Not so many years ago pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) was considered another of those “women’s problems” which had to be suffered in silence. It was a condition endured by millions of women with symptoms in varying degrees from mild to devastating but it wasn’t recognised as a genuine, treatable illness. Doctor’s usually told patients to “pull yourself together”.

Today we are more enlightened since medical evidence has established that PMS does have a physical cause - hormonal imbalance. Symptoms, both physical and mental, can have a major effect on women’s lives, as well as their diet. A classic symptom is a craving for all the calorie-packed high carbohydrate foods you should eat less of to be slim, such as cakes, chocolate, ice-cream and fizzy drinks. We long for these foods partly because of the drop in the amount of sugar in the blood. Normally sugar stays between 70 and 105 millilitres of blood, but the hormone changes that take place before your period can lower your blood sugar to less than 70 milligrams. Then the body sends out signals that it needs more sugar. You of course, respond by grabbing a bar of chocolate which won’t shift the pounds and makes you feel guilty and depressed afterwards.

Who gets PMS?
It’s believed that more than three quarters of women in the world suffer some symptoms, with the first case recorded in 1931 in America. The exact causes are still being researched but most experts agree that the main cause is a woman’s above-average sensitivity to the swings in hormone levels that occur throughout the menstrual cycle. This is supported by the fact that if the ovaries are removed, hormone production ceases, and so does PMS.

PMS varies according to each individual but is greatly affected by stress, diet, and nutrition. The hormones produced by the ovaries affect our moods and behaviour. For example, low oestrogen levels can cause depression while high levels can bring on feelings of irritability, anxiety and nervous tension. Other hormones are also produced by the adrenal and thyroid glands and all three hormone-producing centres are linked to the part of our brain which influences our appetite, our eating and sleeping rhythms. If our diet is not balanced, is deficient in nutrients or if we are under stress, our whole system can become disturbed.

Symptoms
The symptoms associated with PMS are anxiety, nervous tension and mood swings, as well as temporary weight gain and bloating. Food cravings are very common along with headaches, palpitations, tiredness, depression, forgetfulness and sleeplessness.

What to do
One of the major things that can give relief is altering your diet. Limit tea and coffee and cut down on salt. A lot of women, by giving in to food cravings, start a vicious circle of one sugary snack after another. The only solution is to eat three good meals a day and a couple of healthy snacks. Regular exercising, reflexology and aromatherapy can also help. Although progesterone can help, a lot of women like to try a homeopathic and herbal remedy.

Beating the cravings

1. When you get used to your body’s cycles, you’ll know when the scales stick or will show a weight gain. Remember that it’s only water, not fat that you’ve gained and you will lose it the following week.
2. If you must give in to sweet cravings, do so in moderation. Have a couple of squares of chocolate or a biscuit, but then have low-calorie foods.
3. It is important not to let your blood sugar level fluctuate too much and eating unrefined starchy carbohydrates like brown rice or jacket potatoes can help. This also helps you to avoid bingeing.
4. Eat little and often and avoid meal skipping. This will help your blood sugar level stay constant.
5. Eat a diet rich in foods containing chromium such as chicken, lamb, pork, eggs, rye bread, apples, oranges and bananas.
6. When you feel a snack attack coming on, drink a glass of water or go for a short walk.
7. Avoid stress.