Natural Ways To Support PMS

If you’re one of the 90% of women who experience PMS each month, your menstrual isn’t likely something you look forward to each month. Whether your symptoms are mild or border on extreme, knowing how to naturally support PMS is a must for any woman interested in holistically supporting her wellbeing.

Good news is, there are several natural ways to support PMS. And they can all easily be incorporated into your everyday wellness routine. Following are some of the top natural ways to relieve annoying PMS symptoms, all of which I've personally found lifechanging for managing pre-period mental and physical wellbeing.

5 Ways To Support PMS Naturally

1. Avoid Foods That Make PMS Worse

While we might feel better for a few when we give in to the sugary, salty cravings that are a big part of PMS, the foods we tend to crave only end up exacerbating PMS symptoms and make us feel worse. Sure, they provide immediate satisfaction, but many of the foods we crave are actually some of the worst to consume before and during our cycle. Following you’ll find what foods to avoid (and a few you might embrace) to naturally support PMS.

Salt

In the few days prior to getting your period, a fluctuation of hormone changes (specifically estrogen and progestogen) leads to the retention of water and salt. While French fries, pizza, macaroni and cheese or potato chips might be what you’re craving, eating these foods only increases water retention. The result? The uncomfortably bloated belly many women are familiar with right before their period.

It’s best to avoid salty, processed foods and focus on diuretic foods which can increase urination and flush the body of excess water retention. Pineapple, ginger, cucumber, lemon, watermelon, celery and garlic are great natural diuretic options. If you have a juicer you might consider juicing a combination of any of these foods to naturally support PMS symptoms like water retention and bloating.

Sugar

Donuts, cake, ice cream and cookies can seem divine when we’re getting ready to start our period. Who hasn’t binged on a box of donut holes or pint of Ben & Jerry’s before their period? While amazing in the moment, this excess sugar intake ultimately makes our blood sugar levels rise quickly and crash hard, leaving us even more moody, anxious and depressed. Not only does this excess of processed sugar affect hormones like estrogen and testosterone, but it may also lead to increased inflammation in the body which can ultimately make PMS worse.

In a 2016 study, researchers discovered that women who experienced PMS symptoms like mood swings, cramps, food cravings, weight gain, bloating and sore breasts were substantially more apt to have increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a definitive marker of chronic inflammation.

Avoiding inflammatory foods is one of the best things you can do to naturally support PMS, while introducing anti-inflammatory foods to your regular diet will help tremendously. Green leafy vegetables, fatty fish, olive oil, nuts and berries are all examples of anti-inflammatory foods that can be added to your regular diet that may help reduce symptoms of PMS.

We understand that PMS sugar cravings are real. Instead of completely denying yourself something sweet, consider snacking on some dark chocolate instead. Not only is dark chocolate delicious, it’s full of antioxidants and feel good chemicals. Dark chocolate contains anandamide, the “bliss molecule,” one of the body’s naturally occurring endocannabinoids.

Alcohol

Reaching for a glass of wine or two at the end of the day when you’re suffering from PMS might offer some temporary relaxing relief, but alcohol will only make PMS symptoms worse. Not only does it cause dehydration, which can lead to excess bloating, but it also cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate in the body, which can make mood swings more intense. If you do choose to drink alcohol when experiencing PMS, make sure to limit how much you consume. Try to stick to one drink per day, which is the daily recommended amount for women.

2. Manage Your Stress Levels With Meditation

Here’s something to consider if you regularly experience PMS. Stress tends to make PMS worse. In a 2010 study, researchers found that women with high stress levels two weeks before their period started were 2-3 times more prone to experience moderate to severe physical (cramping, bloating, body aches and pains) and emotional (mood changes, anxiety, depression and crying spells) symptoms than women who didn’t feel stress in the weeks leading up to menstruation.

We’ve found that one of the best methods to keep stress levels low is by engaging in a regular meditation routine. With reported stress-levels reaching record high numbers worldwide, it’s easy to see why there are some 200-500 million people around the globe that regularly meditate. With several meditation techniques to support stress that can be used by anyone regardless of previous meditation experience, naturally supporting PMS can be as simple as focusing on your breath. A daily meditation practice can do wonders, as even sitting with your breath for 5-10 minutes a day shows to have a significant effect on stress, ultimately which can help with pesky PMS symptoms.

