Pre-menstrual syndrome is a collection of symptoms that women experience in the days leading up to their menstrual period each month. The symptoms vary from one person to another and include more than 200 symptoms that vary in intensity, with the most prominent being irritability, anxiety and a general feeling of unhappiness. They have been recorded since the earliest times and references to pre-menstrual syndrome have been found in the writings of ancient Greece. However, it was not actually recognized as a medical condition until 1931 and the term "pre-menstrual syndrome" has been in use since 1953.

Pre-menstrual syndrome is believed to be the result of hormonal changes within the woman's body as the womb prepares to expel the lining that has been made ready for a fertilized egg. The symptoms usually appear about 7 to 10 days before the onset of the monthly period and last for two or three days after the period starts. A woman who has thyroid problems may find the symptoms to be worse than a person who has normal thyroid activity.

Tips to help ease the symptoms f pre-menstrual syndrome include:

1. Instead of having three regular meals a day, eat smaller meals on a more frequent basis. In fact, experts will tell you that the stomach can only hold so much food and that it is better for you at any time to have six small meals a day.

2. Cut out junk food, if you are prone to attacks of acne. Acne tends to be worse during pre-menstrual syndrome. The high amounts of sugar and calories in junk food, such as pop, chips and chocolate bars only make the problem worse, in addition to causing you to gain weight.

3. Exercise on a regular basis to ease the symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome. Women who have had intense symptoms found that by exercising for about 30 minutes 5 times a week their symptoms were drastically reduced.

4. Include fiber in your diet and make sure that you do have about 30% protein. Both fiber and protein slow down the digestive process and therefore the body's absorption of sugar that you consume in your meals.

5. Limit the amount of caffeine and alcohol that you consume. This is especially true of the last two weeks before the end of the menstrual cycle.

6. If the symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome that you experience include swollen breasts and a feeling of bloating, reduce the amount of sodium you use when cooking and in the foods you eat.

Learn more about this author, Frances Stanford.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Tips for easing pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)?
We want to hear your view. Write now!