Evelyn’s Guide to PMS, PMDD and nutrition - eating for your cycle PDF Free Download

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Evelyn’s Guide to PMS, PMDD and nutrition - eating for your cycle PDF Free Download

Evelyn’s Guide to PMS, PMDD and nutrition - eating for your cycle PDF free Download. Think more deeply and widely.

PMS, PMDD and

nutrition - eating

for your cycle

Evelyn’s Guide to

In collaboration with Detox Kitchen

Contents

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2

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3

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5

5

 Introductio

 Understanding your cycl

 Understanding PMS and PMDD

 The gu

 How the gut aects every part of the bod

 How can I boost my gut health

 How much do we need?

 Inammatio

 Inammation, PMS and PMD

 Inammation, gut and die

 How to reduce inammation

 Micronutrients and deciencie

 Deciencies in PMS and PMD

 How to alleviate nutrient deciencies

 Hormone-friendly die

 Diet, PMS and PMD

 Why is this important for PMS and PMDD

 How can we make changes to our daily diet

 Foods for your cycle

 The role of supplement

 How do I know if supplements are right for me

 What supplements can be useful?

 Understanding hunge

 Emotional eatin

 Intuitive eating



 The importance of tracking





ifelong dietary strategies for hormonal health





 Professional help

 Summary



dditional resources and further reading

Introduction

Chapter 1

Introduction

Chapter 1

There's a lot of information about diet and nutrition in

the world. Sometimes, it can be tricky to know which

sources to follow.

That's where Evelyn comes in

There are so many ways we can help ease our PMS and

PMDD symptoms through the food and nutrition

choices we make. So, our brilliant in-house PMS and

PMDD experts have partnered up with doctors and

specialists in the food and nutrition space to bring you

this guide, which covers everything you need to know

about eating to optimise your cycle.

Introduction to

Evelyn’s

nutrition guide

Introduction

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Understanding PMS and PMDD

It can be easy to presume the menstrual cycle is all about

our period. Although that’s a hugely important part, there's

actually way more to it. The hormonal uctuations that

occur in each phase of our cycle have a huge impact on our

overall health.

Our bodies' requirements change depending on which phase

of the cycle we're in. That's why it's so important we track our

cycles (so we know if we're in follicular or luteal). By

understanding the specics of each phase, we can start to

live in sync with its ebbs and ows, understand what our

bodies need, and feel better for it. Eating to support these

phases will soon become second nature.

Understanding

your cycle

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Day 1

Oestroge

Progesterone

Period Ovulation

Day 28

Days 13-15

Follicular Phase Luteal Phase

Understanding PMS and PMDD

The luteal phase is also approximately two weeks long. It

starts after we’ve ovulated and lasts until the day before our

next period begins.

This is when we might experience PMS and PMDD.

During these two weeks, progesterone and oestrogen levels

increase and then rapidly decrease. It’s this rapid uctuation

in progesterone (and it’s metabolite, allopregnanolone) that’s

thought to be one of the main causes of PMS and PMDD

symptoms.

PMS and PMDD are both pre-menstrual conditions, as they

occur before menstruation, in the luteal phase.

The follicular phase is approximately two weeks long. It starts

on the rst day of our period, and lasts until we ovulate.

During these two weeks, oestrogen levels begin to rise, and

progesterone levels stay low. At the point of ovulation,

oestrogen peaks. This is typically when we feel our best:

energetic, condent, outgoing, and happy

The phases

explained

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

The follicular phase

The luteal phase

Understanding PMS and PMDD

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), is the

collective name for the group of physical,

psychological, and behavioural symptoms

we can experience in the luteal phase of

the menstrual cycle.

Symptoms include everything from

bloating and acne, to confusion and

aggression. It aects approximately 75% of

females.

Read more in our ‘What is PMS?’ article

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a cyclical

mood-based disorder, often described as a much more

severe form of PMS.

Similarly to PMS, symptoms typically occur in the luteal

phase of the menstrual cycle and subside during our

period.

The key dierences between PMDD and PMS are that, with

PMDD, the symptoms are more intense, particularly the

phycological ones. Symptoms of PMDD include

depression, anger, and exhaustion, social withdrawal, and

anxiety.

PMDD can have a hugely negative impact on our ability to

function, and can even result in feeling suicidal

Read more in our ‘What is PMDD?’ article.

Understanding

PMS and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

What is PMS?

What is PMDD?

Understanding PMS and PMDD

It’s important to remember that PMS and

PMDD aren't always black and white. The

intensity and severity of the symptoms can

vary between individuals and between cycles.

Some months we might fall more toward

PMS, and others toward PMDD.

Only you know how you're feeling. If you're

not sure where you stand yet, start tracking

your symptoms – it's the single most helpful

thing we can do to learn more about our

cycles.

Want to know more about what causes PMS

and PMDD? Check out our article here

PMS or PMDD?

How do people manage PMS and

PMDD symptoms?

There are a range of treatments for PMS and

PMDD. Because of the individuality of these

conditions, treatments that work for one person

won’t necessarily work for another. Many people

choose a combination of dierent therapies,

medications, and lifestyle changes to manage

their symptoms.

These typically include medical treatments,

complementary therapies, nutritional

supplements, and making changes to daily

routine, such as diet and exercise

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

The gut

Chapter 2

Trust your gut

The gut-brain axis is the name for the connection

between our brain and gut. It includes the central

nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. It acts

as an information exchange network and can

transmit messages in two directions: brain to gut,

and gut to brain.

This two-way signalling system

impacts many dierent aspects of

physical and mental health,

including

 Metabolis

 Immune system

 Disease progression (eg

Parkinson’s, IBS

 Mood (eg depression, anxiety

 Behavioural/neurological

conditions (eg ADHD, autism

 Chronic pain

What is the gut-brain axis?

How the gut

aects every part

of the body

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Trust your gut

There are trillions of bacteria in our gut,

called microbiota (collectively, it’s called

the microbiome), are key regulators of the

gut-brain axis

Think of the gut as a factory: the microbes

are workers and machines; they each have

a specic function so the factory works

properly.

It’s the diversity of these microbiota that

allows the gut-brain axis to aect so many

dierent systems within the body.

DID YOU KNOW?

The total weight of our microbiome is

around 1-2 kg, similar to the weight of the

human brain!

How exactly does the gut-brain

axis impact our mental and

physical health

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Trust your gut

The gut is a huge building block of our health. If it’s working

properly, it increases the chance that the other systems in

our bodies will work too. Similarly, if it’s not functioning how

it should, everything else might go haywire.

We know that mood can be severely disrupted during PMS

and PMDD. Mood is controlled by neurotransmitters

(chemicals in the brain), many of which are produced by our

gut.

In fact, 90% of the serotonin and more than 50% of the

dopamine (happy hormones) produced by our bodies are

made in the gut. Therefore, a happy gut is a happy brain,

literally.

What’s all this got to do with

PMS and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

How can I boost my gut health?

 Yoghur

 Fermented food/drinks

(eg kimchi, tempeh,

tofu, sauerkraut,

kombucha

 Sourdough brea

 Certain cheeses (eg

Gouda, Edam and

cottage cheese)

Prebiotics and probiotics both inuence gut microbiota,

but in dierent ways.

Probiotics are live bacteria that restore and improve the

gut microbiota

Prebiotics are substances that help the gut microbiota

grow. They’re usually made of soluble bre or

carbohydrates

One of the best ways to boost our gut

health is by eating a diverse range of

plants every week. The goal is to try to

eat 30 dierent types of plants a week —

including fruit, vegetables, whole grains,

nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, and spices.

How can pre- and probiotics impact our gut-brain axis?

Probiotics can be found in:

 Artichoke

 Banana

 Berrie

 Tomatoe

 Garli

 Onion

 Seeds and pulse

 Green vegetable

 Wholegrain cereals

Prebiotic foods include:

How can I

boost my gut

health?

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

How can I boost my gut health?

Compared to probiotics, prebiotics are benecial in much

smaller doses.

For example, all we need i

 2-7.5g of resistant starch per day; o

 1-6g of inulin per day

Which can be found i

 1-2 bananas; o

 1.5-9g chicory root.

To be benecial, probiotic food needs to contain at least

10 million CFU (colony forming units) per gram or per

millilitre, which should equate to around 1 billion CFU per

serving

For example, ker (fermented yogurt) is thought to have 27

billion CFU per 250 grams. So, by having just 100g of ker,

we’re getting around 11 billion CFU (11x the recommended

serving!)

