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Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common condition experienced by most women of reproductive age. It occurs before and during their menstrual cycle in the days that lead up to their periods. It is a set of physical, emotional and behavioural symptoms that can cause discomfort and in some cases, even affect daily life. Some of the most common symptoms of PMS include bloating, painful cramps, mood swings, sleeplessness, and headaches.
While PMS symptoms are completely normal and can vary from woman to woman, unfortunately, more often than not, PMS symptoms can be found to be hard to manage and sometimes even unbearable. This is why we have come up with this short article on 10 remedies that can help reduce the effects of bad PMS symptoms. Here, we will discuss our top 10 best remedies to help reduce PMS symptoms.
1. Herbal PMS Relief
Herbal remedies have been used for centuries to treat a variety of health conditions, including PMS. Some of the most effective and common herbs for reducing PMS symptoms include chamomile, ginger, fennel and vitex agnus castus. These herbs have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and calming effects. “Nowadays, V. agnus‑castus is used more than any plant in complementary and alternative medicine for premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in the USA” (Pharmacognosy Reviews, 2018, page 103)
2. Supplements
Supplements are another very common way to help manage the worst of the storm. With many trying to avoid over the counter drugs do to there adverse long-term side effects, supplements are a great and natural way to help with those PMS symptoms! Some good examples of supplements to take that may help reduce symptoms include vitamin B6, evening primrose oil, peppermint, magnesium, cannabidiol (CBD) have all been effective in reducing symptoms related to PMS like chronic pain, inflammation, stress, anxiety and sleeplessness. For example, illumis – PMS Formula contains natural ingredients like cannabidiol, cannabigerol, turmeric extract, vitex agnus castus that combined cause an entourage effect for alleviating PMS symptoms. Illumis has already proven to be helpful for many women experiencing painful cramps, stress, anxiety and sleeplessness. Many reporting that their PMS symptoms are much less noticeable during the day and believe they can focus more on their daily activities. Many have reported to have some of the best beauty sleeps ever after ingesting illumis before bed time! Click here to try it for yourself!
3. Exercise Regularly
DON’T BE A COUCH POTATO! Physical movement and activity has been shown to improve symptoms of PMS. Exercise helps reduce bloating, cramps, and mood swings. Regular exercise can also help increase energy and dopamine levels during the day. This will ensure that you are energised during the day and tired enough to get your beauty sleep during the night. Exercise can be anything from going for walks in the morning, doing some stretching, yoga, or simply hitting the gym. The point is getting your body to move instead of staying at home like a couch potato…
4. Diet Changes
Making dietary changes can also help improve PMS symptoms. Decreasing your intake of red and visceral meats, fast foods, vegetable oil and mayonnaise, sweets and desserts, salty snacks, refined grains, sugar and soft drinks, high-fat dairy products, spices and fried potato can help to reduce the severity of your PMS symptoms. On the other hand, considering to eat more healthily may also reduce the severity of PMS symptoms. This can be eating more foods like vegetables, fruits, natural juices, legumes and nuts (Cambridge University, 2015). In addition, incorporating more calcium and magnesium-rich foods into your diet may also help reduce cramps and mood swings.
5. Lifestyle Changes
Yep, lifestyle changes… If you smoke tabaco, drink alcohol, eat fast foods and other unhealthy stuffs, THEY HAVE TO GO! While these might be some of the hardest decisions to take, they must be done and can highly influence on how severe your PMS symptoms are. We are not saying you should stop altogether (yet), but more like: reduce the intake of all these unhealthy substances. You know they are bad for you so just reduce it…
6. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese therapy that involves the insertion of fine needles into specific points on the body. This therapy has been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of PMS, including cramps, bloating, and mood swings. While we are not fans of needles being inserted into the body, acupuncture has been around for ages and has been known to help with chronic pain issues (Ji-Sheng Han, 2004).
7. Stress Management Techniques
Stress is a common trigger for PMS symptoms. Finding ways to manage stress can help reduce the severity of PMS symptoms. This can include practices such as yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, and massages.
8. Cognitive-behavioral Therapy
While the word itself sounds harsh, it really is just a one-to-one therapy session where you talk and try to identify the route cause of what you are feeling and most importantly why. This helps you uncover a true understanding of your emotional state which will eventually lead to having you feel better. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. CBT has been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of PMS, especially for women who experience depression or anxiety as a result of PMS. One study conludes that: “Group cognitive-behavioral therapy effectively alleviates PMS symptoms in female college students.” (Maddineshat M, et al. 2016)
9. Over-the-counter Medications
Over-the-counter medications can also help reduce the symptoms of PMS. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen can help reduce cramps, while diuretics such as pamabrom can help reduce bloating. While we are not huge fans of over-the-counter drugs, they may be helpful in the short term. Ideal for a quick alleviation when the symptoms are just too heavy to handle. We would not recommend them for long-term use as they may come with a variety of negative side effects. Alway read the label on the back! We are not doctors nor any type of health practitioners so the best would be to ask a trusted doctor or health practitioner before making any decisions.
10. Hormonal Replacement Therapy
Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) is a form of treatment that involves the use of hormones to regulate the menstrual cycle. HRT can help reduce the symptoms of PMS by balancing hormone levels. This form of treatment is usually recommended for women who experience severe PMS symptoms. However, HRT has been the cause and concern for much debate over the years so do be sure to inform yourselves before considering it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several remedies that can help reduce PMS symptoms. Some of the most effective remedies include exercise, diet changes, stress management techniques, natural supplements and herbs. We love to talk about natural remedies as they usually offer a great alternative to traditional over-the-counter drugs. Our favourite for PMS alleviation id by far illumis – PMS Formula as it was developed specifically for PMS symptoms! Scientifically developed by women, for women. Feel empowered during the day with illumis!
References:
– https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304394003014009
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