PMS: I love you. Actually I really hate you.

Have you ever had intense or strange food cravings? Have you ever cried for no reason and then minutes later realized you could be perfectly happy again? We have all been there. All men have seen first hand their wife/mother/girlfriend go through this awful stage every month. It's called PMS: Premenstrual Syndrome. 8-20% of women have moderate to severe symptoms one to two weeks before their menstrual cycle. We often feel symptoms of PMS before our menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and during menopause. There is even a disorder called PMDD: Premenstraul dysphoric disorder which is a severe form of PMS symptoms which can be debilitating. PMDD can cause extreme mood swings that can interfere with work and relationships. Next time your spouse flips out over something minor it's probably PMS. We have all had moments before our period when we crave random, out-of-place things like that tasty, juicy, giant steak. Who could blame you anyways steak is delicious.

Symptoms of PMS:

• Anxiety
• Cramps
• Acne
• Depression
• Crying
• Mood swings
• Insomnia
• Muscle Pain
• Headache
• Weight Gain
• Breast Tenderness
• Diarrhea

PMS relief:

• Heating Pad
• Tylenol
• Red Meat: Helps Boost Iron
• Chocolate: Contains Magnesium and Releases Serotonin
• Fruit: 
• Bananas
• Kale
• Spinach
• Eggs
• Whole Grains

Ways to deal with PMS during Menopause:

• HRT: Hormone Replacement Therapy replaces the hormones that your body is not able to make once you start menopause
• Why do you need Estrogen? Estrogen controls how your body absorbs calcium and raises good/bad cholesterol 
• Why do you need Progesterone? If you take Estrogen without progesterone, you risk developing cancer of the lining of the uterus
• Often people with menopause use HRT to balance out their hormone

We've Learned Three Things:

• PMS occurs during pregnancy, before period, and menopause which includes symptoms such as stomach pain, headache insomnia, and diarrhea just to name a few
• There are specific foods that can help lessen PMS symptoms such as chocolate, red meat, kale, and bananas
• You can balance out the hormones from menopausal symptoms using HRT medications such as estrogen and progesterone

Every person's symptoms are different and there are a hundred ways to sooth them. We would love to hear your stories, tips and tricks. From grandma's cramp-relief parsley tea to your prescription Tylenol, how do you manage your symptoms of PMS?

Jennie-Your Undercover Everything Pharmacy