Green Gram Soup and Barley Porridge diet Offers Relief for PMS in Adolescent Girl: Case Report

India: A recent case report published in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine highlights the potential benefits of incorporating green gram soup and barley porridge into the diet, focusing on alleviating premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms.

Ankita Abhijeet Shirkande, Shree VishwAngad Ayurved Panchakarma Yoga Clinic & Research Center, Sahakar Nagar, Pune, India, and colleagues reported that a diet incorporating green gram soup and barley porridge for the first three days of menstruation was followed over six consecutive cycles. This approach alleviated mild to moderate premenstrual syndrome symptoms in an adolescent girl who maintained a healthy lifestyle.

Women often experience menstrual cycle-related issues due to lifestyle changes, poor eating habits, and both physical and mental stress. Premenstrual syndrome encompasses a range of physical and emotional symptoms that many women face one or two weeks before their menstrual period begins. Traditional treatments have typically included medications and lifestyle adjustments. However, the new case report introduces a novel dietary approach that may offer a natural and effective alternative.

The case concerns a 14-year-old female patient who, over the past four months, has experienced lower abdominal pain, backache, breast tenderness, constipation, pimples, tiredness, and unexplained anger, typically during the luteal phase. She was diagnosed with mild to moderate PMS.

Following a thorough evaluation, it was recommended that she adopt a diet consisting of easily digestible foods advised in classical texts to alleviate specific menstrual symptoms. Consequently, green gram soup was prescribed for lunch, and barley porridge was prescribed for dinner during the first three days of each menstrual cycle for six cycles.

The researchers observed that consuming these dietary products during menstruation helped reduce PMS symptoms. This suggests significant potential for exploring Ayurvedic dietary regimens tailored for menstruation, which could be more effectively applied to manage menstrual disorders.

Patient's Perspective

"I had been experiencing lower abdominal pain, backache, breast tenderness, constipation, pimples, tiredness, and unexplained anger for several months, typically starting a week before my menstrual cycle and improving by the fourth day. After four months of these symptoms, my mother sought advice from our family physician, leading us to Shree Vishwangad Ayurved Clinic in Pune on June 24, 2021. The doctor listened to my concerns, took a detailed history, and diagnosed me with PMS. She recommended a dietary modification rather than medication, which was a relief since I was apprehensive about starting medicines. I followed a diet of green gram soup and barley porridge for the first three days of my menstrual cycle over six cycles. Initially, it was challenging, but gradually, I felt much better. Most of my symptoms, except for the pimples, significantly improved. With the doctor's encouragement, my eating habits improved, reducing my cravings for junk and spicy foods. I am grateful to the doctor for guiding me through this beneficial dietary regimen."

Reference:

Abhijeet Shirkande, A., Pawar, M., Sarjerao Shirkande, A., & Yeola, G. (2024). Green gram soup and barley porridge as dietary interventions for management of premenstrual syndrome in adolescent girl: A case report. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 15(4), 100912. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaim.2024.100912