Are you tired of losing your mind once a month only to realize it’s that time again? Do you wish there were natural ways to get rid of this monthly insanity?

I used to pick a fight with my husband every month around that time, and while I felt my extreme anger and irritability were justified he was not doing anything that he did not do the rest of the month. This storm of emotions would blow over every month, and despite resolve to not succumb to the insanity again, I found myself fighting it, and losing every month. I finally did find my way out of PMS by using the right diet and supplements.

How is it that things that don’t phase us at other times are enough to set off an emotional explosion during PMS? It’s called pre-menstrual syndrome, or some now refer to it as PMDD premenstrual dysmorphic disorder which is the name given for the type of PMS that is more emotionally challenging and mentally debilitating.  I am going to call it PMS in the article, but I am referring to both PMS and PMDD as they are one and the same. Premenstrual mental issues are well known for ruining relationships.  I’m pretty sure my husband appreciates my beating PMS, and hopefully your significant other will appreciate this article on how I’ve been helping the women I work with to beat their PMS with nutrition.

Many women suffer from headaches, sugar cravings, tender breasts, water retention and bloating before their periods. General recommendations from Doctors are to take Midol or Advil and push through it. We probably could and would, but the part that is not always addressed is the effect that PMS has on our mental state.  One of the most frequent questions I get from women in my classes, my webinars, online and in my private practice is what they can do about the effect that PMS has over our brain, our moods and our emotions. They want to know how to beat premenstrual insanity.

The first, and easiest cure for PMS is diet. The main reason we have PMS is that we the lack nutrients that our bodies need to stay in balance.

Often PMS symptoms get worse after stressful life events like starting or finishing college, getting married, a stressful career, fertility treatments, childbirth, fad dieting or even recovery from alcoholism or addiction. Add to it the fact that maybe you can’t use wine or drugs if you’re pregnant, a new mom or a recovering person then what can you do to take the edge off during PMS? The great news is if you optimize your nutrition, you will not need to take the edge off every month.

When it comes to diet cures for PMS you need to take macronutrients into account. It is very important that you eat the correct balance of macronutrients.  Macronutrients are protein, carbs, and healthy fats. And I include fiber and vegetables as macronutrients because I think that they are essential to good health. You need to eat quality protein sources like meat, fish or collagen or plant-based protein powders. Vegetarians and vegans will have a harder time getting rid of PMS but it can be done with the correct supplements. I was a vegetarian/vegan for many years and was able to get rid of my PMS in my 20s and again after I had a child when it came back. It was much quicker and easier to do when I added organic chicken and fish back into my diet. Now I use protein powders as well.

The types and amount of healthy fats you eat also are really important to keeping your moods balanced during PMS. Essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 rich EPA DHA from fish oils and GLA rich evening primrose or borage oils are very important for creating anti-inflammatory prostaglandins in the body and for brain health. These can easily be taken in supplement form. Eating the right foods are the best way to get the rest of your healthy fats like dry roasted or raw nuts and seeds, nut butter, avocado, olive oil, and coconut oil are great options. A well-timed spoonful of natural peanut butter could keep you from having a blood sugar induced temper meltdown.

It’s important that your meals have the correct combination of protein, healthy fats, vegetables and a measured amount of unprocessed carbohydrates.

I recommend one to three cups of vegetables per meal.  Eating vegetables gives us the micronutrients and antioxidants that we need to keep us feeling balanced and satiated. Combine this with the healthy fats and it helps us to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins and minerals that keep us immune to PMS symptoms. Many feel more bloated and overweight during this time, but fat-free diets are part of the underlying cause of PMS in the first place. As women, we need healthy fats to regulate our hormones and maintain brain chemistry and mood balance. When we eat enough healthy fats we stop craving so much sugar. When we stop eating so much sugar, we lose weight and we lose PMS symptoms. This is the wrong time of the month to be restricting calories or fats. Dieting at this time will only backfire. It’s very important to eat meals and snacks at regular times during PMS. Don’t skip meals at the expense of your blood sugar. This is the last time you want extra adrenalin and cortisol surging through your body.  Set a healthy meal schedule, plan and prep your meals and snacks. Leaving your food choices until you are starving is a bad idea. The cravings will take over and it will make you feel worse.

