The Ultimate PMS Survival Guide
Dr Rashmi Shetty Explains
“I feel so bloated. I feel so depressed and irritable. I cry for no reason! ” Sounds familiar?
Dr Rashmi Shetty, celebrity dermatologist says, “The list of complaints I get with many women’s menstrual cycle is long.”
Do these symptoms sound familiar? If so, you may be relieved to know that you are among the 80 per cent of women who experience the physical and emotional symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) every month!
In this article, we will list a few steps you can take to control the discomfort that often comes before your periods.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) defines PMS as a clinical condition that is characterized by the presence of physical and emotional symptoms, unrelated to any disease that appears during the 5 days before menses in each of the three prior menstrual cycles and disappears within 4 days of the onset of menses, without recurrence until at least cycle day 13.
Symptoms of PMS:
- Abdominal bloating and pain
- Irregular bowel movement
- Sore breasts
- Acne
- Food cravings, especially for sweets
- Headaches
- Sensitivity to light or sound
- Fatigue, irritability, changes in sleep patterns,
- Anxiety, depression, sadness, emotional outbursts
According to the American psychological association, “If a woman tells you she has PMS, therapists and counsellors should be supportive and should not assume that it’s just hormonal and nothing can be done about it.”
A Few Healthy ways to Manage PMS
Tip 1: Stay Active
Staying active for at least 20 minutes a day is shown to reduce PMS symptoms. Exercise does not have to be boring. Dancing, jogging, swimming, or just brisk walking — anything that gets you moving will help. Exercise will not help you get rid of the symptoms completely but exercise coupled with other tips listed below will help you control your weight and reduce stress.
Tip 2: Your Diet
Your diet is a key contributing factor. Start increasing your consumption of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Cut out sugar and artificial sweeteners. Reduce consumption of fat and salt. The carbohydrates in whole grains help enhance your mood. The changes you do in your diet will help you not just during periods but throughout the month.
Tip 3: Relax
Relax! Yes, we know you are thinking it is easy to say, hard to do. Research has shown that learning relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and meditation help reduce the symptoms. Stretching exercises can help soothe aching muscles and joints. You could also try massage chiropractic care and acupuncture techniques.
Tip 4: Ra PMS Relief Supplements
Even with the right diet and nutrition, you may want to further boost your intake of certain PMS-busting nutrients with supplements. It reduces and prevents PMS symptoms. It has a blend of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6 and natural extracts like Shatavari, saffron, ginger, cinnamon, chaste berry and punarnava.
Tip 5: Seek Support
Suppressing what you are going through will not help. It helps when you share your concerns with other women and build your support group. This International Women’s Day is a great day to start this. You can get support through online peer groups and know what tips have helped them. This helps reduce stress too.
Dr Shetty is frequently invited as a faculty at several dermatology and plastic surgery society meetings including the American Association of Dermatology, Australian Association of Dermatology, Thai Derm Society & IADVL among others. Dr Shetty is also an international trainer for facial injectables like Botox and fillers with industry leaders like Allergan, Merz and Galderma. She has trained doctors across the world. She has been an integral part of the advisory board of many skin and hair care MNCs globally namely, Unilever for Pond’s, Vaseline and Lakme, Procter & Gamble for Gillette, Marico for Parachute’s haircare range, & Bio-Oil.
Credit: Audio notes provided by Dr Rashmi Shetty
Dr Rashmi Shetty, a specialist dermatologist, is an international speaker, teacher, and author with over 18 year
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!