If taking probiotic supplements, it’s recommended to use a

product containing at least 10 to 20 billion CFU units per day

It is important to gradually increase your intake of fermented

foods and probiotic supplements over time to ensure the gut

has time to adjust

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

How

much do

we need?

Probiotics

Prebiotics

Chapter 2

Inflammation

Inammation, PMS, and PMDD

Inammation is an important process that helps our

bodies respond to stressors. However, long-term

inammation can be detrimental to physical and

mental health.

Levels of inammation naturally change during the

menstrual cycle, but studies have suggested that

people with PMS and PMDD have higher levels of

inammatory markers in their blood than those without

PMS or PMDD

Some studies also found that some of the most

common PMS and PMDD symptoms such as low mood,

cramps, appetite changes, and bloating are associated

with higher chronic inammatory markers.

Inammation, PMS,

and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Stress causes inammation. Because during PMS and

PMDD we frequently feel stressed, we can end up in a

negative cycle of stress triggering inammation, which

makes our symptoms worse, which triggers more stress,

and so on

Inammation, PMS, and PMDD

Inammation, PMS, and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Inflammation,

the gut, and diet

Unfortunately, inammation also aects the gut. It’s

not uncommon for people to experience digestive

disturbances during PMS and PMDD. For example,

some people get diarrhoea, constipation, gas, bloating,

and painful cramps

A whopping 70% of our immune system lives in the gut.

Therefore, taking care of our gut is crucial for ensuring

we’ve got a properly functioning immune system, and

keeping inammation at bay

But what can we do about it?

Getting enough dietary fats (especially essential fatty

acids like omega-3 and omega-6) is key for managing

inammation.

These fats are needed for the production of

prostaglandins, which help control inammation

Foods high in fatty-acids include

Eating plenty of foods rich in antioxidants is also

important, as these help reduce oxidative stress

Antioxidant-rich foods include

 Berries

 Leafy greens

 Sweet potatoe

 Dark chocolate

(particularly blueberries, strawberries,

raspberries, and blackberries

(eg spinach and kale

(particularly >70% cocoa)

 Oily sh

 Flaxseed

 Walnuts

(eg salmon, mackerel, sardines and

anchovies

Zinc can also help reduce markets of inammation

and oxidative stress in the body.

Foods high in zinc include

 Mea

 Shells

 Dairy products

 Brea

 Cereal products

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

How to reduce

inammation

Inammation, PMS, and PMDD

Chapter 4

Micronutrient

and deficiencies

Deciencies in PMS and PMDD

What are micronutrients

Micronutrient: a chemical element or substance (such as

calcium or vitamin C) that is essential in minute amounts to

the growth and health of a living organism

Vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, vitamin D, calcium,

zinc, and magnesium are all micronutrients. They may play a

role in homeostasis (aka, keeping the body balanced and

working how it should, including the menstrual cycle). We get

these through our diet and we can boost our intake through

supplements

Studies show that people with PMS or PMDD have lower

levels of minerals such as calcium and magnesium in their

blood.

Other studies show that supplementing our diet with

additional amounts of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin

B6, vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium can help ease

symptoms.

Essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 and gamma-linolenic

acid (GLA), also play a role improving symptoms.

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Micronutrient

deciencies in

PMS and PMDD

Deciencies in PMS and PMDD

DID YOU KNOW?

Low vitamin and mineral levels can

exacerbate PMS and PMDD symptoms.

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

High micronutrient levels

Low micronutrient levels

Less severe PM

and PMDD symptoms

More severe PMS and

PMDD symptoms

Deciencies in PMS and PMDD

 helps regulate the

production of dopamine (one of the

happy hormones that aects our

mood).

Magnesium

 is important for regulating

mood and appetite. helps

convert tryptophan (an amino acid)

into serotonin (another of the happy

hormones). So, vitamin B deciencies

can reduce serotonin production,

resulting in mood-related PMS and

PMDD symptoms.

Serotonin Vitamin B

 Both and have

been found to be low during the

luteal phase in people experiencing

PMS and PMDD, which is thought to

cause some of the symptoms.

Although it’s normal for levels of

these nutrients to uctuate across

the menstrual cycle, this seems to be

particularly pronounced for people

with PMS and PMDD.

calcium vitamin D

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

VitB

VitD

Deciencies in PMS and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

 (eg beans, lentils, and chickpeas

 (eg brown rice, oats, and quinoa



Legumes

Whole grains

Nuts

 (eg salmon, mackerel, and sardines

 (eg particularly the yolk

 (if exposed to sunlight or UV light)

Oily sh

Eggs

Mushrooms

 (eg milk and cheese

 (eg spinach, kale, and broccoli

 (eg soya milk and soya

yoghurt)

Dairy products

Green leafy vegetables

Fortied non-dairy products

If you struggle to include enough of these foods in your

daily diet, you can get them in a supplement instead (read

on for more info!)

Foods rich in B vitamins include:

Foods rich in calcium include:

Foods rich in vitamin D include:

How to alleviate

deciencies

Although it’s benecial to consume all of the following

at all times of the menstrual cycle, it’s particularly

important to eat more of them during the luteal phase.

Ever heard of seed cycling?

It’s the concept of eating certain seeds depending on

the phase of the menstrual cycle we’re in. In the

follicular phase, seed cycling suggests eating ax and

pumpkin seeds. In the luteal phase, it’s recommended

to eat sesame and sunower.

Why



Because ax and pumpkin are high in omega-3 fatty

acids, phytoestrogen, and zinc, and sesame and

sunower are rich in vitamin B6, magnesium, and

calcium (nutrients that people with PMS are decient

in).

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Deciencies in PMS and PMDD

Flax

Take during the

follicular phase

Take during th

luteal phase

Pumpkin Sesame Sunower

Chapter 5

A hormone

friendly diet

Why is diet important?

Diet, PMS,

and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Why is this

important for

PMS and PMDD?

All of the information we’ve provided so far is really

helpful for optimising our gut health, knowing what

types of foods to avoid, and which vitamins and

minerals can help ease our PMS and PMDD

symptoms

Next, let’s focus on the daily diet. How can we make

sustainable changes to our everyday routine to

ensure we’re taking positive steps that we can easily

and happily stick to on the daily

The food we put in our bodies fuels its functionality.

So, it’s important we’re giving all our systems

exactly what they need to function at their best.

Why is diet important?

Food is fuel, and what we eat determines how much of

each nutrient is available to our bodies. An unbalanced

diet can lead to uctuating blood sugar levels and

inadequate macro and micro nutrient levels.

Because of the important role blood sugar, macros, and

micros play in energy expenditure, mood, sleep, gut

regulation, skin and hair health, and hormone production, if

we’re not getting the right food into our bodies, all of

these systems can become dysregulated

A balanced diet helps keep our cycle (and other systems)

regular.Dysregulated cycles can have implications for

ovulation, fertility, and other female health conditions such

as PCOS

Steady levels, steady cycles

DID YOU KNOW?

If we want to adjust our diet to ease PMS

and PMDD, we must rst look at our gut

health.

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

Detox Kitchen notes the importance of mixing our

meals up during dierent phases of our cycle.

Why?

Because progesterone and oestrogen do dierent

things to our blood sugar levels. Specically,

progesterone can make us more insulin resistant,

meaning we feel hungrier and crave sugary, carb-heavy

foods in the luteal phase.

Ensuring we get enough antioxidants, and reducing our

intake of highly inammatory foods such as sugar and

caeine, can help ght the eects of this increased

insulin resistance

How can we make

changes to our

daily diet?

Eat specific to the phas

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

“I would actually love to try

something to help with the

symptoms. I just haven’t been

sure what to try.”

Vicky H

Evelyn Community

Member

Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

When we talk about diet type, there are three we’re

going to discuss: ‘Western’, ‘traditional’, and ‘healthy’.

Studies have linked a Western diet with an increased

risk of PMS and PMDD. These diets have a high intake of

fast foods, soft drinks, processed meats, salty snacks,

and desserts.

A ‘traditional diet’ is rich in vitamins and minerals and

contain lots of eggs, dairy, fruits, red meat, and whole

grains.

