How to Deal with PMS

Although we don’t all experience them in the same way, there are certain physical and psychological symptoms that tend to warn us that we’re about to get our period. Don’t worry, there’s a name for this set of symptoms and it’s called Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). This is brought on by your hormones, which are a bit all over the place on the days leading up to your period. As PMS can be different from girl to girl, tell us what your symptoms are so that we can suggest the best remedies for dealing with them.

Do you find that just before your period you come out in spots? Well, if so, here are some tips on how to put a stop to spots.

Before you decide to cover them up with makeup, try making some small changes to your diet to stop them from breaking out in the first place. Your skin will look much brighter, too:

• Drink lots of water, as it gets rid of impurities that can otherwise end up on your face.
• Drink tea instead of coffee. Coffee can make you jittery and provides your body with fats that it doesn’t need, whereas a cup of tea is not only relaxing, but will also cleanse your body.
• You’ve probably heard that eating lots of fruit is good for you. Well, it’s true, so include a few more fruit and vegetables in your diet. For example, you could dust off the blender and discover the world of fresh fruit juice.
• Try to avoid alcohol and fried foods at this time of month, and reduce your fat intake.
• Cleanse your face every day with a toner and cleansing milk, and use a bit of face cream for oily skin. There are some great products for getting rid of acne and they leave your skin as smooth as a baby’s bottom ;-).
• If none of this works, there are tablets that you can take for Premenstrual Syndrome (acne pills) that your GP can prescribe for you.

Those cramps that we’ve all heard about: inconvenient, annoying and sometimes quite painful. Here are some tips on how to deal with PMS and this symptom in particular, to make it more bearable:

• The classic remedy of putting something hot against the area usually works. You can either use a hot water bottle or a loved one can give you a nice hug or rub.
• Herbal or fruit teas will relax you and your tummy. Wormwood, camomile and passionfruit are good ingredients, and if you prefer something that’s more than just relaxing, have a bath with 10% lavender infusion in the water, and you’ll soon feel the pain disappear.
• Stretching exercises and relaxation techniques will help you feel calmer. And if you’ve never tried yoga, now’s a good time to connect with your inner self.
• It’s time for your boyfriend to look after you and learn how to give a good massage ;-)

You can feel irritable around this time and, what with any stress you’re under at home or at work, it can get to the point where even you have had enough of yourself. Just relax, and if you feel like reading a bit more, here are some treatments we can recommend:

• Although you wouldn’t think it, taking a bit of exercise will relax you and put you in a good mood. Go for a short run and you’ll see how things will look different once you’ve raised your adrenalin levels and then had a nice relaxing shower.
• Message your friends and arrange to meet up. Nothing will cheer you up more than having a laugh with your friends.
• Eat chocolate without feeling guilty, as it has lots of beneficial properties, one of which is releasing a mood-lifting hormone called serotonin (not to be confused with bilirubin) in your brain. Another way of relieving stress is to make a chocolate cake and then eat it, of course!
• Do you remember that film that made you laugh until you cried? Now’s a good time to watch it again.
• If you want to enjoy your day, the best thing is to start it off in a relaxed way, by saying hello to the sun, for example.
• And if you still feel like biting someone’s head off, warn your friends that you’re a bit irritable at the moment, so that they can be extra patient with you and make a fuss of you. After all, that’s what friends are for. :-)

Don’t worry, you’re not about to fly off! What’s happening is that your body is retaining fluid. To prevent this from happening (or to relieve it a bit), you just need to change a few habits:

• Drinking lots of water won’t make you retain more fluid; in fact, it does the opposite.
• Reduce the amount of salt in your food around this time. There are so many dishes that don’t need salt.
• It’s better to have 6 small meals a day than 3 big ones, and this way you’ll prevent that bloated feeling that usually comes with fluid retention.
• Fibre is your friend, as it helps to regulate your hormone levels. Eat more cereals that contain it and wholemeal foods.
• Be active! Moving around may be the last thing you feel like doing, but it will help to stop you from retaining fluid. Go for a walk, do a bit of exercise or put some music on full blast and have a dance.
• Although feeling bloated is a temporary thing, doing a few sit-ups to improve firmness in your abdomen is never a bad thing. Now that you know about this, put it into practice and do a few sit-ups just before you get up, to start the day off with a spring in your step (and less of a spare tyre). :-)

No one likes getting a headache, especially at this time of the month. As well as the medication available, here’s some advice on how to deal with PMS naturally, to make you feel better

• Use relaxation techniques: you can choose shiatsu or laughter therapy, or even simply taking deep breaths in and out, listening to the music of Enya or the sound of the sea. The point is to find a way of releasing the tension that builds up in your body.
• There’s a wide range of natural therapies to help you with this and other premenstrual symptoms. Have you heard of homeopathy or Bach flower remedies? Look them up, give them a try and find out which natural therapy works best for you.
• Get a good night’s sleep. Try to keep to a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and getting up at the same times to regulate your body. And get at least 8 hours’ sleep. This is the best (and cheapest) beauty treatment around during PMS. ;-)
• Foods such as artichoke, olive oil, honey or camomile are great remedies for preventing migraines during Premenstrual Syndrome. Hooray for the Mediterranean diet!
• Pressure in the eyes can be partly to blame, so try to relax your eyes. Forget about tasks that involve straining your eyes for the moment, such as reading or spending too much time in front of your computer. And if you have to do this, take a 5-minute break every hour or so.

Sometimes, just before your period, your breasts may feel a bit swollen and uncomfortable, but don’t let this get you down. By reducing this feeling, you can also get some benefit from it:

• Use your most comfortable bras around this time, the loosest-fitting ones.
• A nice massage will help you to relax the area.
• Try not to wear tight-fitting clothing around this time because restricting the area can make you even more uncomfortable.