Here are some foods that can ease the unpleasant symptoms of PMS

Before menstruation, it's kind of uncomfortable... This is the time when many women tend to feel something wrong. Unpleasant premenstrual symptoms are called PMS. For those who want to relieve PMS even a little, and want to control premenstrual irritation and excessive appetite, there is something I would like you to look back on.

It's about your daily diet.

It's a meal that tends to be neglected when you're busy, but it's been reported that it affects PMS . I will tell you what kind of food is good and what nutrients are recommended.

Please refer to one of the things written in this article and use it to reduce PMS.

Find out in this article

• Foods that relieve PMS and foods that tend to make it worse
• Recommended nutrients
• Non-dietary ways to relieve PMS

Foods that relieve PMS

Eating a healthy diet and limiting sodium and caffeine can help alleviate PMS (premenstrual syndrome)1). Specific nutrients and dietary supplements are said to include vitamins (A, E, B6), calcium, magnesium, multivitamin/mineral supplements, and evening primrose oil1).

However, it is not a good thing to concentrate on one, but it is important to take it in a well-balanced manner . In addition, it is also important to chew your food well and be conscious of meals that do not cause a sudden rise in blood sugar levels.

Be careful with these foods

In order to think about a healthy and well-balanced diet, we will touch on the diet that you should pay attention to. High-calorie, high-fat meals, sweets, and high-salt foods are examples of foods that can easily exacerbate PMS due to hormonal imbalance 2).

Sweets tend to aggravate PMS, but fruits have been reported to relieve PMS2). Furthermore, if you reduce too much carbohydrates such as potatoes and rice, which are staple foods, PMS tends to worsen, so be careful3).

It is said that meals that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels cause irritability and increased appetite. Refined sugars such as granulated sugar and white rice can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, so be careful.

Recommended nutrients for those who want to relieve PMS

Many people don't know what to be aware of when it comes to eating a well-balanced diet. Here are some recommended nutrients for those who want to relieve PMS . After understanding the functions of nutrients, please try to incorporate them into your daily meals, even if only a little at a time.

calcium

Calcium is the only nutrient that has been shown to be effective in studies of dietary supplements to relieve PMS (7). Data tested with various herbs, vitamins and minerals demonstrate that only calcium can support PMS8 ). Being aware of calcium in your diet is important for PMS relief.

protein

Protein is contained in fish, meat, soybeans, etc. Among them, in experiments that verified soybean-derived protein, among the PMS symptoms, such as headache and breast tenderness, it is possible to relieve pain more than milk-derived protein. gender is suggested . Four)

magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral found in dark green leafy vegetables and nuts . A woman with PMS reported that taking magnesium for two months reduced her pain and swelling5).

On the other hand, there is also a report that there is no relationship between the amount of magnesium in the blood and the symptoms of PMS6).

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin found in nuts and vegetable oils . There is also an experiment showing that vitamin E was effective for depressive symptoms among PMS symptoms, but it has been pointed out that the verification period is short and the verification data is scarce, and more verification is still needed9). .

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 was already considered to be effective, but it has been reported that the symptoms of PMS were alleviated by taking a wide range of minerals and vitamins, even in very small amounts10 ). In another study, it was reported that PMS was relieved when used in combination with magnesium 5). The effect of single use is still in the research stage.

Isoflavone

Here, we will introduce soy isoflavones. Soy isoflavones are a type of polyphenol with a similar structure to female hormones .

It has been reported that headaches and breast pain were alleviated when protein containing soy isoflavones was compared with milk-derived protein 4). However, it is necessary to examine whether soy isoflavone showed an effect in the future.

Best diet for women with PMS

PMS is not something that can be prevented by eating only this, but a well-balanced diet is important. In addition, it is necessary to devise ways to prevent blood sugar levels from rising rapidly.

The secret to a meal that does not cause a sudden rise in blood sugar levels is the old-fashioned “ embarrassingly gentle ”. It is a teaching that it is good to be conscious of beans, sesame, wakame, vegetables, fish, shiitake mushrooms, and potatoes.

Proteins and isoflavones in soy may relieve headaches and breast pain4).

In addition, the results of examining the effects of ingesting fish and dried fish in female university athletes reported that PMS was reduced and exercise performance was improved 11).

Only calcium has been proven effective in reducing symptoms of PMS8).

Try to be conscious of dairy products such as seaweed, seaweed, milk and cheese.

PMS measures that can be tackled other than meals

Here are some things you can do on a daily basis other than eating to alleviate PMS. Even though food is important, it's hard to make it properly every day, and you may end up eating out all the time.

Here, I will tell you about aerobic exercise, aromatherapy, and Chinese medicine .

aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise is effective as a countermeasure for PMS. Aerobic exercise for 20 minutes a day, three times a week has been shown to be effective in suppressing increased appetite and hot flashes associated with PMS12). Aerobic exercise is not something that will be effective just by exercising once, but something you do every day .