A ‘healthy diet’, which has high amounts of legumes,

vegetables, fruit, and yoghurt

When compared with a ‘traditional diet’ and a ‘healthy

diet’, only a Western diet is associated with a higher risk

of experiencing PMS, whereas the other two diets are

associated with a lower risk.

This is likely due to the fact that a Western diet typically

promotes inammation, and contains fewer vitamins

and minerals

To move from a Western diet to a more ‘traditional’ or

‘healthy’ diet, try to replace some processed foods (eg

bacon, ham, sliced chicken, mass-produced bread,

sugary drinks) with less processed ones (eg fresh

chicken, sh, pork, eggs, unsalted nuts, small-batch

bread)

Diet types

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

Along with micronutrient levels, macronutrient levels

(carbohydrates, protein, fats) have also been shown to

inuence PMS and PMDD symptoms.

A study found that a high fat intake and low

carbohydrate intake were associated with worse PMS

and PMDD symptoms.

Further evidence for the importance of carbohydrates

comes from research showing that people who don’t

experience PMS tend to increase their carbohydrate

consumption during the luteal phase, whereas people

with PMS tend to maintain the same carbohydrate

intake throughout their cycle.

Carbohydrates are particularly important for managing

mood-related PMS symptoms. This is because

carbohydrates allow tryptophan (an amino acid

involved in serotonin production) to reach the brain

This suggests that reducing our fat intake and

increasing the proportion of slow-release

carbohydrates in our diets can help ease symptoms

Carbohydrate-rich foods include

If you’re looking for more support planning your food

intake around your cycle, consider using companies

such as Detox Kitchen, which provides a variety of

freshly prepared meals and snacks to suit your

nutritional needs at dierent stages of your cycle.

Meal balance

 Fruit

 Vegetable

 Wholegrain

 Legumes

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

Try to avoid foods high in

 Fa

 Salt 

 Rened carbohydrate

 Sugar

 Alcohol

And those that have been highly processed,

particularly during the luteal phase. Why? These are

associated with experiencing more severe PMS

symptoms.

Although people with PMS and PMDD are often

advised to reduce or eliminate caeine, this is only

relevant to those experiencing insomnia as a symptom,

since research has shown that caeine intake is not

always associated with PMS and PMDD symptoms.

Try to add more foods high in

 Vitamin

 Mineral

 Fibr

 Slow-release carbohydrate

into your diet, particularly during the luteal phase

See the next page for further advice on which day-to-

day foods t into each category.

Diet summary

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Foods for your

phases

Follicular

Vegetables

Fruits

Legumes

Artichok

Broccol

Carro

Courgett

Parsle

Pe

Rhubarb

Avocad

Grapefrui

Lemo

Lim

Orang

Plu

Pomegranate

Black-eyed bean

Butter bean

Green lentil

Mung bean

Split peas

Cauliowe

Cucumbe

Garli

Ginge

Lee

Onio

Parsni

Pumpki

Squas

Sweet Potat

Beetroo

Mushroom

Seaweed

Appl

Dat

Peac

Pea

Blackberr

Blueberr

Cranberr

Watermelon

Chickpea

Adzuki bean

Kidney beans

Aubergin

Asparagu

Red peppe

Brussel sprout

Char



Spinac

Spring onio

omato

Aprico

Cantaloup

Coconu



Guav

Raspberr

Strawberry

Red lentils

Recommendations provided by

unctional Medicine Clinic

Studio

ourish

ulatio

Luteal

Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Follicular

Grains

Barle

Oa

Ry

Wheat

Brown ric

Mille

Buckwhea

Wild Rice

Amarant

Cor

Quinoa

Nuts

Brazil nut

Cashews

Pine nut

Walnut

Chestnuts

Almond

Pecan

Pistachios

Meats

Chicke

Eggs

Bee

Turke

Duc

Pork

Lamb

Seafood

Soft shell cra

Trout

Co

Halibu

Mussel

Lobste

Octopu

Sardin

Squi

Oyster

Salmo

Shrim

Tuna

Other

Olive

Pickle

Sauerkrau

Vinegar

Decaf coe

Mis

Sal

Tamari

Chocolat

Coe

Turmeric

Ovulation

uteal

Recommendations provided by

unctional Medicine Clinic

Studio

ourish

Chapter 6

The role of

Supplements

The role of supplements

 Pregnanc

 Breastfeedin

 Underlying health condition

 When taking medication

If you’ve consulted with a healthcare professional and

taking supplements isn’t for you, try exploring

complementary therapies instead

When managing PMS and PMDD

symptoms, it’s generally best to

focus rst on our diet

However, it can be dicult to get

all the relevant nutrients through

food, particularly if we have a busy

lifestyle

There are lots of dierent

supplements available for people

experiencing PMS and PMDD,

many of which have been

extensively researched. Before

taking any supplements, it’s

important to consult a medical

professional to ensure they are

safe for you.

Excessive intakes of certain minerals and vitamins can

lead to adverse consequences.

There are also some conditions and circumstances where

supplements may not be appropriate including

How do I know if

supplements are

right for me?

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

The role of supplements

When choosing supplements to ease PMS

and PMDD symptoms, it’s important to

 to ensure it clearly lists

ingredients and quantities (avoid

‘proprietary blends’ which don’t list the

exact amounts of ingredients

 (eg local

chemist, pharmacy, or supermarket)

 to provide

benets (see table below

. Is it one hour, one

day, one menstrual cycle? Most people

don't realise how long it takes to see an

eect from their supplements

Read the label

Buy from a reputable source

Take the appropriate dosage

Find out how long it takes to

experience an eect

Things to bear in mind when

choosing supplements

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

The role of supplements

Which supplements can be useful?

Vitamin B6

Calcium

Magnesium

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Helps make

neurotransmitters

to regulate mood

50-100mg

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Helps the body

make more happy

hormones

500-1000mg

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Balances hormones

related to central

nervous system

200-250mg

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

The role of supplements

Chasteberry

Ginkgo Biloba

Evenin

Primrose Oil

Vitamin D

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Regulates

oestrogen and

progesterone

production.

20mg

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Reduces prolactin

levels (which can

exacerbate PMS and

PMDD symptoms)

and lowers

inammation.

40mg

Why

Daily dosage needed

for eec

Reduces prolactin

levels (which can

exacerbate PMS and

PMDD symptoms)

and lowers

inammation.

1000mg

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Reduces calcium

deciency seen in

luteal phase and

helps calcium

absorption

100mcg (4,000 IU)

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Chapter 7

Understanding

hunger

Understanding hunger

Our feelings of hunger and fullness are controlled by a

complex system within the body.

The two main hormones involved are ghrelin and leptin

 is the hormone that makes us feel hungr

 is the hormone that makes us feel ful

If something goes wrong with these hormones, it

aects our body's ability to maintain its energy

balance. This can occur for lots of reasons, including a

lack of sleep.

Ghrelin

Leptin

Many people nd they’re more hungry during the luteal

phase of their menstrual cycle, and research has shown

this occurs for two main reasons

 Our metabolic rate is 8-16%

higher during the luteal phase

 Gastric emptying (the

process of food moving from the stomach to the

small intestine) is faster during the luteal phase,

which means we don’t feel full for as long as we do

during other parts of the cycle.

We burn more calories.

Our digestion is dierent.

How does hunger work?

Why do we often feel more hungry

during the luteal phase

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Understanding hunger

As well as feeling more hungry, many people nd

they’re also more likely to emotionally eat during the

luteal phase.

This is likely because

 Levels of progesterone are higher during this time,

and oestrogen is dropping; an

 This is associated with greater insulin resistance,

which is why we can feel hungrier, and crave more

sweets and carbohydrates.

Many people turn to food as a comfort. However, this

can be problematic if we feel it's the only coping tool

we have at hand, or if indulging or over-eating makes us

feel worse, rather than better.

Many of us can get trapped in a guilt cycle when it

comes to food, so it’s important to be aware of why

we’re eating and what the trigger is, whether to ease

physical hunger or emotional state

Intuitive eating is a self-care framework that focuses on

using our internal bodily cues to guide decisions about

eating. Adopting this approach can help to reduce

emotional eating, and the negative feelings about our

bodies that often accompany it

Practising intuitive eating helps us more easily

recognise sensations like hunger and fullness, and be

more aware of your emotions. This is similar to mindful

eating, but goes further because it focuses on shifting

our attention away from societal pressures to diet and

attain specic body ideals. This means that it is more

likely to have positive eects over the long term.

