7 PMS-friendly foods that can help brighten your mood

Dealing with the PMS blues gets easier with these PMS-friendly foods.

In the words of R.E.M, “Everybody hurts…sometimes!” From the very beginning we are told by our mothers and grandmothers to endure our pre-menstrual suffering, or at the most, curl up in our beds with a hot water bag and a painkiller. But, aren’t you exhausted from all the mood swings, soreness, feeling bloated, (the urge to kill) and worst of all, those darned cramps?

You can take the war on the PMS monster in your own hands by choosing to eat the right foods.

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Here are some simple PMS-friendly foods that not only strike at the symptoms, but also elevate your mood.

1. Spoon that yogurt: A cup of plain yogurt a day keeps the symptoms away. According to a research conducted by the University of Massachusets, Amherst, women who consume their essential quota of calcium everyday (about 1,200 mg) are less likely to suffer from PMS.

If you don’t fancy yogurt, you can always go for a glass of milk, a slice of cheese, or kale, bok choy, dried figs and fortified fruit juices if you are lactose intolerant.

2. For your ‘Salmon’ pink health: You must have noticed your physician giving you calcium supplements along with vitamin D. This is because without the latter, the former cannot be absorbed in our bones. Adding salmon to your regular diet ensures your daily dose of vitamin D, as well as vitamin B6, which helps counter irritability and breast tenderness.

You can also replace salmon with vitamin D fortified milk, tuna and sardines, mackerel and herring.

3. Going green with broccoli: Loaded with all the PMS fighting goodies such as calcium, vitamins A, C, B6 and E, calcium, potassium and magnesium, broccoli keeps those fluctuating hormones and digestion in check. Cook it or steam it, have it with other veggies or your friendly neighborhood salmon.

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4. Go bananas: The vitamin B6 and potassium in bananas helps you avoid bloating and takes care of the meddling menstrual cramps. Not a fan of the yellow fruit? Oranges could be a simple replacement.

5. Chamomile wonders: The fact that chamomile is caffeine free lends to its wondrous role as a muscle relaxant. It soothes your irritability and anxiety, while also reducing the intensity of painful cramps. It is also the best substitute for regular tea and coffee, during periods atleast.

6. Pineapples: Over the years, research has found a link between fluctuating mood and depression during periods and the varying levels of manganese. Even so, having foods rich in the mineral is generally good for health, and pineapple could be your source, apart from brown rice, pecans, wheat germs and quinoa.