Premenstrual tension, PMT, also known as PMS, premenstrual syndrome, affects about three out of every four menstruating women, according to MayoClinic.com. PMT symptoms include depression, irritability, tender breasts, mood swings and food cravings. Although your doctor might treat your PMT symptoms with antidepressant medications, oral contraceptives or diuretics, she might also suggest that you adhere to certified U.S. medical professional's dietary recommendations to help you remain asymptomatic.
Foods to Eat
Eat complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables and whole-grain pastas and breads. These foods help to regulate your blood sugar, which might lessen symptoms, according to the American Dietetic Association, ADA. Additionally, consume thiamine- and riboflavin-rich foods. According to a study published in the February 2011 edition of “the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” these B-vitamins might be involved with the physiological processes associated with PMT. Examples of riboflavin-rich foods include green vegetables, red meat, fortified cereals and eggs. The researchers found that six to seven servings of these foods helped to alleviate PMT symptoms in subject participants. They also found that two to three servings of thiamine-rich foods, such as nuts, beans, fortified cereals and whole grains, significantly reduced PMT symptoms in test subjects.
Foods to Restrict/Avoid
The ADA offers several tips for avoiding foods that might worsen your PMT symptoms. Cutting down on caffeine might help curb irritability, while reducing your salt intake might lessen fluid buildup and bloating. Furthermore, avoiding high-fat foods, alcohol and excess sugar might keep your weight down, which could possibly help to decrease your PMT symptoms, notes the ADA's website.
Considerations
Scheduling stressful events during the week after your period, getting eight hours of sleep a night and exercising about 30 to 60 minutes per day, four to six days a week can also help to decrease PMT symptoms, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Additionally, while the researchers of the B-vitamin study noted that riboflavin and thiamine supplementation did not appear to help lessen PMT symptoms, the ADA's website states that multivitamins that contain magnesium, vitamin B-6, folic acid, vitamin D and calcium might decrease PMT symptoms.
Warning
Speak with your doctor about your personal nutritional needs in relation to the data concerning PMT diets before you augment your meals or take supplements to relieve your condition. Your doctor might suggest that you abstain from certain foods or over-the-counter vitamins or minerals that might worsen another medical condition you are currently experiencing.
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