Food Cures (58 page)
Authors: Carol Svec
- Drink chamomile tea.
Premenstrually, chamomile tea may be particularly helpful because it contains properties that relieve muscle spasms, and may therefore help reduce the severity of menstrual cramps. In addition, chamomile seems to reduce tension that may lead to anxiety and irritability.
BONUS POINTS
- Read the chapter about mood.
All the good-mood advice about getting appropriate amount of exercise, eating regularly throughout the day, getting the right mix of proteins and high-quality carbohydrates, and decreasing stress apply to PMS as well.- Get enough sleep.
Hormonal shifts can make some women lose sleep, which in turn may make them irritable. It is generally important to get enough sleep to level out moods. Premenstrually, sleep becomes crucial. Many women even feel the need to nap during the premenstrual week—if you can manage a quick few minutes of sleep in the middle of the day, indulge. It may make the difference between a good day, and a day of snapping and tears.
SUPPLEMENTS
If you experience PMS and want to consider supplements
in addition to
the food fixes, I recommend:
- Multivitamin.
In order to assure that you get all the nutrients important for mood and physical symptoms of PMS, look for a multivitamin that contains 100% DV of vitamin D (400 IU), 100% DV manganese (2 milligrams), at least 20% DV of magnesium (80 milligrams or more), and 100% DV of B
6
, all of which may help improve mood and reduce bloating. (The vitamin D is necessary to help the body absorb calcium.)- Calcium plus vitamin D
3
and magnesium.
Most women need calcium supplements, regardless of whether or not they have PMS. That’s why I recommend taking calcium supplements—500 to 600 milligrams two times a day (with food if it’s in the form of calcium carbonate), for a total of 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams. The calcium supplements should also provide vitamin D
3
(cholecalciferol, the most potent form of vitamin D) and magnesium. This should be taken
in addition to
a multivitamin that includes vitamin D and magnesium.- Vitamin B
6
.
The studies of this vitamin have been mixed, with about half showing no benefit at all. Although I can’t give it my unadulterated endorsement, women with
severe
PMS symptoms may want to consider taking a separate supplement of 50 to 100 milligrams of vitamin B
6
daily.
Important note:
Taking amounts in excess of 100 milligrams per day may cause permanent nerve damage in hands, arms, feet, and legs. Take no more than 100 milligrams daily.- Chasteberry extract.
If the food and nutritional supplements aren’t enough to calm your premenstrual symptoms, scientists have found that chasteberry extract may also help. Typical dosage is a 20 milligram tablet, one to two times a day. This extract has been shown to relieve mood swings, irritability, anger, headache, and breast tenderness in about half the women who took it for three months. Scientists believe that the actions of chasteberry are due to flavonoids and other phytochemicals that seem to relieve anxiety and reduce inflammation.
Important note:
If you experience headache, gastrointestinal distress, or rash while taking chasteberry extract, discontinue using it. Chasteberry lowers prolactin levels, so it should not be used by women who are pregnant or nursing. Because of possible interactions, do not use chasteberry if you are also taking drugs or hormones that affect the pituitary, such as bromocriptine.
Follow this program if you are a woman who feels moody, emotional, irritable, or bloated—or have other symptoms of PMS—at predictable times corresponding to your menstrual cycle.
STEP 1…
START WITH THE BASICS
These are the first things you should do to take control of your PMS.
- Keep a mood diary to see whether your mood and physical symptoms are related to your menstrual cycle. If not, you probably don’t have PMS.
- If your moods or physical symptoms are overly distressing, or if they have caused problems in your life, see a doctor. There are prescription medications that you can take for only part of the month, whenever you feel symptoms.
- Avoid alcohol, salty foods, and foods with caffeine, all of which can aggravate premenstrual symptoms.
- You may also want to read the chapter on mood. Many of the recommendations there may also help PMS, particularly the information about leveling out blood sugars, and about exercise.
STEP 2…
YOUR ULTIMATE GROCERY LIST
A nutrition plan is only as good as the foods that you choose. This list contains foods with high levels of nutrients that can help relieve PMS symptoms, plus some additional foods used as ingredients in the meal plans and recipes. These foods are high in vitamin B
6
, calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and/or manganese.
