The 17 Day Diet (27 page)

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It’s easier to diagnose a broken arm than premenstrual syndrome, but if you have three or more of these symptoms, then you’re probably suffering from PMS. Less than five, and you’ve probably got simple menstrual discomfort.

Whether you have emotional symptoms or yours are more physical—cravings, bloating and back pain—PMS can seem like a necessary evil. But you don’t have to put up with it. Armed with some cutting-edge nutritional info about this condition and a little planning, you can easily turn things around so that your period no longer has the upper hand in your life—and you can still lose weight, without blowing your diet. I’ll show you how to take charge right here. First, we’ll look at foods that help ease symptoms; second, foods that aggravate symptoms and should be avoided and third, how to modify the 17 Day Diet for one week to help you continue losing weight.

MISTER M.D., Can YOU PLEASE TELL ME

Aren’t there any drugs my doctor can prescribe for my PMS symptoms?

Women have been suffering from PMS for years, and they are often treated with tranquilizers, antidepressants and diuretics. Over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen are effective against cramps. But honestly, simple changes in lifestyle (a healthy diet, exercise) have been found to be as effective as medication in eliminating symptoms.

Eat to Beat PMS

I give my female patients lists of recommendations, and I help them decide what to incorporate. Of all the changes you can make to improve your premenstrual health, physicians and nutritional experts agree that adopting healthful eating habits will have the most immediate effect. Here is an overview of what to include on the PMS Exception Diet.

Salmon and Other Fish

High in protein, fish like salmon, tuna, halibut, sardines, mackerel and herring are also high in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, which can decrease cramps and other symptoms. These fats also stabilize the hormone spike that makes PMS so pronounced.

One of the fatty acids in the omega-3s is DHA, shorthand for docosahexaenoic acid. Low levels of DHA have been linked to depression. A study published in the medical journal
Lancet
stated that in regions where people ate more fish, there were fewer cases of depression. Another study, published in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
noted that the documented increase in depression in North America over the last century has paralleled the dwindling amount of DHA in our diets. Considering the evidence, I think it’s a good idea to eat more fish. It seems to be a good natural treatment for depression.

Other gifts from seafood include calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc—all vital for easing symptoms.

One-Week PMS Exception Diet Prescription: Aim for at least 2 to 3 servings of seafood when experiencing symptoms.

Other Lean Proteins

Enjoying lean proteins such as lean meat and chicken helps you get selenium, an important anti-PMS mineral. Anxiety is associated with a deficiency in this mineral. Five weeks after psychologists at University College in Wales started administering a daily supplement of 100 micrograms of the mineral selenium to a group of 50 women and men, the subjects reported feeling more balanced and generally in higher spirits. Those most deficient in selenium at the start reported the most dramatic mood boost. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported similar findings.

Other sources of selenium are seafood (particularly tuna) and whole grains. You can meet your entire daily selenium requirement by eating three Brazil nuts a day.

Include the following proteins this week:

Chicken breasts

Lean beef

Lean ground beef

3 Brazil nuts

One-Week PMS Exception Diet Prescription: Enjoy at least two servings of lean protein daily. Have 3 Brazil nuts every day during your period.

Soy Proteins

Tofu, tempeh, soy milk and edamame (boiled, lightly salted soybeans in the pod) contain plant hormones called isoflavones, which may lessen PMS symptoms. There’s evidence these natural compounds help your body absorb the extra estrogen and progesterone that play a role in making you feel moody, bloated and crampy.

One-Week PMS Exception Diet Prescription: Enjoy soy foods as snacks a few times a week during your period.

Natural Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the dietary building blocks of serotonin, that wonderful feel-good chemical in your brain. But not all carbs seem to be equally good at building serotonin. Many women with PMS report fewer symptoms after eating complex carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables, fruit) because they are broken down more slowly by the body, keeping blood sugar, and possibly the source of serotonin, steady. Simple carbohydrates (sugar, syrup, honey) boost your blood sugar and serotonin levels only temporarily, so after an initial high or calm, you may feel irritable or moody. Alcohol (think of it as super sugar) may have similar effects.

Carbs such as lima beans and black beans are high in potassium and magnesium—two minerals that help prevent mood swings, fatigue, cravings and bloating. Sweet potatoes are rich in B vitamins, a family of nutrients that help curb PMS symptoms too.

One-Week PMS Exception Diet Prescription: Include 3 daily servings of the following:

½ cup cooked oatmeal

1 cup high-fiber cereal

1 slice whole grain bread (no sugar added)

½ cup beans or legumes

1 medium sweet potato

½ cup corn

½ cup barley

½ cup brown rice

Water-Flushing Vegetables

A number of foods are thought to be diuretics, meaning they help the body eliminate water. And most contain magnesium, potassium, calcium and other nutrients that can relieve PMS. Asparagus, by the way, is one of the best. It contains an amino acid called asparagine that (bonus!) acts as a diuretic to flush excess liquid out of your system. Vegetables are also full of fiber, which aids elimination and relieves abdominal bloating.

