I’m 47 and my mood swings are awful! My doctor advised antidepressants, but is there a natural cure I can try?

AYes. Mood swings are common in perimenopause, due to hormone f lux. And while antidepressants can help, they do carry side effects. Fortunately, I can suggest a few diet tweaks that will have a big impact.

First, aim to consume 1,200 mg of calcium a day (the amount in 1 cup of kale, 6 oz. of salmon and 1 cup of milk or almond milk). In a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, this strategy cut PMSrelated mood swings in half. Also smart: adding 2 Tbs. of flaxseeds into a daily smoothie. Flax is rich in phytoestrogens—plant-based estrogens that can tackle many of the problems linked to declining estrogen, including mood swings.

But if these methods don’t help, your doctor can suggest other options, like low-dose oral contraceptives, which help regulate hormone levels to stabilize mood.