Premenstrual dysphoric syndrome or PMDD is a disorder that affects around 2% of women. While that might not seem like a significant percentage, it means that more than 30 million women and girls from all around the world meet the strict diagnostic criteria for this disorder. A larger number of patients, around 3.2%, have provisional diagnoses, meaning that they are suspected to have the condition, but the symptoms werenโt observed during a sustained period of time for a diagnosis to be confirmed.
PMDD can be highly disruptive and impactful on the quality of life of those dealing with it. It takes an emotional, mental, and physical toll on the patient. Treatment schemes vary as well, since different things work for different people. And while lifestyle changes canโt eliminate the symptoms entirely on their own, there are many ways in which they can help as well.
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What is PMDD?
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, also known as late luteal phase dysphoric disorder, is a kind of mood disorder that involves a wide range of emotional, mental, and physical symptoms. As the name indicates, the symptoms are tied to the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. There is significant variability when it comes to when this period occurs, not just from one individual to the next, but also for the same woman from cycle to cycle. The standard timeframe is days 14 to 28, and during this period, there is an increase in progesterone, a decrease in gonadotropins, and changes in the endometrial lining.
The exact cause and mechanism of PMDD remains unknown, and ovarian hormone levels throughout the menstrual cycle have been shown to not differ between healthy women and those who have been diagnosed with the condition. Since the symptoms are present only during the ovulatory cycles, thereโs a hypothesis that the disorder is the result of either fluctuations in gonadal sex hormones or of heightened sensitivity to sex hormones. A 2017 study revealed that women who have PMDD have a genetic predisposition that makes their emotional regulation pathways more susceptible to the effects of estrogen, progesterone, and their derivatives.
The symptoms include dysphoria, extreme mood swings, depression, anxiety, changes in appetite, fatigue, trouble concentrating, joint and muscle pain, bloating, hopelessness, irritability, and feeling out of control. The duration can be anywhere between 6 days and 3 weeks and can vary from one cycle to the next.
Lifestyle changes and self-care
During times when negative emotions have gone haywire, it can be really difficult to focus on self-care or want to prioritize it. If you feel comfortable doing it and want to approach the condition from a different angle, you can look into the natural treatment options for PMDD or the lifestyle modifications you could try in order to alleviate symptoms or at least manage them more efficiently. Focusing on a balanced diet may sound like a clichรฉ, but the truth is that it can be very helpful. Fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains are the food groups you should be focusing on. Omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines, as well as plants like flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, and soybeans, can increase focus and help you fight off anxiety.
Vitamin B6 supports calmness and the proper production of progesterone. Apart from supplementation, you should include foods such as poultry, eggs, chickpeas, bananas, potatoes, avocados, spinach, and nuts in your diet. If you want a boost first thing in the morning, you can always rely on fortified cereal. Calcium, when combined with magnesium and vitamin E, can reduce symptoms as well. Magnesium is well-known for promoting relaxation, while vitamin E supports healthy hormones and decreases the negative effects of prostaglandins. Combined with the calcium, they regulate serotonin as well.
Calcium-rich foods include dairy but also fortified plant milks, leafy greens like kale, bok choy, and collards, fish that can be consumed alongside the bones, such as canned varieties or sardines, tofu that has been set with calcium, and almonds. To get more magnesium, eat peanut butter, beans, brown rice, white potatoes that were cooked with their skins on, raisins, dark chocolate, and yogurt. As for vitamin E, youโll want to focus on mangoes, kiwis, red bell peppers, butternut squash, broccoli, Swiss chard, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and pine nuts. Since vitamin E tends to be sensitive to heat make sure to eat these foods raw or lightly cooked at the most to preserve their benefits.
Remember that while whole foods are the preferred option, fortified products and supplements can be incredibly helpful as well, as they add significantly to your daily intake.
Exercise and stress management
Working out regularly can help manage your symptoms by increasing serotonin and endorphins, which in turn reduce anxiety, depression, and irritability. Exercise can improve your pain perception, making aches and cramps less intense, gives you an energy boost, and improves sleep quality. It can also regulate fluid retention and decrease bloating and its symptoms. But what types of workouts should you be focusing on? Aerobic activities such as cycling, swimming, jogging, and even brisk walking, is considered to be incredibly effective, and you should aim for at least half an hour of it for most days of the week.
Strength training should be incorporated as well, as it can alleviate some of the physical symptoms you could be dealing with as a result of the PMDD, like back pain. Remember that the benefits wonโt appear overnight and that the only way to enjoy them is to remain as consistent as possible. If you canโt work out at the same intensity on a day when you were supposed to, itโs better to reduce the intensity of the workout a little instead of doing nothing. As for stress management, you should look into deep breathing, meditation, and prioritize self-care and healthy boundaries. Having a consistent sleep routine is of paramount importance as well.
Having healthier habits will contribute to improved well-being overall and allow you to feel healthier and more confident in yourself. Aim to be as steady and constant as possible, but donโt be excessively self-critical if you fall short from time to time. You should never let perfect become the enemy of good.
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