Why do we emotional eat during the luteal phase?

What are some strategies to manage

emotional eating during the luteal phase

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Understanding hunger

One of the principles of intuitive eating

specically addresses emotional eating, and

suggests it’s important to be kind to ourselves

while nding other ways to manage our

emotions.

This could include

This releases endorphins which help to relieve

negative emotions and boost energy. However

when our hormones drop to their lowest levels

and we need to be resting, powering through

might not be the best option. So, low-impact

activities such as walking and yoga may the best

go-to options here.

As well as tracking our menstrual cycle, writing

down how we’re feeling can help to process

emotions and understand them better.

Ensuring we’re getting enough fresh air and

time outdoors, staying hydrated, and prioritising

rest and sleep can help us feel more resilient

(and stabilise our hunger hormones).

Sharing our feelings with a friend, family

member or therapist can provide us with

support and a new perspective.

 Exercise

How to practice intuitive eating

 Journaling

 Practicing self-care

 Talking to someone

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Understanding hunger

Making ourselves aware of our external

stressors and what they might be doing to our

emotional state can be incredibly helpful. They

help us pinpoint triggers and stressors that

contribute to the situation at hand. Techniques

like breathwork, meditation, and yoga can help

bring us back to the present moment and make

us feel more balanced.

Focusing on positive things in our lives can help

shift our perspective and lift our mood.

If there are particular people or situations that

cause negative feelings that might catapult you

into a cycle of negative eating, consider limiting

your time with them if possible.

 Practicing mindfulness

 Practicing gratitude

 Restrict our exposure to triggers

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Chapter 8

The importanc

of tracking

Tracking

We always advise that people track their cycles. If

you're adjusting your diet to help manage PMS or

PMDD symptoms, add what you're eating into that

tracking data. It doesn't have to be complex, just a

quick jot down of what you're adding into your diet for

PMS or PMDD specically will work wonders.

You can either track your symptoms by writing them

down in a diary or notebook, or use one of the many

cycle tracking apps available.

If you've suered from disordered eating in the past,

and tracking food is a worry or trigger for you, we highly

recommend you only jot down what you're adding into

your diet to help symptoms, rather than all food.

For example, if you're adding axseed onto your

breakfast, pop ax down on that day's tracking.

If you’re currently struggling with disordered eating, we

strongly recommend reaching out for further support.

Why should I

track my PMS or

PMDD

symptoms?

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Tracking

 Change one thing at a time and keep everything

else the same. This helps to more easily identify

whether the specic change you’ve made is

working.

 Keep track of both the strategy or supplement

you’ve implemented and your symptoms/

severity.

 Give yourself time: lots of changes may take a

while to take eect. Some can be up to three

months, so don’t get despondent if you don’t

see changes right away. A longer period of time

means you can observe extended trends

(although if a change is making you feel worse,

don’t continue with it)

 Review afterwards to see if there has been a

positive change, and then maintain this and

decide if you want to make further changes.

 If you have not experienced a reduction in the

type or intensity of symptoms, try a dierent

strategy or reach out to a healthcare professional

for further support

How do I test different dietary strategies

to see if they’re working?

Steps when testing a dietary strategy or supplement:

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Chapter 9

Lifelong dietary

strategies for

hormonal healt

Lifelong dietary strategies

Maintaining hormonal health is not just important

for managing PMS and PMDD symptoms, but for

the duration of our lives.

The hormones associated with our menstrual

cycle continue to be inuential as we age, and

particularly around perimenopause and

menopause

For people with a history of PMS or PMDD,

perimenopause symptoms can feel worse due to

our heightened sensitivity to hormones and their

metabolites.

PMS and PMDD can also occur for the rst time

during perimenopause, impacting our physical

and mental wellbeing at an already dicult time

What key

hormonal changes

occur as we age?

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Lifelong dietary strategies

The amount of hormones released in our bodies

change as we age, as well as the sensitivity of our

tissues to these hormones. Some of the key

hormonal changes may include

 Lower thyroid function (which changes to our

metabolism

 Lower growth hormone release (which

changes to our body composition

 Lower appetite (which reduces food intake

 Dierent cortisol activity (which causes poorer

responses to stress

 Lower DHEA levels (which causes inammation

and a higher risk of heart issues

 Changes in LH and FSH levels (which results in

changes to our cycle and fertility)

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Lifelong dietary strategies

Many of the dietary strategies and supplements that are helpful

for PMS and PMDD are also benecial for managing menopausal

symptoms, and the associated health consequences.

Nutrients that are important for ageing and the menopause

include:

 Calcium: this helps prevent bone loss and developing

conditions such as osteoporosi

 Vitamin D: this helps the body absorb calcium and can also

reduce inammatio

 Omega-3 fatty acids: these improve bone and joint health,

and can help to reduce inammatio

 Plant oestrogens (phytoestrogens): eating foods like soya

and linseeds have oestrogen-like eects in the body so can

ease menopausal symptoms

Eating enough protein is also important as we age to help

maintain muscle and bone strength.

Similarly to PMS and PMDD, alcohol can often worsen

menopausal symptoms so should be limited. Some people nd

similar eects with caeine so also choose to avoid or limit this.

Although ageing is inevitable, dietary strategies and

supplements can make a big dierence to your physical health

as you age. Many of these can also be implemented alongside

treatments such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help

manage menopausal symptoms and its health consequences.

Remember that you never have to sit in silence, you can seek

online support, or see your GP to discuss treatment options.

What effects can diet and lifestyle choices have

on ageing and menopause?

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Chapter 10

Professional help

With so many diets out there promising

health and happiness, along with

societal body pressures, it can be

tempting to give in to ‘quick xes’.

Despite their bold claims, these

approaches won’t result in positive

long-term eects, and are likely to leave

us feeling down, deprived, and out of

balance. The menstrual cycle is a

reproductive vital sign, and it’s hugely

important to keep it in balance for our

physical health and wellbeing

How to avoid

‘quick xes’, and

making the most

of professional

help

Why it’s important to take a

balanced approach to

managing PMS and PMD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Professional help

Many people choose to deal with PMS and PMDD on

their own, and might use online support groups to

connect with people who have similar experiences.

If you’re nding that PMS or PMDD are interfering with

your ability to function on a daily basis, or severely

aecting your work, relationships or wellbeing, it’s a

good time to reach out to a healthcare professional

 A GP can provide you with a clinical diagnosis of

either PMS or PMDD and discuss the dierent

treatment options to help you decide which is the

best choice for you

 Going to see your GP is a good rst port of call,

because they can provide you with a clinical

diagnosis of either PMS or PMDD and discuss the

dierent treatment options to help you decide

which is the best choice for you

 A therapist can help you manage mood-related

symptoms through therapies such as CBT, which has

been shown to reduce PMS and PMDD-related

anxiety and depression

 A registered nutritionist or dietician can help you

implement dietary strategies and symptoms to

manage PMS and PMDD symptoms and support you

with managing emotional eating.

When should I reach out to healthcare

professionals for support?

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Chapter 11

Summary

 PMS is the collective name for the group of physical,

psychological and behavioural symptoms we can

experience in the luteal phase of the menstrual

cycle

 PMS and PMDD symptoms can be managed through

pharmacological treatments, complementary

therapies, nutritional supplements, and dietary

strategies.

 The most important nutrients for hormonal health

are magnesium, calcium, vitamin D, and zinc, which

can be obtained through food or via supplements

 Eating enough calories (particularly carbohydrates)

and choosing foods high in antioxidants and

essential fatty acids is also important to maintain

hormonal health

 Emotional eating during the luteal phase is

completely normal but adopting an intuitive eating

approach can help manage this and boost our

overall health and wellbeing

 If you're struggling, reach out for support via an

online community, or visit your GP to discuss your

symptoms and treatment options

 You may also want to seek the help of a dietician,

nutritionist or therapist to help with implementing

strategies to manage PMS and PMDD symptoms.

 Keeping track of your symptoms and the dietary

strategies or supplements you’re taking can help

build knowledge of your cycle and see what is most

eective for you.

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Chapter 12

Additional

resources and

Evelyn’s Guide to PMS, PMDD and nutrition - eating for your cycle PDF Free Download

Evelyn’s Guide to PMS, PMDD and nutrition - eating for your cycle PDF free Download. Think more deeply and widely.

