The first step in helping women with PMS is to determine which subgroup most accurately fits their symptom picture. If it is not obvious from reading this or other information, selected laboratory tests can be called upon. Abnormal thyroid function and intestinal candidiasis should also be ruled out since these may produce, during the mid-luteal phase, a symptom picture similar to PMS. If you are affected by one or more types of PMS (A, C, D, or H) they will be listed separately. PMS type A is the most common.

General Dietary Guidelines

• Limit consumption of refined carbohydrates and other concentrated carbohydrates, such as, honey, dried fruit, and fruit juice
• Increase protein intake, particularly from vegetable sources such as legumes
• Increase green leafy vegetables consumption, except brassica family foods (cabbage, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower)
• Decrease milk and dairy product consumption
• Decrease intake of fats, especially saturated fats, while increasing intake of linoleic and linolenic acid. Use only non-estrogen-supplemented red meat and fowl
• Decrease salt intake. Restrict alcohol and tobacco use. Restrict intake of methyl-xanthines (coffee, tea, chocolate, and caffeine-containing foods and beverages).

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD, is a debilitating set of symptoms associated with the part of a woman's cycle that precedes her menstrual period. PMDD is also a psychiatric term for a major mood disturbance. "Dysphoria" is used by the psychiatric and medical community as a diagnostic term, generally referring to a type of depression.

Unlike PMS, PMDD symptoms are so severe that a woman's day-to-day activities are completely disrupted. PMDD is relatively rare, affecting perhaps 3 - 5% of women.

There are 3 conventional approaches to treating PMDD. While most experts recommend a combination of all 3, there have been no scientific studies to determine if combination treatment is really the best approach. It is likely that the best approach or combination of approaches will vary from woman to woman based on things like symptom severity and which symptoms are most troublesome. These three include:

Medications - including antidepressants, antianxiety drugs, analgesics, hormones and diuretics.
Psychobehavioral - including exercise and psychotherapies (cognitive-behavioral, coping skills training, relaxation).
Nutritional - including diet modification, vitamins, minerals and herbal preparations.