Diet and PMS – How Foods Can Help Relieve Symptoms


 Posted by Susan Bowerman, M.S., RD, CSSD, CSOWM, FAND – Senior Director, Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training  0 Comment

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Drinking water can alleviate PMS bloating.

Women’s monthly cycles often bring mood swings, increased hunger, bloating and more. Here’s how diet can help relieve symptoms of PMS.

For many women, the week or so before their monthly period is no fun. Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, can make them feel tired, bloated, hungry and irritable. But just because your monthly cycles are a fact of life, it doesn’t mean that there’s nothing you can do to ease your discomfort. Sometimes, a few simple changes to your diet can help relieve some of the most common symptoms of PMS.

Diet and PMS Symptoms

What causes PMS symptoms?

It’s not entirely clear what causes PMS symptoms, or why some women suffer more than others. It seems natural to blame monthly hormonal shifts for PMS; they are certainly a contributing factor. But it appears that there are also changes in brain chemicals that can influence mood, bring on food cravings or even disrupt sleep.

How diet can relieve symptoms of PMS

Dietary changes alone can’t totally eliminate your discomfort. However, they can go a long way in alleviating some of the most common PMS symptoms: bloating, increased appetite, food cravings and mood swings.

  • Hormonal shifts and fluid retention. Hormonal changes can affect the kidneys, which are largely responsible for maintaining water and salt balance in the body. Many PMS sufferers find themselves craving salty snacks, which can also contribute to water weight gain.

To relieve symptoms of fluid retention, reduce your intake of highly salted foods like as snack foods, canned soups, pickles, processed meats and salty condiments. Although it sounds counterintuitive, plenty of fluids will help your kidneys to remove excess water and salt. So, drink plenty of water or tea throughout the day.

  • Increased appetite and food cravings. As your period approaches, your levels of cortisol, which is one of the stress hormones, tends to spike. This can stimulate your appetite or lead to cravings for sugary, fatty or salty foods.

To relieve symptoms of increased appetite and food cravings, try to avoid highly processed carbs and sugary foods. They lack the staying power of lean proteins and high-fiber foods that can help you feel full and satisfied. Satisfy cravings for crunch and salt with some carrots dipped in hummus or mashed avocado. Pair a handful of nuts with a piece of fruit for a satisfying snack that can help curb your urge for sugar.

  • Irritability and mood swings. Monthly hormonal shifts can cause a decline in levels of a brain chemical called serotonin, which can affect your mood.

To relieve symptoms of irritability and mood swings, eat balanced meals and snacks throughout the day. Many women turn to sugary, high carbohydrate foods to boost mood. But eating these foods may lead to wild swings in your blood sugar levels, which can affect mood and concentration. To maintain more even blood sugar levels throughout the day, have protein with each meal and snack. And focus on slow-acting carbohydrates, such as vegetables and whole grains.

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Susan is the Senior Director of Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training at Herbalife, where she is responsible for the development of nutrition education and training materials, and is one of the primary authors of the Herbalife-sponsored blog, www.discovergoodnutrition.com. She is a Registered Dietitian and holds two Board Certifications from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, and a Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management. Susan is also a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Susan graduated with distinction in biology from the University of Colorado, and received her master’s degree in Food Science and Nutrition from Colorado State University. She then completed her dietetic internship at the University of Kansas. Susan has taught extensively and developed educational programs targeted to individuals, groups and industry in her areas of expertise, including health promotion, weight management and sports nutrition. Prior to her role at Herbalife, she was the assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, and has held appointments as adjunct professor in nutrition at Pepperdine University and as lecturer in nutrition in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Susan was a consultant to the (then) Los Angeles Raiders for six seasons, and was a contributing columnist for the Los Angeles Times Health Section for two years. She is a co-author of 23 research papers, 14 book chapters, and was a co-author of two books for the public: “What Color is Your Diet?” and “The L.A. Shape Diet” by Dr. David Heber, published by Harper Collins in 2001 and 2004, respectively.