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PMS, PMDD and

nutrition - eating

for your cycle

Evelyn’s Guide to

In collaboration with Detox Kitchen

Contents











1

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

3

3

3

3

4

4

4

4

5

5

 Introductio

 Understanding your cycl

 Understanding PMS and PMDD

 The gu

 How the gut aects every part of the bod

 How can I boost my gut health

 How much do we need?

 Inammatio

 Inammation, PMS and PMD

 Inammation, gut and die

 How to reduce inammation

 Micronutrients and deciencie

 Deciencies in PMS and PMD

 How to alleviate nutrient deciencies

 Hormone-friendly die

 Diet, PMS and PMD

 Why is this important for PMS and PMDD

 How can we make changes to our daily diet

 Foods for your cycle

 The role of supplement

 How do I know if supplements are right for me

 What supplements can be useful?

 Understanding hunge

 Emotional eatin

 Intuitive eating



 The importance of tracking





ifelong dietary strategies for hormonal health





 Professional help

 Summary



dditional resources and further reading

Introduction

Chapter 1

Introduction

Chapter 1

There's a lot of information about diet and nutrition in

the world. Sometimes, it can be tricky to know which

sources to follow.

That's where Evelyn comes in

There are so many ways we can help ease our PMS and

PMDD symptoms through the food and nutrition

choices we make. So, our brilliant in-house PMS and

PMDD experts have partnered up with doctors and

specialists in the food and nutrition space to bring you

this guide, which covers everything you need to know

about eating to optimise your cycle.

Introduction to

Evelyn’s

nutrition guide

Introduction

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Understanding PMS and PMDD

It can be easy to presume the menstrual cycle is all about

our period. Although that’s a hugely important part, there's

actually way more to it. The hormonal uctuations that

occur in each phase of our cycle have a huge impact on our

overall health.

Our bodies' requirements change depending on which phase

of the cycle we're in. That's why it's so important we track our

cycles (so we know if we're in follicular or luteal). By

understanding the specics of each phase, we can start to

live in sync with its ebbs and ows, understand what our

bodies need, and feel better for it. Eating to support these

phases will soon become second nature.

Understanding

your cycle

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Day 1

Oestroge

Progesterone

Period Ovulation

Day 28

Days 13-15

Follicular Phase Luteal Phase

Understanding PMS and PMDD

The luteal phase is also approximately two weeks long. It

starts after we’ve ovulated and lasts until the day before our

next period begins.

This is when we might experience PMS and PMDD.

During these two weeks, progesterone and oestrogen levels

increase and then rapidly decrease. It’s this rapid uctuation

in progesterone (and it’s metabolite, allopregnanolone) that’s

thought to be one of the main causes of PMS and PMDD

symptoms.

PMS and PMDD are both pre-menstrual conditions, as they

occur before menstruation, in the luteal phase.

The follicular phase is approximately two weeks long. It starts

on the rst day of our period, and lasts until we ovulate.

During these two weeks, oestrogen levels begin to rise, and

progesterone levels stay low. At the point of ovulation,

oestrogen peaks. This is typically when we feel our best:

energetic, condent, outgoing, and happy

The phases

explained

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

The follicular phase

The luteal phase

Understanding PMS and PMDD

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), is the

collective name for the group of physical,

psychological, and behavioural symptoms

we can experience in the luteal phase of

the menstrual cycle.

Symptoms include everything from

bloating and acne, to confusion and

aggression. It aects approximately 75% of

females.

Read more in our ‘What is PMS?’ article

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a cyclical

mood-based disorder, often described as a much more

severe form of PMS.

Similarly to PMS, symptoms typically occur in the luteal

phase of the menstrual cycle and subside during our

period.

The key dierences between PMDD and PMS are that, with

PMDD, the symptoms are more intense, particularly the

phycological ones. Symptoms of PMDD include

depression, anger, and exhaustion, social withdrawal, and

anxiety.

PMDD can have a hugely negative impact on our ability to

function, and can even result in feeling suicidal

Read more in our ‘What is PMDD?’ article.

Understanding

PMS and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

What is PMS?

What is PMDD?

Understanding PMS and PMDD

It’s important to remember that PMS and

PMDD aren't always black and white. The

intensity and severity of the symptoms can

vary between individuals and between cycles.

Some months we might fall more toward

PMS, and others toward PMDD.

Only you know how you're feeling. If you're

not sure where you stand yet, start tracking

your symptoms – it's the single most helpful

thing we can do to learn more about our

cycles.

Want to know more about what causes PMS

and PMDD? Check out our article here

PMS or PMDD?

How do people manage PMS and

PMDD symptoms?

There are a range of treatments for PMS and

PMDD. Because of the individuality of these

conditions, treatments that work for one person

won’t necessarily work for another. Many people

choose a combination of dierent therapies,

medications, and lifestyle changes to manage

their symptoms.

These typically include medical treatments,

complementary therapies, nutritional

supplements, and making changes to daily

routine, such as diet and exercise

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

The gut

Chapter 2

Trust your gut

The gut-brain axis is the name for the connection

between our brain and gut. It includes the central

nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. It acts

as an information exchange network and can

transmit messages in two directions: brain to gut,

and gut to brain.

This two-way signalling system

impacts many dierent aspects of

physical and mental health,

including

 Metabolis

 Immune system

 Disease progression (eg

Parkinson’s, IBS

 Mood (eg depression, anxiety

 Behavioural/neurological

conditions (eg ADHD, autism

 Chronic pain

What is the gut-brain axis?

How the gut

aects every part

of the body

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Trust your gut

There are trillions of bacteria in our gut,

called microbiota (collectively, it’s called

the microbiome), are key regulators of the

gut-brain axis

Think of the gut as a factory: the microbes

are workers and machines; they each have

a specic function so the factory works

properly.

It’s the diversity of these microbiota that

allows the gut-brain axis to aect so many

dierent systems within the body.

DID YOU KNOW?

The total weight of our microbiome is

around 1-2 kg, similar to the weight of the

human brain!

How exactly does the gut-brain

axis impact our mental and

physical health

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Trust your gut

The gut is a huge building block of our health. If it’s working

properly, it increases the chance that the other systems in

our bodies will work too. Similarly, if it’s not functioning how

it should, everything else might go haywire.

We know that mood can be severely disrupted during PMS

and PMDD. Mood is controlled by neurotransmitters

(chemicals in the brain), many of which are produced by our

gut.

In fact, 90% of the serotonin and more than 50% of the

dopamine (happy hormones) produced by our bodies are

made in the gut. Therefore, a happy gut is a happy brain,

literally.

What’s all this got to do with

PMS and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

How can I boost my gut health?

 Yoghur

 Fermented food/drinks

(eg kimchi, tempeh,

tofu, sauerkraut,

kombucha

 Sourdough brea

 Certain cheeses (eg

Gouda, Edam and

cottage cheese)

Prebiotics and probiotics both inuence gut microbiota,

but in dierent ways.

Probiotics are live bacteria that restore and improve the

gut microbiota

Prebiotics are substances that help the gut microbiota

grow. They’re usually made of soluble bre or

carbohydrates

One of the best ways to boost our gut

health is by eating a diverse range of

plants every week. The goal is to try to

eat 30 dierent types of plants a week —

including fruit, vegetables, whole grains,

nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, and spices.

How can pre- and probiotics impact our gut-brain axis?

Probiotics can be found in:

 Artichoke

 Banana

 Berrie

 Tomatoe

 Garli

 Onion

 Seeds and pulse

 Green vegetable

 Wholegrain cereals

Prebiotic foods include:

How can I

boost my gut

health?

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How can I boost my gut health?

Compared to probiotics, prebiotics are benecial in much

smaller doses.

For example, all we need i

 2-7.5g of resistant starch per day; o

 1-6g of inulin per day

Which can be found i

 1-2 bananas; o

 1.5-9g chicory root.

To be benecial, probiotic food needs to contain at least

10 million CFU (colony forming units) per gram or per

millilitre, which should equate to around 1 billion CFU per

serving

For example, ker (fermented yogurt) is thought to have 27

billion CFU per 250 grams. So, by having just 100g of ker,

we’re getting around 11 billion CFU (11x the recommended

serving!)