3. Make Sure You’re Getting In Some Physical Exercise

You’ve likely heard before that exercise can benefit PMS symptoms, but being physically active is often one of the last things we want to do pre-period. Here’s the thing though. Exercise increases endorphins, which leads to an increase of dopamine. Both endorphins and dopamine are considered “feel-good” chemicals, as they both help boost mood. Endorphins are also work as a pain reliever, a huge bonus if you’re prone to cramps or lower back pain with PMS.

What type of exercise is best for naturally supporting PMS? Honestly, anything that you like to do that will get your endorphins going. If hitting the gym two hours a day or crushing it at CrossFit is your thing, by all means do you but maybe consider cutting back on the intensity of your workout.

For those who don’t exactly want to push their physical limits when experiencing PMS, we get it. A gentle walk around the block or easy hike on a local trail is physical exercise. A gentle yoga practice is also considered physical exercise. All that matters is you get up and get your body moving.

4. Add Adaptogens To Your Regular Wellness Routine

Used for thousands of years as an integral aspect of Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), adaptogens are a group a various herbs and certain mushrooms with an impressive array of effects. They’re widely known to ease stress, fight fatigue, increase focus and concentration, support immunity, promote hormone balance and more.

There are several adaptogens particularly beneficial for naturally supporting PMS. Following are a few of our favorites:

Ashwagandha

Known to balance hormones, increase energy, stabilize mood, help with depression, reduce cortisol and more, ashwagandha is an adaptogen with benefits that reach far beyond natural PMS support.

Maca

As an adaptogen that shows to help balance hormones, improve fertility, increase energy, boost mental wellbeing and more, maca is a huge part of our everyday wellness routine. Woman who take maca regularly also report relief from menopausal symptoms.

Holy Basil

Holy basil is an adaptogen high in antioxidants used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine, and it contains a broad list benefits for body and mind. With its efficacy for naturally balancing hormones, reducing physical and mental stress, alleviating depression, reducing exhaustion and helping with sleep, holy basil is a blessing for naturally supporting PMS.

Note* While adaptogens work really well for natural PMS support, they shouldn’t be considered a quick “cure” that will magically make PMS disappear. Consider adding a few to your regular wellness routine (combining them can have a great synergistic effect) for a month or two.

5. Consider Supportive Supplements

Following are few supplements that show to support symptoms of PMS.

Calcium

When it comes to supplements to naturally support PMS, a large body of research suggests that calcium is one of the best. Research shows that calcium levels are low in some woman that experience PMS, and these low calcium levels could make PMS symptoms worse. Replenishing these low calcium levels could help tremendously.

One study found that taking 500mg calcium twice a day for three months significantly decreased fatigue, depression and appetite changes. Another study discovered that 1,000mg of calcium per day for three months reduced PMS symptoms in almost 75% of participants.

Magnesium

Much like calcium, there is also evidence that suggests low magnesium levels could lead to increased symptoms of PMS. This has led to suggestion that supplementing with magnesium could benefit women who experience PMS. One study found magnesium significantly improved negative effects of PMS when taken during one’s menstrual cycle, especially for mood management.

Magnesium is also ultra-relaxing. Known to help reduce stress and improve sleep, supplementing with magnesium is ideal for women who experience sleep disturbances during their monthly cycle.

Vitamin B6

While evidence is a mixed bag when it comes to B6 to naturally support PMS, there is evidence to suggest it may help with overall symptoms of PMS, as well as PMS-related depression. Other research has found that using vitamin B6 in combination with magnesium could have the most beneficial effect for PMS symptoms.

Last Thoughts About Naturally Supporting PMS

If you’re prone to PMS, there’s no reason to suffer incessantly during your monthly cycle. There are plenty of natural ways to support PMS, which when added to your regular wellness routine can make a world of difference in the way you feel.

With a few simple changes and by incorporating some of the above tips, you’ll find natural support to soothe away the severity of your symptoms and flow effortlessly through each day of your cycle.