When PMS hits in Week 4 of your cycle, do you get hit with intense cravings for a big bag of chocolate M&Ms, a heaping bowl of salt and vinegar potato chips, or a combination of salty and chocolate snacks? New research reveals the reason: Two seperate studies—one from the University of Iowa, the other from the University of California, San Diego—show that chocolate and salt (eaten alone or together) activate pleasure mechanisms in the brain that chase away depression, a common problem women face during their premenstrual week as estrogen and testosterone plunge.
Trying to watch your waistline? Research shows that exercising, shopping, doing your favorite hobbies and spending time with uplifting friends also boost mood-lifting brain chemicals and distract you when cravings hit so you’re less likely to indulge.
Get painful cramps during your period? Breathing in the scent of fragrant oils the week before your period can ease the discomfort, reveals a 
Bothered by one or more head-pounding migraines per month? You may inadvertently be triggering more headaches by having an erratic sleep schedule, shorting yourself on sleep and/or sleeping too long, say Missouri State University pain researchers. In their new study, they found that a lack of zzz’s, oversleeping or changing your bedtimes and wake-times (for instance, sleeping in on the weekends) triggers the production of proteins that are linked to activity in the trigeminal nerves—a pathway that runs from the brain stem to head and face and plays a major part in migraines—and proteins involved in the initiation of chronic pain.
Tend to blow up like a puffer fish during Week 3 when rising progesterone triggers water retention? Try nibbling watermelon! This summery sweet treat is a natural diuretic that helps your body shed excess fluid.
For decades, women have complained that their hormone contraception was interfering with their sex life, lowering their libido, making it difficult to achieve orgasm or causing dryness or pain during intercourse. And, for decades, many doctors dismissed those concerns.
If you’ve read my book, 28 Days, or are a longtime fan of the Daily Hormone Horoscope, then you know by now that my favorite tip of all is an easy way to make menstrual cramps less severe or eliminate them altogether: Simply take one to three ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) on the three days leading up to your period (Days 26, 27 and 28 in a 28-day cycle). Studies show that ibuprofen blocks the buildup of prostaglandins—hormone-like chemicals that transmit pain signals to the brain. No prostaglandins=no period pain. All doctors know this, but with the short time we all have in their offices, a very few ever get around to mentioning this little cramp-quashing tip, which is why I repeat it pretty frequently. Now, all that said, this tip is totally useless if you forget to actually take the ibuprofen on the three days before your period. Wait until your period starts and it’s too late—prostaglandins have already built up and you’re stuck with painful cramps. Luckily, there’s an easy way to remind yourself to take the pain-busting ibuprofen on the days you need to: 
Grandma was right—a hot water bottle really does relieve menstrual cramps! In fact, scientists from University College London discovered this old trick works just as well as a popping a painkiller. Why? The heat from the water bottle blocks pain signals inside the body. Not a water bottle fan? Heat patches work just as well.
Need a quick pick-me-up? Hug your guy or a male buddy. In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, women who sniffed test bottles containing anonymous male sweat experienced a surge in mood while the moods of women who sniffed placebos remained unchanged. The researchers credit certain pheromones—scentless compounds produced by the body—present in male sweat that prompt a rise in feel-good hormones in a woman’s body.
Invite pals over to chat, watch a movie, play a game, munch pizza or do another activity that helps you bond. It’s not just fun—feeling an emotional connection with girlfriends melts worry and tension fast by raising your body’s level of progesterone, a hormone that induces a relaxed state, University of Michigan researchers found. In their study, pairs of women who were asked to participate in emotionally-bonding activities together had higher levels of progesterone in their blood than female pairs who were asked to do a dull non-emotional task, like filing papers.
Bothered by acne flare-ups on your face, neck or back during certain times of your cycle? Many dermatologists put the blame on testosterone during Week 2,which 