If taking probiotic supplements, it’s recommended to use a

product containing at least 10 to 20 billion CFU units per day

It is important to gradually increase your intake of fermented

foods and probiotic supplements over time to ensure the gut

has time to adjust

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How

much do

we need?

Probiotics

Prebiotics

Chapter 2

Inflammation

Inammation, PMS, and PMDD

Inammation is an important process that helps our

bodies respond to stressors. However, long-term

inammation can be detrimental to physical and

mental health.

Levels of inammation naturally change during the

menstrual cycle, but studies have suggested that

people with PMS and PMDD have higher levels of

inammatory markers in their blood than those without

PMS or PMDD

Some studies also found that some of the most

common PMS and PMDD symptoms such as low mood,

cramps, appetite changes, and bloating are associated

with higher chronic inammatory markers.

Inammation, PMS,

and PMDD

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Stress causes inammation. Because during PMS and

PMDD we frequently feel stressed, we can end up in a

negative cycle of stress triggering inammation, which

makes our symptoms worse, which triggers more stress,

and so on

Inammation, PMS, and PMDD

Inammation, PMS, and PMDD

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Inflammation,

the gut, and diet

Unfortunately, inammation also aects the gut. It’s

not uncommon for people to experience digestive

disturbances during PMS and PMDD. For example,

some people get diarrhoea, constipation, gas, bloating,

and painful cramps

A whopping 70% of our immune system lives in the gut.

Therefore, taking care of our gut is crucial for ensuring

we’ve got a properly functioning immune system, and

keeping inammation at bay

But what can we do about it?

Getting enough dietary fats (especially essential fatty

acids like omega-3 and omega-6) is key for managing

inammation.

These fats are needed for the production of

prostaglandins, which help control inammation

Foods high in fatty-acids include

Eating plenty of foods rich in antioxidants is also

important, as these help reduce oxidative stress

Antioxidant-rich foods include

 Berries

 Leafy greens

 Sweet potatoe

 Dark chocolate

(particularly blueberries, strawberries,

raspberries, and blackberries

(eg spinach and kale

(particularly >70% cocoa)

 Oily sh

 Flaxseed

 Walnuts

(eg salmon, mackerel, sardines and

anchovies

Zinc can also help reduce markets of inammation

and oxidative stress in the body.

Foods high in zinc include

 Mea

 Shells

 Dairy products

 Brea

 Cereal products

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How to reduce

inammation

Inammation, PMS, and PMDD

Chapter 4

Micronutrient

and deficiencies

Deciencies in PMS and PMDD

What are micronutrients

Micronutrient: a chemical element or substance (such as

calcium or vitamin C) that is essential in minute amounts to

the growth and health of a living organism

Vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, vitamin D, calcium,

zinc, and magnesium are all micronutrients. They may play a

role in homeostasis (aka, keeping the body balanced and

working how it should, including the menstrual cycle). We get

these through our diet and we can boost our intake through

supplements

Studies show that people with PMS or PMDD have lower

levels of minerals such as calcium and magnesium in their

blood.

Other studies show that supplementing our diet with

additional amounts of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin

B6, vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium can help ease

symptoms.

Essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 and gamma-linolenic

acid (GLA), also play a role improving symptoms.

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Micronutrient

deciencies in

PMS and PMDD

Deciencies in PMS and PMDD

DID YOU KNOW?

Low vitamin and mineral levels can

exacerbate PMS and PMDD symptoms.

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

High micronutrient levels

Low micronutrient levels

Less severe PM

and PMDD symptoms

More severe PMS and

PMDD symptoms

Deciencies in PMS and PMDD

 helps regulate the

production of dopamine (one of the

happy hormones that aects our

mood).

Magnesium

 is important for regulating

mood and appetite. helps

convert tryptophan (an amino acid)

into serotonin (another of the happy

hormones). So, vitamin B deciencies

can reduce serotonin production,

resulting in mood-related PMS and

PMDD symptoms.

Serotonin Vitamin B

 Both and have

been found to be low during the

luteal phase in people experiencing

PMS and PMDD, which is thought to

cause some of the symptoms.

Although it’s normal for levels of

these nutrients to uctuate across

the menstrual cycle, this seems to be

particularly pronounced for people

with PMS and PMDD.

calcium vitamin D

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VitB

VitD

Deciencies in PMS and PMDD

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 (eg beans, lentils, and chickpeas

 (eg brown rice, oats, and quinoa



Legumes

Whole grains

Nuts

 (eg salmon, mackerel, and sardines

 (eg particularly the yolk

 (if exposed to sunlight or UV light)

Oily sh

Eggs

Mushrooms

 (eg milk and cheese

 (eg spinach, kale, and broccoli

 (eg soya milk and soya

yoghurt)

Dairy products

Green leafy vegetables

Fortied non-dairy products

If you struggle to include enough of these foods in your

daily diet, you can get them in a supplement instead (read

on for more info!)

Foods rich in B vitamins include:

Foods rich in calcium include:

Foods rich in vitamin D include:

How to alleviate

deciencies

Although it’s benecial to consume all of the following

at all times of the menstrual cycle, it’s particularly

important to eat more of them during the luteal phase.

Ever heard of seed cycling?

It’s the concept of eating certain seeds depending on

the phase of the menstrual cycle we’re in. In the

follicular phase, seed cycling suggests eating ax and

pumpkin seeds. In the luteal phase, it’s recommended

to eat sesame and sunower.

Why



Because ax and pumpkin are high in omega-3 fatty

acids, phytoestrogen, and zinc, and sesame and

sunower are rich in vitamin B6, magnesium, and

calcium (nutrients that people with PMS are decient

in).

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Deciencies in PMS and PMDD

Flax

Take during the

follicular phase

Take during th

luteal phase

Pumpkin Sesame Sunower

Chapter 5

A hormone

friendly diet

Why is diet important?

Diet, PMS,

and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Why is this

important for

PMS and PMDD?

All of the information we’ve provided so far is really

helpful for optimising our gut health, knowing what

types of foods to avoid, and which vitamins and

minerals can help ease our PMS and PMDD

symptoms

Next, let’s focus on the daily diet. How can we make

sustainable changes to our everyday routine to

ensure we’re taking positive steps that we can easily

and happily stick to on the daily

The food we put in our bodies fuels its functionality.

So, it’s important we’re giving all our systems

exactly what they need to function at their best.

Why is diet important?

Food is fuel, and what we eat determines how much of

each nutrient is available to our bodies. An unbalanced

diet can lead to uctuating blood sugar levels and

inadequate macro and micro nutrient levels.

Because of the important role blood sugar, macros, and

micros play in energy expenditure, mood, sleep, gut

regulation, skin and hair health, and hormone production, if

we’re not getting the right food into our bodies, all of

these systems can become dysregulated

A balanced diet helps keep our cycle (and other systems)

regular.Dysregulated cycles can have implications for

ovulation, fertility, and other female health conditions such

as PCOS

Steady levels, steady cycles

DID YOU KNOW?

If we want to adjust our diet to ease PMS

and PMDD, we must rst look at our gut

health.

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

Detox Kitchen notes the importance of mixing our

meals up during dierent phases of our cycle.

Why?

Because progesterone and oestrogen do dierent

things to our blood sugar levels. Specically,

progesterone can make us more insulin resistant,

meaning we feel hungrier and crave sugary, carb-heavy

foods in the luteal phase.

Ensuring we get enough antioxidants, and reducing our

intake of highly inammatory foods such as sugar and

caeine, can help ght the eects of this increased

insulin resistance

How can we make

changes to our

daily diet?

Eat specific to the phas

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“I would actually love to try

something to help with the

symptoms. I just haven’t been

sure what to try.”

Vicky H

Evelyn Community

Member

Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

When we talk about diet type, there are three we’re

going to discuss: ‘Western’, ‘traditional’, and ‘healthy’.

Studies have linked a Western diet with an increased

risk of PMS and PMDD. These diets have a high intake of

fast foods, soft drinks, processed meats, salty snacks,

and desserts.

A ‘traditional diet’ is rich in vitamins and minerals and

contain lots of eggs, dairy, fruits, red meat, and whole

grains.

A ‘healthy diet’, which has high amounts of legumes,

vegetables, fruit, and yoghurt

When compared with a ‘traditional diet’ and a ‘healthy

diet’, only a Western diet is associated with a higher risk

of experiencing PMS, whereas the other two diets are

associated with a lower risk.

