6 natural cures for your PMS

I had a thoroughly depressingrealization recently: If your PMS lasts about a week, your actualperiod another five days––and if you're also one of the luckyfew who is struck with pre-PMS, go ahead and tack on another weekof cravings and mood swings––that means hormones are ridingroughshod over 50% of our lives. So unfair. Here, sixnatural ways to deal with that half of your life. (And remember toask your doctor before taking any supplements!)





BLOATING
Studies have shown that magnesium can significantly reduce weightgain, swelling of the hands and legs, breast tenderness, andbloating. Beef up on magnesium-rich foods like legumes (soybeans,black beans and peanuts), dark leafy greens (swiss chard, spinach,kale) and seafood (salmon, halibut, oysters). And while it'shard to do when cravings are running rampant, limiting your sugarand salt intake can reduce bloating.

MOOD SWINGS
Whether you're PMS-ing or not, exercise is a tremendous natural mood stabilizer. If yourbody is more eager to swim laps than go to kickboxing, listen.Gentler forms of exercise like swimming, yoga, and walking mightfeel more appealing to you during these times of the month.Frequency, rather than intensity, has been shown to help easemoodiness. When anxiety takes hold, set aside quiet time to relaxand breathe. A simple 5-minute meditation exercise can calm your mind. In fact, yourusual tried-and-true methods for zen-ing out, like a hot bath,massage, or acupuncture can all help if they relax you at othertimes of the month.

PAIN AND TENDERNESS
Try swapping out your extra-strength and extra-artificial painrelievers like Midol for calcium. Studies suggest that calciumlevels are lower in women with PMS. Taken with food, 1200 to 1500mg of calcium per day has been shown to be an effective painreliever. Another option: A study in the Journal of ReproductiveMedicine found that women who took 60 mg of pine bark every day forthree months reduced their cramps and breast tenderness by up to100 percent. Wowza.




CRAVINGS
PMS affects serotonin and could cause those crazy cravings forchocolate/Cheetos/friedpickles. And unfortunately, the data out there for how to dealis limited. Exercise and the hormonal rush it gives you can help.Lay off the sauce since drinking, which can cause sugar spikes, canintensify your jonesing for Jujubes. Beyond that, you might bepowerless to your body's desire for certain foods. To do whatyou can to minimize cravings, eat regular meals of good, wholesomefood, and try keeping a journal to examine the emotions that mightplay a part in your cravings. But when the siren song of chocolatechips gets too sweet to ignore, just try practicing a bit ofmoderation. Easier said than done, of course, but one thingthat's sure to make you feel worse all around is a PMS-inducedbinge.




ACNE
Hormonal changes during PMS can, as well all know, make youbreakout, but zinc may help improve PMS-related acne. Make sureyou're chomping on good sources of the mineral, like oysters,red meat, shrimp, and fortified breakfast cereals. PMS-inducedstress can also make skin worse, so get plenty of sleep andremember to trot out your favorite relaxation methods, like lockingthe bathroom door and letting a clay mask do its work.




CHANGES IN BOWEL HABITS
Let's move into the bathroom for a moment, shall we? Ingeneral, ginger is a great way to calm your stomach. Make a cup ofginger "tea" by grating a quarter-ounce piece of freshginger and steeping it in just-boiled water. If you suffer fromPMS-related constipation, try the Ayurvedic remedy of triphala, a formula of three herbal fruits which some studieshave show has significant health benefits beyond encouraging a bowelmovement.
Lay it out there, ladies: Whatare your worse PMS symptoms? Do you deal...or just givein?






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