By Leslie Vandever

If you get the blues, feel moody, and suffer physical discomfort immediately before and during the first few days of your menstrual period, you’re not alone.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), up to three out of four women experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms each month during their fertile years. Researchers believe changes in brain hormone levels, along with social, cultural, biological, and psychological factors might be the culprits, but so far, the exact cause is still a mystery.

Physical symptoms of PMS may include:
• bloating and gas
• abdominal cramps
• backache
• tender breasts
• diarrhea or constipation
• headache
• food cravings
• insomnia or oversleeping

Mental symptoms may include:
• difficulty concentrating
• forgetfulness
• sluggishness
• sadness
• tension and anxiety
• hostility
• mood swings
• changes in libido
• fear and guilt
• poor self-image

Fortunately, the symptoms of PMS usually vanish just as fast as they appear. But in the meantime, is there anything you can do to help yourself get through them?

Absolutely.

Keep a Symptom Diary
One of the best things you can do for PMS is to log your symptoms, as they occur, for at least three months. Note when they start, how you feel while they last, and when they end. Note what you do that helps soothe the symptoms or makes them go away, too. By keeping track, you’ll know in advance how to cope.

Knowledge is power.

You’ll also be able to show your doctor exactly what happens during your menstrual cycle each month if you decide you need her help.

Stay Hydrated
This can really make a difference when you’re so unsettled. Drink plenty of water—at least eight measuring cups a day, and more if you can. Flavor the water with a little fruit juice, if it will help you drink it, but avoid sugary and carbonated beverages, and limit caffeine to reduce water retention, gas, and bloating. If those symptoms are severe, talk to your doctor.

Eat Smart
A stressed body and mind need nutrition desperately. Because bloating and gassiness can be a problem during menstruation, eat five or six small meals each day, three hours or so apart, instead of three large ones. Eat vegetables and fruit, lean meat, fish, eggs, beans and legumes, whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, and brown rice, and low-fat dairy foods. Avoid sweets. Talk to your doctor about supplementing with Vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, and folic acid.

Move and Rest
Get regular exercise throughout the month, but do it gently during your period. Exercise triggers the release of natural substances in your brain and body that can make you feel better. It will also help relieve physical symptoms and help you sleep at night. To avoid insomnia, go to bed and get up at the same times each day, sleep in a cool, dark, quiet room, avoid watching TV and using a computer for at least an hour before bedtime, and stop eating and drinking by 7 p.m. Limit daytime naps to no more than 20 minutes.

Treat Pain
For painful cramps, backache, headache, and breast tenderness, try over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin. If these don’t help, talk to your doctor about other options.

Finally, lighten up. Look for the gifts the world offers each day. Go ahead and laugh—or cry. Your hormones are raging; your body is scrambled. Don’t fight it. And talk to your doctor if your PMS symptoms are so severe they interfere with your life.

For information about other problems related to your menstrual cycle, click here. And for good, solid, accurate info about many different health issues, click here.

Leslie Vandever is a professional journalist and freelance writer with more than 25 years of experience. She lives in the foothills of Northern California.

References:
• Premenstrual Syndrome. (2012, May 31) National Institutes of Health. Retrieved on June 26, 2014 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002474/
• Premenstrual Syndrome-Self-Care. (2012, June 26) U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved on June 26, 2014 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/patientinstructions/000556.htm
• Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) (n.d.) Women’s Health Concern. Retrieved on June 26, 2014 from http://www.womens-health-concern.org/help/factsheets/fs_pms.html