This is likely due to the fact that a Western diet typically

promotes inammation, and contains fewer vitamins

and minerals

To move from a Western diet to a more ‘traditional’ or

‘healthy’ diet, try to replace some processed foods (eg

bacon, ham, sliced chicken, mass-produced bread,

sugary drinks) with less processed ones (eg fresh

chicken, sh, pork, eggs, unsalted nuts, small-batch

bread)

Diet types

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Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

Along with micronutrient levels, macronutrient levels

(carbohydrates, protein, fats) have also been shown to

inuence PMS and PMDD symptoms.

A study found that a high fat intake and low

carbohydrate intake were associated with worse PMS

and PMDD symptoms.

Further evidence for the importance of carbohydrates

comes from research showing that people who don’t

experience PMS tend to increase their carbohydrate

consumption during the luteal phase, whereas people

with PMS tend to maintain the same carbohydrate

intake throughout their cycle.

Carbohydrates are particularly important for managing

mood-related PMS symptoms. This is because

carbohydrates allow tryptophan (an amino acid

involved in serotonin production) to reach the brain

This suggests that reducing our fat intake and

increasing the proportion of slow-release

carbohydrates in our diets can help ease symptoms

Carbohydrate-rich foods include

If you’re looking for more support planning your food

intake around your cycle, consider using companies

such as Detox Kitchen, which provides a variety of

freshly prepared meals and snacks to suit your

nutritional needs at dierent stages of your cycle.

Meal balance

 Fruit

 Vegetable

 Wholegrain

 Legumes

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

Try to avoid foods high in

 Fa

 Salt 

 Rened carbohydrate

 Sugar

 Alcohol

And those that have been highly processed,

particularly during the luteal phase. Why? These are

associated with experiencing more severe PMS

symptoms.

Although people with PMS and PMDD are often

advised to reduce or eliminate caeine, this is only

relevant to those experiencing insomnia as a symptom,

since research has shown that caeine intake is not

always associated with PMS and PMDD symptoms.

Try to add more foods high in

 Vitamin

 Mineral

 Fibr

 Slow-release carbohydrate

into your diet, particularly during the luteal phase

See the next page for further advice on which day-to-

day foods t into each category.

Diet summary

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Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Foods for your

phases

Follicular

Vegetables

Fruits

Legumes

Artichok

Broccol

Carro

Courgett

Parsle

Pe

Rhubarb

Avocad

Grapefrui

Lemo

Lim

Orang

Plu

Pomegranate

Black-eyed bean

Butter bean

Green lentil

Mung bean

Split peas

Cauliowe

Cucumbe

Garli

Ginge

Lee

Onio

Parsni

Pumpki

Squas

Sweet Potat

Beetroo

Mushroom

Seaweed

Appl

Dat

Peac

Pea

Blackberr

Blueberr

Cranberr

Watermelon

Chickpea

Adzuki bean

Kidney beans

Aubergin

Asparagu

Red peppe

Brussel sprout

Char



Spinac

Spring onio

omato

Aprico

Cantaloup

Coconu



Guav

Raspberr

Strawberry

Red lentils

Recommendations provided by

unctional Medicine Clinic

Studio

ourish

ulatio

Luteal

Eating to ease PMS and PMDD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Follicular

Grains

Barle

Oa

Ry

Wheat

Brown ric

Mille

Buckwhea

Wild Rice

Amarant

Cor

Quinoa

Nuts

Brazil nut

Cashews

Pine nut

Walnut

Chestnuts

Almond

Pecan

Pistachios

Meats

Chicke

Eggs

Bee

Turke

Duc

Pork

Lamb

Seafood

Soft shell cra

Trout

Co

Halibu

Mussel

Lobste

Octopu

Sardin

Squi

Oyster

Salmo

Shrim

Tuna

Other

Olive

Pickle

Sauerkrau

Vinegar

Decaf coe

Mis

Sal

Tamari

Chocolat

Coe

Turmeric

Ovulation

uteal

Recommendations provided by

unctional Medicine Clinic

Studio

ourish

Chapter 6

The role of

Supplements

The role of supplements

 Pregnanc

 Breastfeedin

 Underlying health condition

 When taking medication

If you’ve consulted with a healthcare professional and

taking supplements isn’t for you, try exploring

complementary therapies instead

When managing PMS and PMDD

symptoms, it’s generally best to

focus rst on our diet

However, it can be dicult to get

all the relevant nutrients through

food, particularly if we have a busy

lifestyle

There are lots of dierent

supplements available for people

experiencing PMS and PMDD,

many of which have been

extensively researched. Before

taking any supplements, it’s

important to consult a medical

professional to ensure they are

safe for you.

Excessive intakes of certain minerals and vitamins can

lead to adverse consequences.

There are also some conditions and circumstances where

supplements may not be appropriate including

How do I know if

supplements are

right for me?

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

The role of supplements

When choosing supplements to ease PMS

and PMDD symptoms, it’s important to

 to ensure it clearly lists

ingredients and quantities (avoid

‘proprietary blends’ which don’t list the

exact amounts of ingredients

 (eg local

chemist, pharmacy, or supermarket)

 to provide

benets (see table below

. Is it one hour, one

day, one menstrual cycle? Most people

don't realise how long it takes to see an

eect from their supplements

Read the label

Buy from a reputable source

Take the appropriate dosage

Find out how long it takes to

experience an eect

Things to bear in mind when

choosing supplements

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

The role of supplements

Which supplements can be useful?

Vitamin B6

Calcium

Magnesium

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Helps make

neurotransmitters

to regulate mood

50-100mg

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Helps the body

make more happy

hormones

500-1000mg

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Balances hormones

related to central

nervous system

200-250mg

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

The role of supplements

Chasteberry

Ginkgo Biloba

Evenin

Primrose Oil

Vitamin D

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Regulates

oestrogen and

progesterone

production.

20mg

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Reduces prolactin

levels (which can

exacerbate PMS and

PMDD symptoms)

and lowers

inammation.

40mg

Why

Daily dosage needed

for eec

Reduces prolactin

levels (which can

exacerbate PMS and

PMDD symptoms)

and lowers

inammation.

1000mg

Why

Daily dosage

needed for eec

Reduces calcium

deciency seen in

luteal phase and

helps calcium

absorption

100mcg (4,000 IU)

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Chapter 7

Understanding

hunger

Understanding hunger

Our feelings of hunger and fullness are controlled by a

complex system within the body.

The two main hormones involved are ghrelin and leptin

 is the hormone that makes us feel hungr

 is the hormone that makes us feel ful

If something goes wrong with these hormones, it

aects our body's ability to maintain its energy

balance. This can occur for lots of reasons, including a

lack of sleep.

Ghrelin

Leptin

Many people nd they’re more hungry during the luteal

phase of their menstrual cycle, and research has shown

this occurs for two main reasons

 Our metabolic rate is 8-16%

higher during the luteal phase

 Gastric emptying (the

process of food moving from the stomach to the

small intestine) is faster during the luteal phase,

which means we don’t feel full for as long as we do

during other parts of the cycle.

We burn more calories.

Our digestion is dierent.

How does hunger work?

Why do we often feel more hungry

during the luteal phase

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Understanding hunger

As well as feeling more hungry, many people nd

they’re also more likely to emotionally eat during the

luteal phase.

This is likely because

 Levels of progesterone are higher during this time,

and oestrogen is dropping; an

 This is associated with greater insulin resistance,

which is why we can feel hungrier, and crave more

sweets and carbohydrates.

Many people turn to food as a comfort. However, this

can be problematic if we feel it's the only coping tool

we have at hand, or if indulging or over-eating makes us

feel worse, rather than better.

Many of us can get trapped in a guilt cycle when it

comes to food, so it’s important to be aware of why

we’re eating and what the trigger is, whether to ease

physical hunger or emotional state

Intuitive eating is a self-care framework that focuses on

using our internal bodily cues to guide decisions about

eating. Adopting this approach can help to reduce

emotional eating, and the negative feelings about our

bodies that often accompany it

Practising intuitive eating helps us more easily

recognise sensations like hunger and fullness, and be

more aware of your emotions. This is similar to mindful

eating, but goes further because it focuses on shifting

our attention away from societal pressures to diet and

attain specic body ideals. This means that it is more

likely to have positive eects over the long term.

Why do we emotional eat during the luteal phase?

