If it’s one thing we girls can agree we hate, it’s that dreaded time of the month. The few days before the D-day, when normal girls turn into witches on brooms! Sounds funny when you say it like that, but those of us with extreme PMS (Pre-menstrual Syndrome) and those who’ve been victims of our wrath would hardly be amused. It’s something that we go through every month, and sometimes we take it for granted and just roll with it. We don’t think there’s any way we could relieve the symptoms, apart from popping a pain-killer and pulling the blanket over our heads. Luckily for us, gynecologists and health care providers have now done enough research on comfort food that helps ward off PMS and reduce symptoms significantly. Read on to find out how you can also beat those pesky PMS blues.
Comfort food #1: Fish
Who doesn’t love this delicious source of vitamin-D, which becomes essential for our bodies in order to absorb calcium. Also, eating fish can trigger the production of serotonin, a positive mood-enhancer (and incidentally, the same chemical released by the brain when you bite into dark chocolate). Make Salmon, Atlantic mackerel, Sardines and Herring your new best friends when you feel PMS strike. Not a fish fan? No worries. Try some walnuts or flaxseed, as they provide the same nutrition as fish. Sprinkle some over your morning cereal or just pop a handful into your mouth. Yum! If you are still wondering how you can over come the deficiency of vitamin D in your body than you might want to checkout foods high in vitamin D to make sure that what can be your options to overcome it quickly and easily.
Comfort food #2: Yogurt and Bananas
When going through PMS, some women seem to have lower blood levels of calcium, while others have low levels of magnesium. A decrease in both can cause mood swings, stress and cravings of the wrong kind. Quick and easy fix? Yogurt plus banana equals a super healthy and super yummy snack that’ll throw your junk food cravings right out the door. When our body’s normal level of blood sugar drops, we start craving unhealthy snacks that give us a moment’s bliss, but a week full of cramps and bloating. You might want to check out how to get rid of bloating if you are facing it. Indulge in some bite-sized chunks of bananas dunked in yogurt and eat away those nasty cramps or blend these two into the perfect smoothie. Drool! If you are not a yogurt lover than you will be astonished to see the health benefits of yogurt and will analyse yourself that what you have been missing.
Comfort food #3: Water
Now this one may come as a surprise, since with all that irritating water retention and bloating, the last thing you feel like doing is drinking more of it. You couldn’t be more wrong. PMS related headaches and migraines are often best cured by good old water. Check out some easy home remedies for migraines if you are facing some. If you can’t stomach too much of it, opt for water-based fresh foods like celery, sliced cucumbers, red bell peppers and carrot sticks. Make yourself a delicious bowl of salad and feel that thudding headache fade away, if still its not gone than try some of these home remedies for headaches. Don’t feel like making yourself a salad? A quick fix is a tall glass of orange juice, bursting of deliciousness and health! You won’t even remember you had a headache to begin with.
Quick link = How to get rid of a headache
Comfort food #4: Beans
Beans are another great source of magnesium and help reduce water retention and regulate the activity of serotonin, the “feel–good” neurotransmitter that causes moods. They can be added to salads, dips and soups or if you are a chili fan, sautĂ© them with garlic and green chilies and you have a quick and easy remedy that also tastes fantastic. Add another great source of pms killer; chickpeas. You’ve now got a mouthwatering and irresistible combo that tastes yum every time.
Comfort food #5: Brown rice
This one comes with an added bonus; it comprises of 3 essential nutrients that combine to help lessen depression, irritability and moodiness. Brown rice contains not just magnesium, but also vitamin B6 and manganese, all of which are a great boost to our vulnerable physical state. Foods similar to brown rice are complex carbs like whole grain pasta, nuts and oatmeal. These complex carbs contribute to an over-all healthier feel, as compared to simple carbs like white rice, white sugar or baked goods that only give us a moments high that is followed by a crash in mood and energy levels.
It’s hard not to ignore our body’s natural cravings when in PMS mode, and a lot of us are guilty of reaching for that tempting box of chocolates or cupcakes, dipping our hands into bowls of salty crackers, or worse, a bag of spicy crisps. We all know what follows, so I won’t go into the gory details but it’s now high time that we paid attention to our body and its nutritional needs. There’s always time to drop bad habits and pick up new ones, and what better than eating wisely during the most awful week that visits us every month. Turn your PMS blues into bliss and make others wonder how you do it all. The secret, of course, is just 5 steps away!
