Understanding ChangesIn Your Body (And Personality) From PMS (NAPSA)—Have you ever craved a bowl of ice cream sprinkled with hot fudge—and Doritos? Do you ever gaze at your best friend and think, “I hate you”? Have you ever searched all over your house for your phone, only to realize you're talking onit? If you answered “yes” to any of the above, don’t worry—you’re not in danger of becoming an absentminded, belligerent person with poor taste in food. Chances are, you're just a Cranky Food Craver, a Mood Swinger or a Memory Lapser—a few of the identities that women take on when they experience some of the 150 symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). These symptomscan be categorized into mood, appetite, cognitive and physical disturbances. According to a recent survey conducted by PMS Escape”, more than 50 percent of women experience PMS each month. “PMS affects the mood and appetites of more than 25 million women in the U.S. alone,” says Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., a nutritional biochemist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. According to the PMS Escape™ survey, only 20 percent of women are aware of the 150 symptomsof PMS. This means that many women don’t realize that PMS maybe the cause of their bad day at work or their fight with a boyfriend. As a result, they treat it incorrectly. Though 72 percent of women try over-the-counter remedies, the survey found that half of these women find these products ineffective when it comes to managing emotional disturbances. Dr. Wurtmansays that the root cause of mood- and food-related Find Your PMS Personality The Cranky Food Craver e Have you ever had a craving forfoods such as chocolate, potato chipsorice cream so badly that you can’t get the craving outof your head? Do you ever have conversations while daydreaming aboutshoveling down an entire sleeve ofGirl Scout cookies? e Have you ever craved a bowlof ice cream sprinkled with potato chips? The Mood Swinger Do you everlook at yourbestfriend andthink, “| hate you?” Have you everlost your temper, snapped at someone,felt guilty about it afterwards and avoided him or her outof sheer embarrassment? Doestheslightest sappy commercial cause you to cry uncontrollably? The MemoryLapser Have you ever goiten all the way to the gym only to realize you don’t have your sneakers? Do you find yourself driving to the store only to forget why youaredriving there? Do you find yourself daydreaming while talking on the phonewith friends? Let's Get Physical Do yourbreastsfeel tender? Do you have a hard time buttoning yourfavorite pair of jeans? Do you experience backaches and cramping? @ Many women may experience PMS symptoms without realizing it. disturbances is the drop of serotonin levels that occurs in the weeks prior to menstruation. “Serotonin is the body’s moodstabilizer and controls mood and appetite,” she says. “It’s critical to maintain adequate serotonin levels in the body in the weeksleading up to menstruation.” With this in mind, Dr. Wurt- man created PMS Escape”, a powdered drink formulated with a specially designed group of carbohydrates that are just what the body needs during this tumultuous time. The only clinically tested, patented, all-natural, overthe-counter product available to manage mood and appetite changes associated with PMS, it works naturally with the body to boost serotonin levels. Carbohydrates increase serotonin naturally in the body, but unfortunately, when you're feeling like a Cranky Food Craver, a plain baked potato is the last thing you reach for. “You’ll take that baked potato and douse it with butter, cheese and salt,” says Dr. Wurtman. “The moment you add those fats and proteins, the carbohydrates are rendered ineffective.” PMS Escape”is available at CVS/pharmacy, cvs.com, and for more information visit www. pmsescape.com.
