Girls generally start their periods 2.5 years after they begin to develop breasts, usually around age 12-13. PMS can start at any time. While some women experience it in their teens or 20s, other women may make it to 30 without any symptoms. Unfortunately, PMS may get worse in your 40s as menopause nears.

Doctors don't know why different women have different symptoms, or why symptoms are worse in some women. PMS does seem to run in the family, though.

Making some lifestyle changes may improve your PMS symptoms. You can lessen your symptoms by exercising regularly. Try for 30 minutes, 4 or 5 times each week. Make sure you take your vitamins, and be sure to get enough calcium. Finally, eat a balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and good fats. Sometimes cutting back on caffeine, chocolate and salt can help. Other things to try:

• Make sure you have a supportive bra for tender breasts.
• A diuretic may relieve water retention.
• Anti-inflammatory pain relievers are may help with pain from muscles, joints and headaches.
• Over-the-counter PMS medications treat many different symptoms. Make sure that you have all the symptoms and are not consuming unnecessary medication.
• You can try acetaminophen for cramps.
• Herbal Supplements and natural remedies have been known to be very helpful with the symptoms of PMS.

PMS symptoms can begin up to two weeks before your period starts. They should go away a day or two into your cycle.

Your cycle begins on the first day of your period and lasts 28 days. During the first 14 days, your body produces more estrogen, which tells the lining of your uterus to thicken and your ovaries to release an egg. In the second half of your cycle, the egg is released and your body makes more progesterone to prepare for a possible pregnancy. If the egg is not fertilized, the uterine lining is shed through your period and the cycle starts over. PMS symptoms are tied to your monthly hormonal changes.

Feeling bloated is one of the most common PMS symptoms. It comes from water retention, which is influenced by hormonal changes during your cycle. To relieve bloating, try:

• Restricting your salt intake
• Eating smaller meals
• Exercising

Depression and other emotional symptoms are a common part of PMS. You may feel irritable, anxious, tense, withdrawn, unable to sleep, unable to eat. You might also experience mood swings. These feelings should go away when your period starts. And by making some of the lifestyle changes mentioned above, you should be able to lesson the severity of your symptoms.