A report in the Archives of Internal Medicine that analyzed over 10 years worth of data shows that a daily intake of 1,200 mg. of calcium and 400 IU vitamin D (the equivalent of about four servings of skim or low-fat milk, fortified orange juice or low-fat yogurt) can reduce your risk of developing PMS symptoms—such as food cravings, mood swings and bloating—by 40%. The reason? “These two nutrients may vary during the menstrual cycle along with estrogen and progesterone,” theorizes lead author Elizabeth R Bertone-Johnson, Sc.D. So adding them to your diet may help balance things out.
[photo: Sanja Gjenero]