What are some strategies to manage

emotional eating during the luteal phase

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Understanding hunger

One of the principles of intuitive eating

specically addresses emotional eating, and

suggests it’s important to be kind to ourselves

while nding other ways to manage our

emotions.

This could include

This releases endorphins which help to relieve

negative emotions and boost energy. However

when our hormones drop to their lowest levels

and we need to be resting, powering through

might not be the best option. So, low-impact

activities such as walking and yoga may the best

go-to options here.

As well as tracking our menstrual cycle, writing

down how we’re feeling can help to process

emotions and understand them better.

Ensuring we’re getting enough fresh air and

time outdoors, staying hydrated, and prioritising

rest and sleep can help us feel more resilient

(and stabilise our hunger hormones).

Sharing our feelings with a friend, family

member or therapist can provide us with

support and a new perspective.

 Exercise

How to practice intuitive eating

 Journaling

 Practicing self-care

 Talking to someone

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Understanding hunger

Making ourselves aware of our external

stressors and what they might be doing to our

emotional state can be incredibly helpful. They

help us pinpoint triggers and stressors that

contribute to the situation at hand. Techniques

like breathwork, meditation, and yoga can help

bring us back to the present moment and make

us feel more balanced.

Focusing on positive things in our lives can help

shift our perspective and lift our mood.

If there are particular people or situations that

cause negative feelings that might catapult you

into a cycle of negative eating, consider limiting

your time with them if possible.

 Practicing mindfulness

 Practicing gratitude

 Restrict our exposure to triggers

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Chapter 8

The importanc

of tracking

Tracking

We always advise that people track their cycles. If

you're adjusting your diet to help manage PMS or

PMDD symptoms, add what you're eating into that

tracking data. It doesn't have to be complex, just a

quick jot down of what you're adding into your diet for

PMS or PMDD specically will work wonders.

You can either track your symptoms by writing them

down in a diary or notebook, or use one of the many

cycle tracking apps available.

If you've suered from disordered eating in the past,

and tracking food is a worry or trigger for you, we highly

recommend you only jot down what you're adding into

your diet to help symptoms, rather than all food.

For example, if you're adding axseed onto your

breakfast, pop ax down on that day's tracking.

If you’re currently struggling with disordered eating, we

strongly recommend reaching out for further support.

Why should I

track my PMS or

PMDD

symptoms?

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Tracking

 Change one thing at a time and keep everything

else the same. This helps to more easily identify

whether the specic change you’ve made is

working.

 Keep track of both the strategy or supplement

you’ve implemented and your symptoms/

severity.

 Give yourself time: lots of changes may take a

while to take eect. Some can be up to three

months, so don’t get despondent if you don’t

see changes right away. A longer period of time

means you can observe extended trends

(although if a change is making you feel worse,

don’t continue with it)

 Review afterwards to see if there has been a

positive change, and then maintain this and

decide if you want to make further changes.

 If you have not experienced a reduction in the

type or intensity of symptoms, try a dierent

strategy or reach out to a healthcare professional

for further support

How do I test different dietary strategies

to see if they’re working?

Steps when testing a dietary strategy or supplement:

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Chapter 9

Lifelong dietary

strategies for

hormonal healt

Lifelong dietary strategies

Maintaining hormonal health is not just important

for managing PMS and PMDD symptoms, but for

the duration of our lives.

The hormones associated with our menstrual

cycle continue to be inuential as we age, and

particularly around perimenopause and

menopause

For people with a history of PMS or PMDD,

perimenopause symptoms can feel worse due to

our heightened sensitivity to hormones and their

metabolites.

PMS and PMDD can also occur for the rst time

during perimenopause, impacting our physical

and mental wellbeing at an already dicult time

What key

hormonal changes

occur as we age?

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Lifelong dietary strategies

The amount of hormones released in our bodies

change as we age, as well as the sensitivity of our

tissues to these hormones. Some of the key

hormonal changes may include

 Lower thyroid function (which changes to our

metabolism

 Lower growth hormone release (which

changes to our body composition

 Lower appetite (which reduces food intake

 Dierent cortisol activity (which causes poorer

responses to stress

 Lower DHEA levels (which causes inammation

and a higher risk of heart issues

 Changes in LH and FSH levels (which results in

changes to our cycle and fertility)

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Lifelong dietary strategies

Many of the dietary strategies and supplements that are helpful

for PMS and PMDD are also benecial for managing menopausal

symptoms, and the associated health consequences.

Nutrients that are important for ageing and the menopause

include:

 Calcium: this helps prevent bone loss and developing

conditions such as osteoporosi

 Vitamin D: this helps the body absorb calcium and can also

reduce inammatio

 Omega-3 fatty acids: these improve bone and joint health,

and can help to reduce inammatio

 Plant oestrogens (phytoestrogens): eating foods like soya

and linseeds have oestrogen-like eects in the body so can

ease menopausal symptoms

Eating enough protein is also important as we age to help

maintain muscle and bone strength.

Similarly to PMS and PMDD, alcohol can often worsen

menopausal symptoms so should be limited. Some people nd

similar eects with caeine so also choose to avoid or limit this.

Although ageing is inevitable, dietary strategies and

supplements can make a big dierence to your physical health

as you age. Many of these can also be implemented alongside

treatments such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help

manage menopausal symptoms and its health consequences.

Remember that you never have to sit in silence, you can seek

online support, or see your GP to discuss treatment options.

What effects can diet and lifestyle choices have

on ageing and menopause?

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Chapter 10

Professional help

With so many diets out there promising

health and happiness, along with

societal body pressures, it can be

tempting to give in to ‘quick xes’.

Despite their bold claims, these

approaches won’t result in positive

long-term eects, and are likely to leave

us feeling down, deprived, and out of

balance. The menstrual cycle is a

reproductive vital sign, and it’s hugely

important to keep it in balance for our

physical health and wellbeing

How to avoid

‘quick xes’, and

making the most

of professional

help

Why it’s important to take a

balanced approach to

managing PMS and PMD

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Professional help

Many people choose to deal with PMS and PMDD on

their own, and might use online support groups to

connect with people who have similar experiences.

If you’re nding that PMS or PMDD are interfering with

your ability to function on a daily basis, or severely

aecting your work, relationships or wellbeing, it’s a

good time to reach out to a healthcare professional

 A GP can provide you with a clinical diagnosis of

either PMS or PMDD and discuss the dierent

treatment options to help you decide which is the

best choice for you

 Going to see your GP is a good rst port of call,

because they can provide you with a clinical

diagnosis of either PMS or PMDD and discuss the

dierent treatment options to help you decide

which is the best choice for you

 A therapist can help you manage mood-related

symptoms through therapies such as CBT, which has

been shown to reduce PMS and PMDD-related

anxiety and depression

 A registered nutritionist or dietician can help you

implement dietary strategies and symptoms to

manage PMS and PMDD symptoms and support you

with managing emotional eating.

When should I reach out to healthcare

professionals for support?

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Chapter 11

Summary

 PMS is the collective name for the group of physical,

psychological and behavioural symptoms we can

experience in the luteal phase of the menstrual

cycle

 PMS and PMDD symptoms can be managed through

pharmacological treatments, complementary

therapies, nutritional supplements, and dietary

strategies.

 The most important nutrients for hormonal health

are magnesium, calcium, vitamin D, and zinc, which

can be obtained through food or via supplements

 Eating enough calories (particularly carbohydrates)

and choosing foods high in antioxidants and

essential fatty acids is also important to maintain

hormonal health

 Emotional eating during the luteal phase is

completely normal but adopting an intuitive eating

approach can help manage this and boost our

overall health and wellbeing

 If you're struggling, reach out for support via an

online community, or visit your GP to discuss your

symptoms and treatment options

 You may also want to seek the help of a dietician,

nutritionist or therapist to help with implementing

strategies to manage PMS and PMDD symptoms.

 Keeping track of your symptoms and the dietary

strategies or supplements you’re taking can help

build knowledge of your cycle and see what is most

eective for you.

evelynhealth.com @weareevelyn

Chapter 12

Additional

resources and

Evelyn’s Guide to PMS, PMDD and nutrition - eating for your cycle PDF Free Download

Evelyn’s Guide to PMS, PMDD and nutrition - eating for your cycle PDF Free Download

Evelyn’s Guide to PMS, PMDD and nutrition - eating for your cycle PDF Free Download

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