Approximately 30-40% of women of
reproductive age and 20-32%
of premenopausal women are affected by premenstrual syndrome (PMS). That’s
a lot of us.

Before your period, estrogen and progesterone levels drop
significantly, which can lead to everything from headaches and bloating to acne
and mood swings. Getting the proper nutrients can help deal with these changing
hormones and subsequent PMS symptoms.

Vitamin B6
If you deal with a lot of emotional changes — such as anxiety, crying, depression,
fatigue and mood swings — before your period, this might be the solution for
you. Studies have shown that vitamin B6 plays a
big role in regulating mood. Especially when combined with calcium.

If you don’t want to take a supplement, the National
Institutes of Health suggests chickpeas, fortified cereals, tuna, chicken and
other foods as good sources
of vitamin B6.

Calcium
If you’re sold on vitamin B6, combine it with calcium, and it will be even more
effective. The combination of calcium and vitamin B6 can significantly reduce
PMS symptoms. In
one study, calcium was found to reduce symptoms like depression, mood
swings, headache, irritability and breast tenderness by approximately 50%.

While dairy is often listed as the number one source of
calcium, soymilk, orange juice, tofu, salmon and leafy green vegetables are
also great sources.

Vitamin D
Most of us know of vitamin D as the “sun vitamin,” because our bodies are
designed to produce
vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight. What you might not know is
that vitamin D
can significantly reduce PMS symptoms like backaches and depression. 

If you want to boost your vitamin D intake without spending
time in the sun, you can get it by consuming mushrooms, fatty fish — such as salmon,
tuna and mackerel — and fortified dairy products.

The best thing about all of these nutritional
recommendations is that they’re inexpensive, natural ways to treat your
symptoms, making them perfect
for all ages, including those on birth control or other medications. So
make sure you’re getting all the right nutrients to fuel your body and help you
kick PMS’s butt!

You can now track your menstrual cycle in Garmin Connect. Regardless of your cycle type — including regular, irregular and menopause transition — you can log how you feel physically and emotionally every day and get reports that show you fluctuations in your body over time.