Eating the right types and amounts of carbohydrates is also essential to avoiding PMS symptoms. Carbohydrates should be as low in sugar and as high in fiber as possible. Meaning a half cup of lentils or a whole apple versus bread or cereal like corn flakes. The lentils and whole apple will have less of an effect on your blood sugar than the corn flakes. Having a meal with lower glycemic level carbohydrates combined with protein, fats, and veggies will help balance your blood sugar and avoid energy dips and food cravings. You can find this info by doing a google search for glycemic index and you can also pay attention to how you feel with each. You should know when you have the correct amount of each macronutrient because you will feel balanced, satisfied and not hungry for at least three to four hours after a meal.

I personalize the gram amounts of macronutrients per meal based on each person’s weight, size, body fat to muscle ratio, goals, and activity level. I will also factor in their unique health history, biochemistry, labs, and genetics. If you focus your meal around a good protein source, lots of vegetables and healthy fats with a moderate amount of carbohydrates you should find PMS and the pre-period cravings for sugar and high-fat foods gone within a few weeks. If needed you can add the supplements listed below and results can be even faster. Give yourself at least 60 days on this plan to see the full effects.

Besides eating the right foods, it is just as important that you avoid the foods that help to cause PMS. Health disrupting foods that cause blood sugar fluctuations, inflammation and liver congestion should be avoided. These include fast foods with chemicals, foods with refined sugar like candy, chips, alcohol, and sodas, unhealthy oils like soybean and canola, gluten-containing grains, soy and dairy which are both hormone disruptors and inflammatory. Eliminating these foods will go a long way towards banishing your PMS symptoms.

I’ve listed Some of the vitamins, minerals, and herbs that work to alleviate PMS symptoms for most people.

While there is some science on many of these supplements helping with symptoms of PMS I did not list the citations for the sake of time. These are the ones that have worked most often for people in my practice over the past 20 years. So consider this an article based on anecdotal evidence, or google search these supplements yourself.

• Omega 3 EPA/DHA – 1,000 mgs 3x a day with meals
• Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mgs 2-3 x a day
• Vitamin B6 or B complex -50 to 100mgs of B6 or a complex with at least 800mcg methylfolate and 1,000 mgs of B12 in the methylcobalamin form.
• Calcium Citrate -500 -1,000mgs a day
• Vitamin D- 5 – 10,000 IUs per day with a meal
• Milk Thistle – 350mgs 1-2 x a day between meals
• Magnesium citrate, glycinate, aspartate or a combo 400 to 800 mgs
• Digestive enzymes with hydrochloric acid, pancreatin, and ox bile to help with nutrient absorption – 1-2 per meal taken MIDMEAL
• Chasteberry Fruit Extract 100 mgs 2x a day or as indicated on the label
• Dong Quai capsules 2,000 mgs 1-2 x a day
• Yogi Teas – Woman’s Moon Cycle Tea is a great quick fix for PMS
• Dandelion root capsules or tea is great for water retention and liver detoxification which keeps hormones balanced.

Exercise and stress relief are important to work into a healthy lifestyle along with these food and nutrition hacks. If you have done all these things and still need more support I recommend working with a clinical nutritionist to order you some lab testing and figure out what specific nutrient deficiencies you may have and to help you design a more personalized nutrition program. And if needed the right functional medicine or integrative medical doctor can help you to test your hormones and add bioidentical hormone replacement as needed. Often PMS can be caused by too much estrogen relative to progesterone and increasing exogenous progesterone in the form of a cream a week or two before your period can do the trick.

PMS is optional. You don’t have to suffer from it. These changes are simple, inexpensive and a small price to pay to avoid feeling completely crazy once a month.

Give these recommendations a chance and please let me know how they work for you in the comments below.

Juli Keene Nutritionist