Eat the following vegetables during your period:

Asparagus

Beets

Cucumbers

Lettuce, all varieties

Parsley

Spinach

Tomatoes

Watercress

One-Week PMS Exception Diet Prescription: Eat water-flushing vegetables liberally each day.

Higher-Sugar Fruits

Like certain vegetables, many fruits are loaded with potassium, an anti-PMS nutrient. Some honorable mentions: banana, cantaloupe, grapes and mangoes. Yes, these fruits are high in sugar, but that’s a plus on this plan. Fruit is nature’s candy and will help tame sugar cravings during your period.

Steer toward high-fiber fruits too, such as apples, pears and berries. Eat your fruit instead of drinking it, since fruit juice is almost pure sugar.

One-Week PMS Exception Diet Prescription: Enjoy up to 3 servings of fresh fruit daily, with an emphasis on the fruits discussed above.

Probiotics and Calcium Rich Foods

You’re already eating probiotics on the 17 Day Diet. Well, guess what? These good bacteria can keep you regular and bloat-free. In one study, women with abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and/or diarrhea who took the probiotics in supplement form for four weeks noticed less bloating than those on a placebo.

Probiotic foods, such as yogurt, supply an important anti-PMS mineral: calcium. Research shows that women who consume 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day all month have fewer menstruation-related mood swings than do those who skimp on dairy products. A calcium deficiency seems to make hormone fluctuations worse, so getting enough of this mineral keeps hormones steady and serotonin high. You’ll feel significantly less nervous, irritable, depressed and moody.

One-Week PMS Exception Diet Prescription: Enjoy 2 servings of probiotics daily. Choose from the 17 Day Diet lists.

Anti-PMS Fats

Your body needs essential fatty acids (EFAs) to efficiently metabolize hormones. EFAs are a collection of polyunsaturated fats vital for bodily functions. “Essential” means that our body is unable to manufacture it, and we need to draw it daily from our diet.

To be of benefit to your body, EFAs are converted to prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances responsible for the regulation of blood pressure, dilation of blood vessels for better circulation, prevention of clotting of the blood, reduction of inflammation and regulation of insulin levels. They also act as a watchdog of the immune system.

Supplementation with EFAs that contain a fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and/or omega-3 fats has been shown to be useful in the management of PMS symptoms. Evening primrose oil is high in GLA and is an effective anti-PMS supplement that can be taken in capsule form (see below). Flaxseed oil is loaded with omega-3s and is thus a great fat to eat during your period. It assists in hormonal regulation.

One-Week PMS Exception Diet Prescription: Have 1 to 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil daily as your friendly fat serving. Talk to your doctor about taking supplemental fats.

Chocolate

The recommendation to eat a bit of chocolate during your period is controversial. Some docs say okay; others say no. I’m among those who believe that chocolate is the antidote for grumpiness. Everyone gets happy when they eat chocolate. It actually boosts the brain’s production of serotonin, and chocolate contains phenylethylamine, the same brain chemical that occurs in higher concentrations when you’re in love.

Chocolate has many other virtues. It’s rich in magnesium, a calming mineral. If your relationship with chocolate is based on health benefits, the darker the better. Dark chocolate has the highest cocoa content, and cocoa is the magic stuff; it’s rich in flavonoids, a group of chemicals that protect the heart and blood vessels from tissue damage. (Milk chocolate is typically sweeter and less intense than dark chocolate, but much lower in flavonoids.)

So go ahead, let chocolate make your day, but limit daily consumption to about ½ to 1 ounce of dark chocolate or some low-calorie cocoa. Of course, use moderation if you feel the urge—no eating both ears off a 6-foot chocolate bunny. Any benefit of chocolate will be wiped out if you gorge on it and gain weight. Don’t deny your cravings during your period, but control them.

One-Week PMS Exception Diet Prescription: Enjoy ½ to 1 ounce of dark chocolate or some low-calorie cocoa during the week of your period, if you have a craving for chocolate.

Other Nutritional Tips to Fight PMS

Multiple meals.
Aim to get five to six meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks). The point is to maintain a steady blood-sugar level. A steady intake of foods high in complex carbs helps keep blood sugar high, so you’re less affected by the hormone-induced irritability. Try not to go more than three hours without eating. Meals with a good balance of natural carbohydrates and a moderate amount of protein seem to do the trick for many women.

Water your body.
To avoid bloating, some women steer clear of extra water right before their periods. Putting more fluid into an already bloated body seems like the last thing you’d want to do, but in fact, drinking water is one of the best ways to stimulate your body to get rid of excess fluids. (If you avoid water, your body responds by hoarding fluids, making bloating even worse.) So drink at least eight cups of pure water a day.

What to Avoid

A number of foods and substances will make your symptoms worse. Avoid the following.

Soda.
You don’t drink this on the 17 Day Diet, and you definitely don’t want to drink it during your period. The bubbles in carbonated drinks will make your belly pooch out. Stick to plain water.