How Emily significantly reduced her PMT symptoms

Today we are sharing Emily's story, who is 38 and has suffered from debilitating PMT for over a decade and how over the past few months since changing her diet her PMT symptoms have reduced.

Emily, 38, had been living with the debilitating effects of premenstrual tension (PMT) for over a decade. The emotional rollercoaster, extreme fatigue, and physical symptoms like bloating and headaches made her dread every month.

"It felt like I was losing two weeks of my life every cycle," Emily shared. "It wasn’t just hard on me—it affected my relationships, my job, and my overall happiness."

After years of trying everything from painkillers to hormonal treatments, Emily stumbled upon Zing Wellbeing and read about our hormone balancing meal plans.

This then got her thinking about the idea that her diet might be playing a significant role in her symptoms.

Skeptical but desperate for relief, she decided to give it a try and joined the Zing Wellbeing program and use the hormone balancing meal plan.

That was a few month's ago and as well as using the hormone balancing meal plan  she focused on making small but meaningful changes to her eating habits—and the results have been life-changing.

Emily’s Journey to Relief

Emily says she began by cutting back on processed foods and sugary snacks, which she realised were spiking her blood sugar levels and worsening her mood swings. Instead, she prioritised nutrient-rich, whole foods that support hormone balance.

“I swapped my morning pastries for a zing wellbeing breakfast - such as bowl of oats with flaxseeds and berries or I have also been having the wellness smoothie,” she explained. “I have now learned that flaxseeds are high in omega-3s, which help reduce inflammation, and the berries are packed with antioxidants. I felt fuller for longer and noticed my energy levels were more stable throughout the day.”

Another significant change was her focus on magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, and dark chocolate. “I learned that magnesium can help with cramps and mood regulation, so I started adding spinach to my smoothies and snacking on almonds.”

Emily also began including more lean proteins and healthy fats in her meals, such as salmon, avocados, and eggs. “They made such a difference in keeping me full and reducing that sluggish, heavy feeling I always got before my period.”

Emily says, "I have been really impressed with the food on the program, I have found a new love of cooking and some of my favourite meals have been those with fish and the salads and I love how much choice there is. I have also liked the smoothies and it was great to find a meal replacement that was focused on gut health and protein"

The Results

Within weeks of changing her diet, Emily noticed small improvements. "I wasn’t as irritable, and my energy didn’t crash in the afternoons like it used to. But the real breakthrough came after a couple of months. My cramps, which used to have me curled up in bed, were so much milder. And the emotional lows that made me feel like I was spiralling? They started to fade."

Emily also started tracking her cycle and noticed that the bloating and breast tenderness that typically derailed her days were becoming less severe. "It felt like my body was finally working with me, not against me."

Emily’s Advice for Women Struggling with PMT

For Emily, the journey to reducing her PMT symptoms wasn’t about quick fixes or drastic measures—it was about consistency. "I realised that small changes add up," she said. "It’s not about being perfect, but about doing the best you can for your body."

She encourages others to start with simple steps:

• Swap processed snacks for whole, nutrient-dense options.
• Incorporate foods rich in omega-3s, magnesium, and fibre.
• Stay hydrated and listen to your body’s cues.

Emily’s story is a testament to the power of nutrition and the role it plays in supporting our hormonal health. While diet changes might not eliminate PMT entirely, they can make a significant difference in how you feel—just like they did for her.

Nutritionist on hormone balancing foods

One of the Zing Wellbeing nutritionist's have given us some more information about hormone balancing foods - which you can also find in our Zing Wellbeing hormone balancing meal plan

Hormone balancing foods

We can use our food as medicine to help balance our hormones and encourage them in the right direction.

What and when we eat can help or hinder our hormonal health. It’s important to remember we are eating, in part, to support our hormones to stay happy, healthy and balanced.

Maintaining hormonal balance through food is a mixture of balancing blood sugar levels, providing enough good fat to synthesise and create hormones and supporting their metabolism and clearance from the body.

There are a few key things to keep in mind to assist including:

Macro Nutrient Balance

Having adequate protein and fats are essential to hormone production. Amino acids found in protein can help regulate the release of hormones and assist in regulating appetite.

Eating this way will also ensure we stabilise our blood sugar levels which will have a flow on effect for happy hormones.

Our meal planner includes plenty of plant based protein options, fatty fish (good fats!), chicken, nuts and seeds.

Up that Mag!

Magnesium is a super-nutrient that supports hundreds of different bodily functions.

It is a calming mineral, helping to reduce levels of adrenaline and cortisol and allowing your body to recover from a stressful event.

Magnesium also supports the production of serotonin, the “mood boosting” hormone, and melatonin, the “sleep” hormone.

Our Zing Wellbeing meal planner is layered with magnesium rich foods throughout to give you multiple sources of this essential nutrient. 

Love that liver

Responsible for detoxing everything from the body including our hormones – we have included plenty of greens in this meal planner as your liver loves greens.

Liver loving plant foods like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale can assist. 

This hormone balancing meal plan and hormone balancing foods aim to restore your natural hormonal balance, reducing symptoms of imbalance and to give you the energy you need to get through the day, week and month.

Join the Zing Wellbeing program here for access to all our recipes and meal plans