Kim Wilde spokesperson for PMS Awareness Week

An estimated 9 million women in the UK suffer from PMS (pre- menstrual syndrome) but they could be helped through supplementation with vitamins and minerals. PMS affects women in different ways. For some it may be in the form of tender breasts a few days before a period, tearfulness, anger, depression, lack of concentration, or fatigue.

Kim: "The menstrual cycle can be an emotional rollercoaster, but we needn't suffer in silence and just accept PMS as a fact of life. There are great remedies that should be part of a woman's daily routine. I take all three, they are so important for maintaining female health."

Dr Mark Atkinson, a holistic medical physician and consultant in clinical nutrition, says symptoms can be eased by taking appropriate supplementation, the top three being evening primrose oil, magnesium and vitamin B6: "Evening primrose oil helps reduce low mood, sugar cravings and cyclical breast pain. Magnesium helps settle irritability, tension, bloating, and headaches and vitamin B6 helps combat fatigue and depression."

A deficiency in GLA is thought to be responsible for many PMS symptoms, such as depression, irritability and fluid retention. Levels of GLA can be topped up with evening primrose oil; vitamin B6 helps reduce breast tenderness, water retention, sugar cravings and mood swings, while clinical trials have shown that magnesium helps reduce mood swings, it also helps B6 work to optimum levels.