Do You Have PMS?

Abdominal Pain is Very Common in PMS

Almost 85 percent of women in their childbearing years suffer from some form of premenstrual syndrome. Tender breasts, weight gain, bloating, abdominal pain, swelling in feet, hands and ankles, headaches, anxiety and depression are some of the most common symptoms.

The main reason behind PMS is still unknown, even after extensive research in this area. This medical condition can be diagnosed only by your physician and once you are diagnosed with PMS, your doctor would ask you to maintain a symptom log where you are asked to note any physical, emotional and mental changes that occur during a time span of two to three months. This helps to answer questions such as: What is the time duration of a symptom? When does it occur? Does a certain food or beverage trigger this symptom? Do you gain more weight at a certain time in your cycle?

Diet and PMS
While there is no preventive measure against PMS, leading a healthy lifestyle and choosing nutritious foods can help relieve some of the symptoms.

Effective techniques to minimize symptoms include:

•  Avoid/restrict alcohol and caffeine intake.
•  Minimize intake of foods high in solid fats and added sugars.
•  Reduce salt intake to decrease bloating and fluid accumulation.
•  Eat a well-balanced diet that includes foods from all five food groups. Complete list of food groups and the  most nutritious foods in each food group is available in the website www.firsteatright.com.
•  Do some physical activity such as walking, biking or jogging on at least five days of the week.