1. Buy a wearable hot water bottle.

Wheat bags and hot water bottles are brilliant for those awful stomach cramps many women experience but they’re not so practical if you need to get on with life. WUKA have an incredible ‘wearable hot water bottle’ which is a god send for managing aches and pain on the move.

2. Ensure you’re eating lots of magnesium rich foods.

Magnesium is a muscle relaxant and very helpful for the treatment of PMS (especially when alongside vitamin B6).

To achieve this, make sure you are getting enough dark green leafy vegetables in your diet (aim for at least 3 cup fulls a day).

Nuts are another good source and luckily for you, so is chocolate (the 70/80% cocoa solids one rather than high sugar options like cadburys). The ‘One’ range at Waitrose is nice.

If you are not getting enough dietary wise (we can test for this) or your needs are high, book a free introductory call so I can make sure you get the right type of magnesium, at the right dosage for your overall symptoms and needs (all supplements are not created equal and you are not ‘average’).

3. Throw some epsom bath salts in your bath.

Epsom salts contain a nice source of absorbable form of magnesium but make sure you throw in a good 3 to 4 cup fulls in a warm bath to reap the full benefits.

4. Manage your stress levels.

Our body requires more Magnesium in times of stress and studies have also shown magnesium to be lower in women who suffer from PMS. Deep breathing, good sleep, massage and meditation can nearly always, be helpful.

5. Get to know your cycle.

Track your cycles using one of the amazing free apps like Clue or Flo. This will help you identify when your next period is due. Then work with it rather than against it.

Ring fence those 2/3 days before and avoid alcohol / social engagements / late nights at this time. The metabolic demands on your body during this time are higher so it will really help your body if you can live more ‘intuitively’ with your cycle, especially at this time.

6. Give your body a helping hand.

Switch to period pants, an organic unbleached sanitary product (like Natracare) or a moon cup. Mainstream shop bought tampons are bleach in chlorine which ends up in our blood stream. Getting rid of toxins it doesn’t recognise, gives your body even more hard work to do at a time it could really use a helping hand. All this aside, the environmental benefits of not using pads / tampons, are immense.

The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress—A Systematic Review, 2017
Magnesium supplementation for premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder., 2020
Kaewrudee, S., Kietpeerakool, C., Pattanittum, P. and Lumbiganon, P., 2018. Vitamin or mineral supplements for premenstrual syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews,.

6 tips for handling PMS naturally