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At Risk for PMS

Did you know that 60% of women who are of childbearing age (between 20 and 45) have PMS symptoms? Women who have at least one intake ovary are at risk for PMS. Having a poor diet puts you at greater risk for premenstrual symptoms also known as PMS.

Over the years women start to consume more refined sugar, processed foods and forget to take the time to take care of themselves which includes making sure they get enough fruits, vegetables, and fiber in their diet. When the body becomes deplete in essential vitamins and minerals it can start to have incorrect hormonal balance or greater fluctuations in hormones. This imbalance of hormones can cause some of the symptoms of PMS. The symptoms that she feels when she has PMS is her body's way of communicating to her that she needs to make some dietary changes. When a woman understands the nutrient needs of her body and gives her body the right foods and supplements needed, she can bring relief to the discomfort she has been feeling each month.

Common signs and symptoms of PMS include moodiness, irritability, sadness even to the point of depression, crying spells for unknown reasons, an increase in acne, headaches, backaches, muscle and joint aches, water retention and the resultant weight gain and abdominal bloat.

Women who experience difficulties getting pregnant, have irregular bleeding, have been diagnosed with endometriosis, have fibroid tumors of the uterus, fibrocystic disease of the breast, have had breast tumors, suffer from headaches, cardiovascular disease or osteoporosis can have an increased risk for PMS. These conditions have a connection to PMS. They all either stem from a lack of nutrition, or they are because of fluctuating levels of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.

When you improve your diet by increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, increase your fiber intake, avoid refined sugars and reduce your intake of salt you can feel healthier and experience fewer symptoms of PMS. Your dietary habits not only effects whether or not you have PMS, but affects your overall health. By improving your diet, you avoid PMS symptoms, and decrease your risk for other diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Your doctor can help you to access your risk for PMS by showing your how to keep a symptom journal. In the journal you write down all symptoms as you feel them between the times you ovulate (approximately 2 weeks before your period is due) and when your period starts. Record what symptoms you notice, how long they last, how the symptoms make you feel, if you are able to function normally while experiencing the symptoms, and also what date your symptoms start and end. You should also record the first day of your period and your last day of your period for the two-month period. This journal can assist your doctor in determining if you are at risk for PMS or if you have PMS.

If may also be beneficial to keep a food diary for those two months also. A food diary can let your doctor know what kinds of foods you are eating, if you are deficient in any vitamins or minerals and can assist the doctor or nutritionist in helping you to design a healthier diet. An improved diet may help to relieve some of the symptoms of PMS.