- Breakfast High in Vitamin B6 - Use the first meal of your day to load up on vitamin B6, which has been found to fight the moodiness that often rides in on the "crimson wave." Vitamin B can also decrease breast tenderness and bloating. Oats and bananas are high in this vitamin and make a great breakfast. Add walnuts for some healthy fat.
- Have a Snack Plan - Low blood sugar can lead a moody woman down a path of snacking destruction. Make sure you have healthy foods on hand for munching should the need arise. Be sure to avoid salty foods, since the added sodium will lead to bloating. You can satisfy your sweet tooth by making a healthier cookie loaded with PMS-fighting nutrients. Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium, a mineral that can help alleviate your PMS symptoms. Lean more foods rich in magnesium on the next slide.
- Lunch on Magnesium - Magnesium not only helps improve your moods, but it can also help decrease water retention. This mineral might play a role in lifting your spirits as well. Lunch on a salad of spinach topped with garbanzo beans, and add a slice of whole grain bread for three magnesium rich foods. Soy and seafood are two other proteins with significant amounts of magnesium.
- Exercise - It's often the last thing you want to do when you feel cramps coming on, but exercise can relieve them. Working out can essentially help you manufacture your own pain relief. If you don't feel like dealing with the jostling that accompanies jogging, ride a bike or take a walk — just get moving.
- Dine on Omega-3s - Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon can help reduce menstrual pain. The essential fatty acid seems to block the production of prostaglandins, which are responsible for menstrual cramping since they create strong muscle contractions, and the uterus is one strong muscle. Add chard and brown rice, both high in magnesium, to the meal to completely bust the PMS.
Healthy Recipe: PMS Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Another Reason to Exercise: Ease Menstrual Cramps
Eat Right to Help Fight PMS