Swimming is also said to be effective for PMS symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and mood swings13). In addition, among aerobic exercises, yoga, in particular, is effective in relieving not only PMS but also menstrual pain by maintaining the flexibility of the spine 14).

It doesn't matter if it's for short periods of time at first, so keep it regular.

aromatherapy

Aromatherapy has been reported to alleviate psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression, as well as physical symptoms such as fatigue15). Limonene, which is the main component of citrus scents, stimulates the sympathetic nerves and increases alertness, and linalool contained in lavender is said to have a sedative effect15).

It is more effective to use citrus aroma when you are feeling tired and lavender aroma when you are irritated .

Kampo

When it comes to treating PMS, the first thing that comes to mind for some people is Kampo. Kampo is a combination of various herbal medicines. Kampo is suitable for various disorders such as PMS, as it can approach the disorder of the whole body.

If you are paying attention to a well-balanced diet and exercising and still can't feel the effect, or if you have symptoms that make PMS difficult and interfere with your daily life, please consult a medical institution and have a prescription for Kampo. Good .

There are also herbal medicines sold at drugstores, so if you are unable to visit a medical institution, you can consult a pharmacist.

There is also an online service that allows you to take a medical interview supervised by a doctor for free on LINE, and receive custom-made Chinese medicine that suits you. If for some reason you do not have time to go to the hospital and would like to receive Chinese herbal medicine that suits you, consider ordering online.

▼ You can consult Kampo on LINE
Click here for a free consultation supervised by a doctor

Also read the following articles
Click here if you want to know the effective herbal medicine for PMS

How to deal with PMS and diet

Before menstruation, you may not be able to control your appetite and may overeat. In addition, people who are on a diet on a daily basis may feel stressed because they are not effective due to premenstrual swelling. Excessive dieting may exacerbate PMS, so be careful.

Before menstruation when PMS symptoms are difficult, it is important to pay attention to a well-balanced diet and get enough sleep . In addition, aerobic exercise such as walking is recommended not only for reducing PMS but also for dieting.

summary

PMS is a disorder that occurs in all menstruating women, but there are many women who endure it because they are not understood by those around them.

We've touched on a balanced diet and nutrients that may alleviate PMS upsets. We also introduce aerobic exercise, aromatherapy, and Chinese medicine.

If it's just 10 minutes of exercise a day, or if it's just one meal, start small.

It's not something that will have an immediate effect, but it's important to keep it thin and long and make it a habit without stress.

References

1) LORI M. DICKERSON et al. Premenstrual Syndrome. 2003 https://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0415/p1743.html#afp20030415p1743-b44

2) Hashim MS, t al. Premenstrual Syndrome Is Associated with Dietary and Lifestyle Behaviors among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study from Sharjah, UAE. 2019 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31426498/

3) C. Nagase et al. Soy, fat and other dietary factors in relation to premenstrual symptoms in Japanese women. .x

4) M. Bryant et al. Effect of consumption of soy isoflavones on behavioral, somatic and affective symptoms in women with premenstrual syndrome. 2007 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/ article/effect-of-consumption-of-soy-isoflavones-on-behavioural-somatic-and-affective-symptoms-in-women-with-premenstrual-syndrome/EF4E6707C4C16FC1176E51EA50292354

5) Nahid Fathizadeh et al. Evaluating the effect of magnesium and magnesium plus vitamin B6 supplement on the severity of premenstrual syndrome. 2010 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3208934/

6) Moslehi M, et al. The Association Between Serum Magnesium and Premenstrual Syndrome: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. 2019 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30880352/

7) Adrianne Bendich, The Potential for Dietary Supplements to Reduce Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Symptoms 2000 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.2000.10718907?needAccess=true&journalCode=uacn20

8) Anne Marie Whelan et al. Herbs, vitamins and minerals in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome: a systematic review 2009 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19923637/

9) Hajar Dadkhah et al. Evaluating the effects of vitamin D and vitamin E supplement on premenstrual syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. 2016 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC4815371/

10) Retallick-Brown H, t al. A Pilot Randomized Treatment-Controlled Trial Comparing Vitamin B6 with Broad-Spectrum Micronutrients for Premenstrual Syndrome. 2020 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31928364/

11) T. Takeda et al. Fish Consumption and Premenstrual Syndrome and Dysphoric Disorder in Japanese Collegiate Athletes. 2016 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1083318816001492

12) Mohebbi Dehnavi Z, t al. The effect of 8 weeks aerobic exercise on severity of physical symptoms of premenstrual syndrome: a clinical trial study. 2018 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29855308/

13) Maged AM, t al. Effect of swimming exercise on premenstrual syndrome. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2018 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29350276/

14) Nirav Vaghela et al. To compare the effects of aerobic exercise and yoga on Premenstrual syndrome 2019 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6852652/

15) Somayeh Es-haghee et at. The Effects of Aromatherapy on Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials 2020 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7769645/ //