FRUIT
Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Berries (raspberries, strawberries)
Juice, calcium-fortified
Lemons
Pineapple
Watermelon
VEGETABLES
Artichoke hearts
Avocado
Beans (black, white, navy, lima, pinto, kidney, garbanzo)
Bok choy
Broccoli
Broccoli raab
Brussels sprouts
Carrots
Celery
Chickpeas
Collard greens
Corn
Kale
Lentils
Mushrooms (especially shiitake)
Onions
Peppers (red/yellow/green)
Potatoes, sweet
Potatoes, white
Soybeans (edamame)
Spinach
Squash (winter, acorn)
Swiss chard
Tomato paste
Tomatoes (fresh; canned, crushed without paste)
SEAFOOD
Herring
Mackerel (not king)
Salmon, wild (with bones)
Sardines (with bones)
Shrimp
LEAN MEATS/SOY FOODS
Beef, lean
Chicken breast
Eggs
Pork tenderloin
Tempeh
Tofu (with calcium)
Turkey breast (fresh sliced)
Turkey breast (lean ground)
NUTS AND SEEDS (UNSALTED)
Almonds
Cashews
Flaxseed, ground
Peanut butter
Peanuts
Pecans
Pistachio nuts
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Soy nuts
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
WHOLE GRAINS
Amaranth
Barley
Bread, whole grain
Bread, whole grain reduced-calorie
Cereal, fortified whole grain
Millet
Oatmeal
Oats
Pasta, whole wheat
Pita, whole wheat
Quinoa
Rice (brown, wild, long-grain)
Tortilla, whole wheat
Waffles, calcium-fortified whole grain
Wheat germ
DAIRY
Cheese (fat-free, reduced-fat)
Cheese (for meal plan): fat-free or shredded Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, and Romano
Cheese, string, reduced-fat
Ice cream, low-fat
Milk (fat-free, 1% reduced-fat)
Sour cream (fat-free, reduced-fat)
Soy milk, enriched/fortified
Yogurt (fat-free, low-fat)
Yogurt, frozen (fat-free, low-fat)
MISCELLANEOUS
Chili powder
Cumin
Garlic
Garlic powder
Guacamole
Hot cocoa, diet
Hummus
Margarine spread, reduced-fat soft tub vitamin D-fortified trans fat-free
Mayonnaise, reduced-fat
Mustard, spicy brown or Dijon
Nonstick cooking spray
Oil, olive
Oregano, dried
Paprika
Pepper, black
Pepper, ground red
Salad dressing, low-calorie
Salsa
Salt, kosher
Salt substitute
Tea, chamomile
Vinegar
Vinegar, balsamic or red wine
STEP 3…
GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND
If you want to do everything you can to reduce PMS symptoms, here are some additional things you might try:
- I strongly recommend taking a calcium supplement with added vitamin D
3
and magnesium. Calcium should equal 500 to 600 milligrams. Take twice daily (with food if it is calcium carbonate) for a total dose of 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams.- A multivitamin with 100% DV vitamin D, vitamin B
6
, manganese, and at least 20% DV magnesium.- Women with severe PMS symptoms may also want to try an additional vitamin B
6
supplement, or chasteberry extract. See the Supplements section, Chapter 15, for more information.- Get enough sleep.
MAKE IT TO MENOPAUSE
I have good news and bad news when it comes to PMS. The good news is that it eventually ends. The bad news is that you’ll have to go through menopause first, and women who are most bothered by emotional symptoms of PMS also have the roughest time with menopause. In your 40s, you may notice your PMS symptoms becoming erratic as your ovulation and periods become less predictable. If you experience more physical or emotional pain than usual as you head into your hot flash years, talk with your doctor—there are many treatments that can help ease this transition.
STEP 4…
MEAL PLANS
The following meals are rich in nutrients that may ease PMS symptoms—calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, manganese, and vitamin B
6
—and low in those foods that aggravate symptoms. Be sure to drink lots of water with (and between) your meals…and if you’d like, enjoy chamomile tea and calcium-rich drinks, such as fat-free milk, enriched/fortified soy milk, and fortified fruit juice. (The calories for beverages are not included in the following sample days.)
Every day, choose
one
option for each of the three meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then, one or two times per day, choose from a variety of my suggested snacks. Approximate calories have been provided to help adjust for your personal weight management goals. If you find yourself hungry (and if weight is not an issue), feel free to increase the portion sizes for meals and snacks.
BREAKFAST OPTIONS
(Approximately 300 to 400 calories)
Whole Grain Cereal with Milk and Fruit
1 cup whole grain cereal (120 calories or less) with 1 cup milk (fat-free, or 1% reduced-fat) and 1 cup sliced pineapple (or 1 cup raspberries). Serve with chamomile tea.
Oatmeal with Wheat Germ and Berries
½ cup dry oatmeal prepared with 1 cup milk (fat-free, 1% reduced-fat or enriched/fortified soy) and topped with 2 tablespoons wheat germ (or ground flaxseed) and ½ cup berries (sliced strawberries and/or raspberries). Enjoy with chamomile tea.
Broccoli-Cheese Egg-White Omelet with Toast
Sauté 1 cup broccoli florets in a heated pan coated with nonstick cooking spray until soft. Beat 1 whole egg with 3 egg whites and pour around the broccoli. When bottom is cooked, gently flip. Top with 2 tablespoons shredded fat-free cheese. Fold omelet over and cook until cheese is melted and egg mixture is firm. Season with salt substitute and ground black pepper. Enjoy with 1 slice whole grain bread (or 2 slices reduced-calorie bread—45 calories or less per slice), toasted and topped with 1 to 2 teaspoons reduced-fat, soft tub, trans fat-free margarine spread and enjoy with chamomile tea.
Strawberry-Banana Cottage Cheese with Sunflower Seeds
1 cup fat-free or 1% reduced-fat cottage cheese (or 8 ounces fat-free, plain or flavored yogurt) mixed with ½ sliced banana, ½ cup chopped strawberries, and 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds. Enjoy with chamomile tea.