Meal plan and PMDD advice

I would like to thank my wonderful friend Teresa Mercer for writing this for me.

Meal Planner

• Key things to remember: 
• Reduce caffeine 
• Increase Fruit and veg
• Increase the amount of water – swap a cup of coffee for a glass of water 
• Wholegrain products – wholemeal bread, pasta, basmati rice – they will keep you fuller for longer 
• Just a few brazil nuts will provide you with Selenuim which will help keep the chemicals in the brain level http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/selenium

• Increase vit B6 and 12 - http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000116000000000000000.html see for foods high in b vits
• Foods high in carbs – bread, rice, pasta, potatoes – again try to go for the refined (white) products
• Try to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet.

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
Breakfast	Porridge and Bananas	Whetabix, strawberries and Yoghurt	Porridge and Bananas	Whetabix, strawberries and Yoghurt	Porridge and Bananas	Bacon butty – wholemeal bread	Whetabix, strawberries and Yoghurt
Dinner	Tuna wrap with salad, piece of fruit	Jacket potato with cheese and salad, piece of fruit	Tuna wrap with salad, piece of fruit	Jacket potato with beans, salad and piece of fruit	Tuna wrap with salad, piece of fruit	Couscous with salad	Sunday Lunch – small amount of meat, loads of potatoes and veg
Tea	Spaghetti bolenise, made with quorn, add extra veg with wholemeal pasta and salad	Turkey curry with basmati rice	Sweet and soup noodles	Chicken and leek pie with sweet potatoes	Oven baked fish and wedges, with veg	Mexican Fajitas, add extra veg with home baked oven wedges	Family picnic – sandwiches, fruit, low sugar jelly with fruit
Snacks	Brazil nuts (5-6 a day) Banana Apple Grapes Veg sticks	Brazil nuts (5-6 a day) Banana Apple Grapes Veg sticks	Brazil nuts (5-6 a day) Banana Apple Grapes Veg sticks	Brazil nuts (5-6 a day) Banana Apple Grapes Veg sticks	Brazil nuts (5-6 a day) Banana Apple Grapes Veg sticks	Brazil nuts (5-6 a day) Banana Apple Grapes Veg sticks	Brazil nuts (5-6 a day) Banana Apple Grapes Veg sticks

What contraception are you using? This could have a positive or negative affect on your symptoms

  Foods that Increase or Boost Serotonin in the Brain

  Turkey, whey protein, cottage cheese, eggs, sunflower and sesame seeds, oats and mangoes are some foods that contain L-Tryptophan, which boosts serotonin in the bloodstream. Others that contain this amino acid and can also increase serotonin levels in the blood include bananas, bread, pasta, potatoes, walnuts, chickpeas, spirulina and poultry. 

Protein Foods and Serotonin

  Although protein meat (chicken and turkey) can aid in brain serotonin level increase, there must not be too high a level of the other amino acid types in the meat consumed, since serotonin competes with these other amino acids for entrance into the brain-blood barrier. Also, generally, the amino acid L-Tryptophan is in much smaller quantities than other amino acids, thereby reducing its probability of making it into the blood-brain barrier if the other amino acids are present.

Read more: What Foods Contain Serotonin? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5202494_foods-contain-serotonin_.html#ixzz1GIO1e3IW

This cycle tracker is a good tool to help you plan. It will give you an idea of when she is due for her period – then you can work out is she worst before, during of after? How long do the symptoms last and it will also give you an idea if the changes in lifestyle and diet actually help

PMDD Treatment

Researchers are studying what makes some women susceptible to PMDD, including differences in hormone sensitivity, history of other mood disorders, and individual differences in the function of brain chemical messenger systems. Antidepressant medications known to work via serotonin circuits are effective in relieving the premenstrual symptoms. Women with susceptibility to depression may be more vulnerable to the mood-shifting effects of hormones. 

For mild to moderate symptoms, your doctor may suggest changes in your diet and lifestyle. 

Effective treatment is available for PMDD. Treatments include medication, lifestyle changes, supportive psychotherapy and nutritional approches.

• Medication treatment for PMDD: including antidepressants, antianxiety drugs, analgesics, hormones and diuretics. Find the detail list of all the medications for PMDD.
• Psychotherapy for treating PMDD: variety of methods for stress reduction and relaxation such as exercise, counselling and stress/behaviour management strategies.
  Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves 12 or so weekly sessions that deal with correcting dysfunctional negative thoughts and developing effective coping strategies. Several research studies have found this to be a promising treatment for PMS and, perhaps, for PMDD. kind of therapy can enhance self-esteem and interpersonal effectiveness, as well as reduce other symptoms. Educating patients and their families about the disorder can promote understanding of it and reduce conflict, stress, and symptoms. 
• Nutritional Approches for curing PMDD: diet modifications such as high carbohydrate meals and reducing salt, caffeine and alcohol, consider frequent small meals. Vitamin B-6 and Magnesium is beneficial for patient with PMDD. Vitamin E, an antioxidant, seems to reduce the affective and physical symptoms of PMDD. Tryptophan, a substrate for serotonin, may also benefit some patients.
• Lifestyle Changes for the treatment of PMDD: Many patients prefer to try lifestyle changes and/or nutritional supplements as a first step in the treatment of PMDD. Life style changes such as daily exercise or some form of aerobic exercise is beneficial for overall health. 

Women with PMDD may be helped by the following: 

• Regular exercise 3 to 5 times per week 
• Adequate rest 
• A balanced diet (with increased whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and decreased or no salt, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine) 

I will post recipes individually so they are easier to search for on the blog.