Premenstrual syndrome or PMS is a collective term for all the physical and emotional symptoms that come with a woman's menstrual cycle. Such symptoms are due to the changes in estrogen and progesterone levels in the female body during women's monthly periods.  Often times, these symptoms cause immense discomfort and distress.

Such changes can bring about a domino effect in the body which often leads to a temporary drop in the levels of hormones serotonin and endorphins, both considered to be feel-good hormones.

Being irritable and feeling exhausted all the time are among the most common symptoms experienced when PMS-ing. It goes without saying that it can be such a pain in the neck, but there are measures one can take to somehow alleviate the symptoms.

Magnesium, calcium, vitamins E and B6 are among the elements which could aid in minimizing the troubling PMS symptoms. Furthermore, dark chocolate can work magic! Dark chocolate has been shown to have magnesium and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that are found to have mood-boosting properties.

However, you need to stick to dark chocolate, and steer clear of the white and milk variants. Aside from the fact that they won't have as much cocoa content as compared to dark chocolate, they generally contain high levels of sugar which isn't exactly helpful.

Whenever your body is lacking the magnesium it requires, estrogen metabolism tends to be hindered, causing some of the symptoms of PMS. Dark chocolate is known to be an effective muscle relaxant and can relieve muscle cramps. Research shows that women who have a higher calcium intake are less likely to suffer from cramp pain. That said, it’s best that you have a glass of milk with some little pieces of dark chocolate.

Maintaining a healthy diet along with exercise can be extremely beneficial as well. Relaxation techniques such as yoga could also be of help. See a doctor if anything gets out of hand. But if your symptoms are basically moderate, there's always some help you can get from your favorite sweet little dark chocolate.

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Joanna Maligaya

Staff Writer/Content Developer at Chocolate University Online

Ever since she can remember, Joanna has always considered chocolate as the ultimate food for her soul. She believes in the saying, “9 out of 10 people love chocolate, and the 10th always lies.”

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