Although often the punch-line of jokes, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a serious business, affecting four out of five women of child-bearing age. And we're not just talking about a little irritability and chocolate cravings. Half of all women have symptoms so severe that they seek medical treatment for them and one in ten have it so bad that it significantly interferes with their ability to function.
Treatments for PMS range from pain relievers to anti-depressants, but research just published in the Journal of Women's Healthopens up an intriguing new pathway for relief.
What Did the Research Find?
New research suggests an intriguing new possibility for relief.
The researchers found that women reporting PMS symptoms like moodiness, weight gain or bloating, increased appetite, food cravings, cramps, and breast tenderness, were also significantly more likely to have elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in their blood. CRP, as you may know, is a sign of chronic inflammation.
Of the symptoms that they studied, only premenstrual headaches were not associated with elevated inflammation markers. The link was just as strong in women who reported only one or two symptoms as it was in those who had them all.
This is not the first study to find a link between PMS and inflammation markers, but it is by far the largest and the most diverse population that's been studied and the findings confirmed those of earlier, smaller studies. Translation: this is something we can actually take seriously.
Is PMS a Risk Factor for Future Health Issues?
Your doctor can test your C-reactive protein with a simple blood test, the way you would test for cholesterol. And, in fact, doctors are starting to do this more and more—because CRP says a lot more about your health than your cholesterol levels.
See Also: Is the Link Between Cholesterol and Heart Disease Bogus?
Elevated CRP levels signal an increased risk of all kinds of health conditions, everything from heart disease, to depression, osteoporosis, diabetes, certain types of cancer, and even dementia and Alzheimer's.
See also: How Does the MIND Diet Protect Against Alzheimer's?
If women with PMS are more likely to have elevated CRP, the researchers concluded, then symptoms could provide an early warning sign of an increased risk for other diseases. (And when it comes to warning signs, earlier is almost always better.)
Can an Anti-Inflammatory Diet Help with PMS?
Even better, this finding may lead to more effective ways to treat those pesky PMS symptoms. And I'm not necessarily thinking of throwing more and stronger anti-inflammatory drugs at the problem. We have learned a lot in recent years about how to reduce chronic, systemic inflammation with dietary changes. Although I'd love to see a controlled study, testing how PMS symptoms might respond to an anti-inflammatory diet, I don't see any reason not to experiment while we wait.
If you're a long-time listener, you may remember a podcast from a few years back in which I talked about foods that fight inflammation. To refresh your memory, here are the five basic principles of an anti-inflammatory diet:
Five Basic Principles of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
1. Eat more monounsaturated fat than saturated fat. If you use olive oil as your primary cooking oil and don't go too crazy with the coconut oil, fatty meats and dairy, you should be fine.
2. Eat more omega-3 and less omega-6. This is also something I've explored in detail in previous episodes. Although omega-6 fats aren't bad for you, you need to keep a balance between omega-6 and omega-3s. For most of us, this means eating more fish, flax, and walnuts, and fewer fried foods and other things made with corn, soy, and vegetable oils.
3. Keep your blood sugar steady. Limit sweets and sweetened beverages, choose whole grains instead of refined grains—and don't overdo the whole grains either.
4. Eat your vegetables. They're packed with anti-inflammatory nutrients.
5. Spice it up. Nature has supplied us with a whole bunch of potently anti-inflammatory spices that also make food taste amazing! Ginger, onion, garlic, turmeric, and chili peppers are such anti-inflammatory superstars that they are going to be the stars of next summer's Marvel Comics blockbuster. Seriously, eat as much of them as you can.
If you struggle with PMS symptoms, I think incorporating some of these anti-inflammatory strategies into your diet would be well worth a try—especially because an anti-inflammatory diet also offers long-term benefits in the form of reducing your risk of future disease. And I hope you'll get back to me and tell me whether it makes a difference for you. You can leave a comment below or on the Nutrition Diva Facebook page.
See also: Does Eating Meat Make PMS Worse?