It's a treatment sought after by just as many men as women! Conventional medicine has never really provided much help, other than pain relief so natural treatments and herbs may provide a better alternative.

Supplements to help with PMS include essential fatty acids, and supplements formulated specifically for women's needs containing a mix of vitamins, minerals and herbs such as black cohosh, soy, green tea and natural antioxidants.

Conventional medicine has never really provided a great deal of help in this area and historically used hysterectomy as a 'treatment' for more severe cases! More recently with the advent of the 'pill', many girls are put on the pill to alleviate the symptoms of severe PMS. This is not a great reason to start taking the pill when you can improve the situation more naturally with supplements to help with PMS.

Some of the symptoms of PMS include irritability, headache, bloating and water retention, fatigue, breast tenderness, fragile emotions, poor skin, anxiety and severe pelvic cramping.

Supplements to Help with PMS

A great deal of research is ongoing in this area, however it is safe to say that deficiencies of minerals (particularly calcium and magnesium), vitamins (vitamin A and vitamin E) and essential fatty acids are involved. A base line nutritional program will contain all of these supplements to help with PMS, including highly absorbable plant derived liquid minerals. Calcium and magnesium are thought to have a role in hormone production and regulation. Magnesium is found in dark chocolate and this may explain the chocolate cravings.

The American Journal of Gynaecology also published an article showing that calcium supplementation was an effective treatment for PMS.

An additional source of supplemental calcium and magnesium will assist - these are best when taken in a highly absorbable liquid form.

Essential fatty acids are required for hormone production - particularly the anti-inflammatory hormones - and these may have a role in reducing the symptoms of

fluid retention, irritability and depression. Essential fatty acids may be found in supplements to assist with PMS and in natural form as flaxseed oil and from oily fish.

Vitamin A (taken as beta carotene) and vitamin E may also have beneficial effects.

Other herbs such as black cohosh, antioxidant nutrients and specific vitamins in some supplements can provide help with the emotional symptoms.

Progesterone creams can assist with regulating hormone levels - you would apply such creams in the last half of the cycle and they would be best absorbed in areas where the skin is thin such as inside the upper arms and legs, or on the back of the neck, for example.

Lifestyle

* Regular exercise including some specific yoga exercises may reduce many of the symptoms of PMS

* Reduce your intake of alcohol, sugar and caffeine

* Reduce your intake of 'bad' fat (fried foods, margarine in particular)

* Diets should be high in fibre and fresh green leafy vegetables

* Heat packs can be of great benefit to soothe and alleviate cramping

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