Nicky Chapman: 'PMS bloating is a nightmare'

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PMS gets us all down at times - so we're looking at how you can beat that rubbish feeling you get before your period.

And it turns out it's not just us who suffer from PMS - bloating, mood swings, cramps and cravings affect celebs too!

Nicky Chapman, Pop Stars and Pop Idol judge, tells us how bloating makes her feel bad about her body and the products that have helped her.

How long have you suffered from bloating?
Like my mother, I have suffered from it since my mid-twenties onwards and it can be a complete nightmare! I seem to bloat out at various times around my waist and also my ankles too. When I was younger I wasn't so bothered but since working on TV I have definitely been more conscious. Knowing the camera can put on 10lbs anyway, I'm much more aware of my figure and sometimes dread being 'papped' just in case the headlines say bump or bloat - but luckily that hasn't happened to me yet!

Do you find your bloating gets worse with PMS
I do find the week before I am due to start my period my stomach bloats out more than normal, which accompanies my other PMS symptoms like feeling achey and sometimes quite tearful! I found when I worked on Pop Stars, I would get quite tearful if a contestant had an emotional story to tell, but sometimes it would be quite random and I didn't even know why I was crying!

How do you feel it affects your day-to-day life?
I think any woman is quite aware of her appearance. We all crave a flat stomach, thin ankles etc especially in a work environment when we want to look our best. If you feel you are looking your best, it can give you that added edge.

Do you take any supplements to help your symptoms?
It was actually my friend that recommended me to try Holland & Barrett Dandelion Root Capsules to try and ease my bloating symptoms. She also suffers from the same problem and started using this supplement, which is a natural diuretic and has been so effective at reducing the amount she bloats, she was raving about it to everyone. I started taking the supplement about a year ago and after about 6 weeks I saw a noticeable difference in the amount I bloated. When buying the capsules I also mentioned about my PMS cramps and aches and they highlighted Starflower Oil, which is a great source of GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid) that PMS sufferers can sometimes lack.