PMS – Ayurvedic Diet

Headaches, Insomnia, Anxiety, Mood Swings – Excess of Vata

If you suffer from headaches, insomnia, anxiety or mood swing during your PMS, avoid foods like onion, pepper and chili that have a pungent taste. You should also avoid food with bitter and astringent tastes. According to Ayurvedic Diet, these tastes make your PMS symptoms worse since you have an excess of Vata Dosha. Also, avoid cold and raw food.

You should eat warm foods. Soups and vegetable purees are highly recommended. Eat sweet, sour and salty foods, see examples below:

• Sweet foods: peaches, plums, grapes, melons, oranges, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, butter, rice, wheat bread, basil, peppermint, fennel
• Sour foods: yogurt, cheese, sour cream, green grapes, citrus fruits hibiscus, rose hips, tamarind, pickles, vinegar, coriander
• Salty foods: seaweeds, kelp

Cramps, Skin problems, Irritability, Anger, Heat – Excess of Pitta

If you suffer from cramps, skin problems, irritability, anger or heat during your PMS, avoid foods like onions, pepper, cheese and chips. According to Ayurvedic Diet, you shouldn’t eat pungent, sour or salty foods since these kinds of PMS symptoms are a sign that you have an excess of Pitta Dosha.

You should eat heavy foods and they should be cool and uncooked. Eat foods with sweet, bitter and astringent tastes, see examples below:

• Sweet foods: peaches, plums, grapes, melons, oranges, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, butter, rice, wheat bread, basil, peppermint, fennel
• Bitter foods: greens (lettuce, spinach), chard fresh turmeric root, fenugreek, gentian root, rhubarb
• Astringent foods: unripe banana, cranberries, pomegranate, myrrh, goldenseal, turmeric, okra, beans, mace, parsley, lentils, broccoli, cabbage, saffron, basil

Bloating, Weight Gain, Depression – Excess of Kapha

If you suffer from bloating, weight gain or depression during your PMS, avoid food like chocolate, nuts, chips and pickles since they only make things worse. According to Ayurvedic Diet, you shouldn’t eat sweet, salted and sour foods since these kinds of PMS symptoms are a sign that you have an excess of Kapha Dosha.

You should eat a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and legumes. Avoid oily, heavy and cold foods. You should eat your food warm and the heaviest meal should be eaten in the middle of the day. Eat pungent, bitter and astringent foods, see examples below:

• Pungent foods: onion, radish, chili, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, black pepper, mustard
• Bitter foods: greens (lettuce, spinach), chard fresh turmeric root, fenugreek, gentian root, rhubarb
• Astringent foods: unripe banana, cranberries, pomegranate, myrrh, goldenseal, turmeric, okra, beans, mace, parsley, lentils, broccoli, cabbage, saffron, basil