Are you experiencing any of these PMS symptoms? It might mean that your hormones are imbalanced.
1. Feeling irritated and moody before your period starts
2. Having tender breasts
3. Feeling bloated
We grow up in a world believing that having low mood and energy, feeling irritated, anxious, depressed and having uncontrollable sweet craving before our period starts is just how it is.
⁉️ But PMS is NOT normal. Women are not designed to suffer like this every month.
What is PMS?
PMS is short for Premenstrual Syndrome and can be associated with symptoms such as mood issues, irritability and physical symptoms like breast tenderness, bloating and sugar cravings. PMS is normally during the Luteal phase of your cycle, which is the two weeks before your menstruation phase starts.
Why do you experience PMS symptoms?
There are two parts to this answer.
Firstly when the cyclical rhythm of the menstrual is ignored meaning that you don’t plan your month’s activities according to times of being productive and times of rest, PMS symptoms will show up.
The second reason for PMS is not your hormones (they are wonderfully beneficial), but rather an imbalance of them. This imbalance is normally when estrogen levels are to high and progesterone to low. This can also be caused by nutrient depletion or malabsorption of nutrients in the gut or the use of the hormonal birth control pill.
PMDD vs PMS
Severe cases of PMS are referred to as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and affect about one in twenty women. These women are more sensitive to the hormone fluctuations that occur during the menstrual cycle, therefore balancing their hormones are essential for a stable mood.
Other factors that can contribute to PMS
PMS can also be a result of the belief that the menstrual cycle is bad or shameful, or caused by the resistance to work through darker, painful or traumatic emotions. Other events that can contribute to PMS include:
- The birth control pill including the Mirena IUD
- After child birth or an abortion
- Stress from work, kids, travel or even over exercise
- Trauma such as death, divorce, loss of an animal
- Decrease or lack of exposure to natural full spectrum light
- Changes of season, especially from summer to autumn. This is also referred to as SAD (seasonal affective disorder)
Lifestyle and nutritional support to prevent PMS
Slowly changing your lifestyle and adding nutritional support can be life changing. Use these guidelines below and take note on how your cycle and mood responds:
- Reduce alcohol consumption, as only two drinks per day can
double the amount of estrogen in your system. - Improve your gut health to eliminated estrogen that has been
used in the body. If estrogen lingers in your gut, it will be
reabsorbed into your blood stream and result in increasing your estrogen levels. This includes eating adequate fiber from whole food sources like fruits, vegetables and seeds to have regular bowl movements. When increasing your fiber intake remember to increase your water intake too. - Drink a liquid probiotic daily. My favourites are Gut Fix and Vegan Probiotic. Try out our 7-day Gut Fix Programme developed by Dr. Mel, gut specialist and mentor.
- Eat enough essentially fatty acids found in sardines, salmon, nuts and seeds, or supplement with Omega-3 fatty acids. Adequate amounts is 500 mg fish oil, three times per day or 500 mg linseed (flaxseed) four times per day.
- Avoid endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC’s) also called xenoestrogens such as pesticides and plastics. These can over stimulate your estrogen glands or impair your ability to metabolise estrogen
- Reduce or avoid caffeine as it can make PMS symptoms worse
AS STUDIES HAVE CONFIRMED, UNRESOLVED EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS MAY DISRUPT THE MENSTRUAL RHYTHM AND NORMAL HORMONAL MILIEU
Sign up to our mailing list to receive hormone balancing tips & delicious recipes.
*By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails and marketing information. Your personal information will not be shared.
