Period drama

Every month it’s the same story: one miserable week of stomach cramps, backache, bad moods and bloating. Sound familiar? That’s because every month, eight out of ten women experience at least some of these symptoms when they get their period.

PMS, or Premenstrual Syndrome, describes a range of physical and mental problems that affect women before and during their menstrual cycle. The list above is only the start: some women also suffer from water retention, mood swings, cravings, irritability, depression, anxiety, acne, constipation, diarrhoea and tender breasts.

No one really knows why we suffer from PMS and there’s no proven way to cure it, but a number of tried-and-tested methods do seem to help. Millions of women, for example, have found they can manage their PMS better by adapting their diet. It’s believed this is helpful because food affects levels of oestrogen – the hormone linked with menstruation. Exercise will also help alleviate painful cramps and boost your mood because it gets endorphins whizzing round your body and these make you feel happier. Here are some things to focus on in your diet:

1. Carbohydrates Have you ever noticed how you crave certain foods in the run up to and during your period? Chances are, you’ll crave carbs like bread, pasta, potatoes or sweets. Extensive tests have shown that carbohydrates help reduce many PMS symptoms, especially mood swings.
   Doctors believe that carbs help PMS because they raise blood sugar levels. This is beneficial because when blood sugar levels drop, the body releases adrenalin, which stops the efficiency of progesterone – the hormones that help relieve symptoms of PMS. By eating carbs every three hours throughout the day some women are able to control some of the unpleasant effects of PMS.

   

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