Monster periods: how to make the best of PMS

Three little letters and we find ourselves weeping at Strictly, shouting at the kids and seriously considering divorcing our husbands.

Our time of the month can leave us feeling exhausted, angry and in a whole lot of pain, so considering the average woman menstruates 12% of their life, it is vital we find strategies to make our menstrual week a more pleasant one, for everyone concerned!

Around 80-90% of women experience at least mild symptoms during each menstrual cycle. These can be physical and emotional symptoms such as anxiety & depression, muscle aches, bloating and diarrhoea, increased appetite/carbohydrate craving, feeling tearful, tense and irritable, breast tenderness and cramping.

What can we do about it?

The most important thing you can do is to take off the pressure during this week. If you can avoid it, this isn’t the time to schedule a big presentation to your boss, have a night out or back to back appointments and play dates. Anticipate this week in your diary and plan to do less.

There are also a few golden rules to help you manage your symptoms:

Avoid Caffeine

If your symptoms of PMS are severe it is worth avoiding caffeine for two full menstrual cycles to see how this changes your symptoms. Some studies have shown that consumption of caffeinated drinks such as coffee and fizzy drinks (diet coke) during the luteal phase (around ovulation) increased PMS symptoms during menstruation.

Get moving

It may be the last thing you feel like doing but 30 minutes of daily, moderate exercise has been shown to improve the mood and overall well-being of women with PMS symptoms.

Choose a form of exercise that is gentle to moderate such as brisk walking, swimming or Pilates.

Limit trigger foods  

Foods that are high in sugar, simple carbs or processed/red meats

will exacerbate the aches, bloating and heaviness that can plague us during our period.

Keep some healthy snacks at hand such as low G.I. fruits (berries, apples and pears) and a handful of nuts to avoid snacking.

So, here is your checklist for making the best of PMS:

1. Eat a good quality diet rich in whole foods, essential fats (Fish, Avocado and Flaxseed) and vegetarian/lean sources of protein – balancing your blood sugar is important for regulating your hormones.
2. Do some form of exercise every day as this will boost your mood and physical well-being.
3. Choose decaffeinated tea and coffee and increase your repertoire of other drinks to keep you hydrated such as herbal teas, coconut water and citrus in water.
4. Take a good quality multivitamin and consult a nutritionist about nutrients such as Magnesium, B6, Zinc and evening primrose oil which may help alleviate some of your PMS symptoms.
5. Manage stress by reaching out with a journal, calling a friend, having a relaxing aromatherapy bath or watching a funny film. The stress hormone cortisol wreaks havoc with our sex hormones so find ways to counteract its effects.
6. Get a period App such as Clue, Flo or Period tracker and write notes about how you are feeling on different days of the month. This will help you to plan your social events around your period and feel less alone with your symptoms when you realise it is normal for that TOTM.

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