daily (in addition to the calcium obtained in your diet) provides a significant reduction in PMS symptoms, after 3 months, when compared with placebos.A small clinical trial has found that up to 100 mg of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) may help reduce the symptoms of PMS in women who have only mild symptoms. You should never take more than 100 mg of vitamin B6 per day due to a risk of nerve damage.
OTC Drugs for PMS
OTC drugs such as ibuprophen, naproxen, and aspirin can help reduce menstrual cramps, breast tenderness, headaches, and backaches that often occur together with PMS. If these medications fail to provide pain relief, talk to your doctor.Next page: Antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, drugs that affect hormone production, and oral contraceptives for treatment of PMS and PMDD
