Dietary Recommendations

One of the most common forms of treatment recommended by medical professionals for managing the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome is making lifestyle and dietary changes. This is based on the fact that women who have poor eating habits, lead stressful lives, consume alcohol, smoke, or rarely engage in physical exercise, tend to experience more severe symptoms of PMS than women who lead a healthier lifestyle.

While a well balanced diet should always be maintained for overall health, there are specific foods as well as dietary supplements that that have been known to reduce the symptoms of PMS in some women. 

Recommended Foods for Managing the Symptoms of PMS 

The symptoms of bloating, weight gain, and water retention, can be controlled by reducing or limiting the intake of sodium or salt. Potassium can also help to balance the sodium and retention of water in the body and is contained in high levels in many fresh fruits including, bananas, grapefruit, oranges, and lemons.  Many vegetables are also natural diuretics that can help to reduce water retention.

These vegetables include lettuce, watercress, celery, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers.  Some herbs can also reduce water retention including parsley and celery seed. Increasing the intake of whole grains and complex carbohydrates while reducing fat - including the consumption of red meat - are also beneficial in reducing the symptoms of PMS. 

Omega-3 essential fatty acids have many overall health benefits and can also reduce the symptoms of PMS. Sufficient amounts of omega-3 can be found in numerous foods including oily fish such as tuna, salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel, and herring.

Many seeds and nuts also contain omega-3 including sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, linseeds, walnuts, almonds, and Brazil nuts, however, these seeds and nuts should be chosen unsalted. Increasing the intake of certain vitamins and minerals has also been known to reduce the symptoms of PMS. These vitamins and minerals include magnesium, zinc, potassium, calcium, and the vitamins B-6 and E. 

Foods that should be avoided to reduce the Symptoms of PMS 

Refined sugars should be avoided in order to reduce the symptoms of PMS. These include candy, cakes, cookies, ice cream, and non- diet soda. Refined sugars can also be found in high levels in many other common foods including crackers, mayonnaise, white bread, canned goods, and salad dressings, therefore, reading food labels carefully is essential in order to avoid the consumption of excess refined sugars.

Avoiding caffeine is also strongly recommended by medical experts when it comes to reducing the symptoms of PMS as it can increase the severity of some of the most common symptoms including irritability, insomnia, and anxiety.

Caffeine is contained in coffee, tea, chocolate, and many soft drinks. Alcohol should also be avoided as it can exacerbate the symptoms of PMS and smoking should also be reduced or eliminate as nicotine is a stimulant that acts very similar to that of caffeine. 

These dietary guidelines along with the use of some over-the-counter medications are typically effective in controlling the symptoms of PMS in the majority of women, however, if you are experiencing severe symptoms of PMS that are significantly interfering with your daily activities, you should schedule an appointment with your health care provider for a medical evaluation as this may be an indication of another medical issue or "premenstrual dysphoric disorder" (PMDD) which is a more serious form of premenstrual syndrome that may require prescription medications in order to successfully control the symptoms.