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Home Remedies for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
by Sam Malone
- Diet plays a very important role either in aggravating or subsiding PMS problems. Eat complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads, pasta and cereals, fiber and protein. Cut down on your sugar and fat intake.
- Start avoiding salt for the last few days before your period start as it would reduce bloating and fluid retention.
- Avoid caffeine in any form as it makes you less irritable and also eases breast soreness.
- Alcohol is no savior in such times as it depresses you even further.
- Drink plenty of warm water, coconut, raisins, papaya and sweet juicy fruits.
- Get a relaxing massage. Use unscented lotion or massage oil onto your palms and add 1 or 2 drop of essential oil of clary sage, chamomile, geranium, lavender or orange blossom. After mixing this mixture in your hand, massage it on your aching abdomen or lower back.
- Turn vegetarian and increase your diet with fiber as it helps remove excess estrogens. Also consume magnesium rich diet like millet, buckwheat and barley.
- Keep exercising and remain fit. Exercise helps in better functioning of the brain which keeps you in good mood.
- Get a mineral bath as it would keep your muscles relaxed and at ease. In a tubful of warm water add 1 cup sea salt and 1 cup baking soda to. Soak yourself into it for 20 minutes.
- Live a stress-free life, to get through this PMS problem more easily.
- Do not lose your romantic touch try to have a normal sex life because the intercourse stimulates the blood which otherwise remains sluggish and lethargic.
- Have smaller meals to keep your blood sugar level steady and also prevents the craving for sweets.
- Avoid saturated fats like red meat, cheese and butter as it increases the bad prostaglandins level causing uterine discomfort, bloating and mood swings.
- Suffering from cramps, drink a cup or two of red raspberry leaf tea. For bloating drink a cup or two of dandelion tea. If suffering from both drink both teas.
- Use oils like evening primrose, borage, flax seed and pumpkin seed which contain Essential Fatty Acids (EFA). These acids are changed into 'good' prostaglandin in the body. You can have primrose oil daily 3 to 6 grams. You can also use one tablespoon flaxseed oil for salad dressing.
- Chaste tree berry (Vitex agnus castus) is an herb, used immensely to reduce PMS problems. Take 10 drops of chaste tree berry extract every morning from mid-cycle until your period begins. It may take a nearly three months to see the results.
- Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is a Chinese herb used widely for PMS. It contains phytoestrogens and is a good hormone balancer. It helps relieve pain and also uterine cramps. Have 3 to 4 ml of Dong quai tincture three times a day during the second half of your cycle. Before consuming this herb you should keep in mind that it produces photosensitivity and should not be used if you have heavy menstrual flow or are pregnant, as it increases the flow.
- Use light therapy to ease PMS symptoms. The idea is to sit in front of a therapeutic light box for 20 to 45 minutes a day. Any ordinary light would not do, you have to buy this light box to get the right results.
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
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