The PMS test
The Vitamin D Diet information
The diet is just one way you may be able to reduce the symptoms of PMS*. The women on our study aimed to eat a daily amount of 1500mg of calcium and 800 IU of Vitamin D (based on safe FSA levels and the amounts used in studies which proved effective).
It is important to note that most of our dietary interventions were for a period of three months or longer which is the minimum amount of time you should allow to notice any changes. To gauge the efficacy of the diet our women kept a daily mood diary and noted at what point in their cycle they were. Although supplementing your diet with calcium and vitamin D could reduce the symptoms of PMS it is not a cure and improvements may vary from person to person.
* All the women on our study had their PMS confirmed by our specialists
The levels we are aiming for in our diet is 1500mg of calcium and 800 IU of Vitamin D which is equivalent to 20mcg (based on safe FSA levels and the amounts used in studies which proved effective)
Sources of calcium:
- 300ml Semi skimed milk = 360mg 300ml Semi skimmed milk with additional 50ml dried skimmed milk powder = 1000mg 150g Pot low fat yoghurt = 285mg 75g Chedder cheese + 540mg 75g Reduced fat chedder cheese = 630mg 75g Parmesan cheese = 900mg 75g Edam cheese = 578mg
We make our own vitamin D in the skin when we are exposed to sunlight. But for this study you need to consume foods which are a rich dietry source of vitamin D and you need to eat at least 20mg evey day. There are not many foods which contain a lot of vitamin D, but the list below are the best sources:
Sources of vitamin D:
- 100g Grilled herring = 25mg 100g Baked kipper = 25mg 100g Smoked mackerel = 8mg 100g Canned salmon = 12.5mg 100g Sardines in tomato sauce = 7.5mg
These examples of oily fish are clearly the richest sources of Vitamn D from food. However it is not recommended to eat oily fish every day. If you are planning a pregnancy or could become pregnant you must only eat 3x100g portions of oily fish each week.
Other sources of vitamin D:
- 50g Low fat spread = 2mg 100g Tuna in oil (drained) = 5.8mg 70g Boiled egg (large) = 1.2mg 100g Plain omelette (2 eggs) = 1.6 mg 50g Kellogs branflakes/cornflakes = 1.6mg
Good plant sources of calcium include tofu (if prepared using calcium sulphate contains more than four times the calcium of whole cow's milk), green leafy vegetables, seeds and nuts. The calcium in green vegetables which are not high in oxalate e.g. kale, is absorbed as well or better than the calcium from cow's milk.
Some soya milks e.g. Provamel, Plamil, Granovita are fortified with calcium. Drinking hard water can provide 200mg of calcium daily but soft water contains almost none. Other calcium rich foods include black molasses, edible seaweeds, watercress, parsley and dried figs.
Examples of amounts of foods providing 100mg calcium:
- Black molasses - 20g
- Dried figs - 40g
- Almonds - 42g
- Soya flour - 44g
- Parsley - 50g
- Kale - 67g
- Brazils Nuts - 59g
- Wholemeal bread - 185g
- Oatmeal - 192g
