Help ease PMS

Do you suffer from premenstrual syndrome? Read Patrick Holford's advice for balancing your hormones

You don't have to suffer from PMS or painful or heavy periods or other hormone-related health problems if your hormones are in balance.

There are five keys to hormonal health. These are:

Balance your blood sugar

Your blood sugar balance has a profound affect on how you feel. Ever noticed how you crave sugary foods before your period? Instead you want to eat foods that keep your blood sugar level even. That means eating a low GL diet. That means never skipping breakfast, grazing rather than gorging, and eating three meals and two snacks a day.

Choose wholefoods such as wholegrains, lentils, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and vegetables and combine protein foods with carbohydrates by eating cereals and fresh fruit and ground seeds and ensuring you eat starch foods (potato, bread, pasta or rice) with protein rich foods (fish, lentils, beans or tofu).

Oats are the best food for keeping your energy on an even keel. So eat porridge oats (hot or cold) for breakfast and 100% oat cakes such as Nairns. These are excellent low GL snacks, as is an apple or a pear.

Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white bread and processed breakfast cereals as much as possible and cut right back on stimulants such as tea, coffee and chocolate. The mineral chromium is also highly effective. Supplement 200mcg a day with breakfast.

Supplement Vitamin B6, Zinc and Magnesium

Many people make the mistake of thinking B6 is the answer. While it's certainly true that studies giving women with PMS vitamin B6 have helped, B6 on its own can't work without the mineral zinc, which is rich in seeds. 

Magnesium, especially rich in pumpkin seeds, is also essential for the right water retention in the body. This is associated with breast tenderness. Some supplements provide all three. You need 60mg of B6, 15mg of zinc and 135mg of magnesium daily.

Supplement Essential Fats

No doubt you've heard of Evening Primrose Oil. It's an especially rich source of the essential omega 6 fat called GLA. What most people don't realise is that the studies giving evening primrose oil gave 6 capsules a day, providing 150mg of GLA. So, if  you've taken just one a day you are unlikely to get the same results. Nowadays, however, you can get 150mg of GLA in one capsule of Starflower Oil. That's what I recommend.

Herbs for Hormones

If these three tips don't sort you out then try the herbs Dong Quai and Agnus Castus. These have been used for years and many women, young and old, swear by them. You need 300mg of Dong Quai and 300mg of Agnus Castus.

Check for Food Allergies

If you are still not 100% and especially if you have energy or digestion issues check yourself out for a possible food allergy or intolerance using a home test and avoid what you are allergic to.

If you would like to find out more about Patrick's recommendations on how to balance hormones naturally print off the free information sheet here.

Click here if you would like an assessment of YOUR own health profile. You will asked to answer a detailed online questionnaire developed by Patrick Holford based on your diet, lifestyle and symptoms. This is used to prepare your personal health and nutrition profile and make recommendations that will help optimise your health and wellbeing.

It is quick, convenient and inexpensive. For just £24 the 100% health Online Nutrition Profile gives you immediately the insights you need to make the best decisions.

Come and meet GMTVs Nutritionist Patrick Holford in a town near you.

In these seminars Patrick reveals why many drugs offer short term fixes – and why the right combination of foods and supplements offer long term solutions with immediate benefits.

Find out how to beat diabetes, boost your energy; conquer depression, solve insomnia, reduce stress; lower cholesterol, blood pressure and avoid heart disease; reduce your pain, relieve arthritis and headaches; solve asthma and and improve your skin.

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