Do You Suffer From PMS?

From puberty through menopause women experience a monthly cycle that involves fluctuating hormones, times of fertility and periods of menstrual flow. For some women these natural cycles go rather smoothly, but about 75% of Western women experience significant health changes during their monthly cycle. Most of these symptoms occur in the 7-10 days prior to the start of menstruation, which is why these problems have been lumped under the heading premenstrual syndrome or PMS for short.

A syndrome is not a specific disease. It is a term used to describe a broad health problem that has both multiple causes and multiple symptoms. PMS involves over 150 signs and symptoms, which can be made worse by the fact that other conditions, such as migraines, chronic fatigue and irritable bowel can also flare up before and during menstruation.

PMS is a real health issue for a majority of women and one that exacts a terrible toll. Suffering with PMS for a week every month adds up to three months out of a woman's life every year. What's sad is that much of this suffering is most often unnecessary and can easily be corrected using diet and lifestyle changes, appropriate nutritional supplements and herbs or, in some cases, natural hormones. Since PMS has no singular cause or symptom set, what works for each woman will be a little different. There are some general therapies that apply to PMS in general, which we will discuss, but the exact program that works for each woman will be different. Fortunately, researchers have recognized four main types of PMS (A, C, D and H) and two minor types (P and S). So, identifying which type of PMS (or combination of types) a woman has, will make figuring out a program that works much easier.

General Aids for PMS
Before we look at the specific types of PMS, let's look at the dietary and lifestyle changes that can be helpful for PMS in general. These have been proven effective through decades of clinical experience and many are even recommended by conventional medicine.

Clean Up Your Diet
As with any other health problem, eating a healthier diet is a good starting place. One of the causes of PMS may be an overburdened liver, which is having difficulty eliminating excess hormones due to a lack of nutrients and an excessive
burden of chemical toxins. So, start by eliminating refined and processed foods in favor of whole, natural foods, especially vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage and dark, green leafy vegetables may be especially helpful. Also avoid refined sugar, alcohol, caffeine, commercially raised meat and dairy products, hydrogenated fats and vegetable oils.

Try Some Basic Supplements
There are three nutritional supplements that tend to help PMS in general. The first is magnesium, which is abundant in dark green, leafy vegetables. Magnesium is important both in hormone production and breakdown. The second is vitamin B6, another critical nutrient in hormonal and neurotransmitter regulation, which also tends to be deficient in women with PMS. Finally, oils that contain the fatty acid GLA (such as Super GLA) have been helpful for many women with PMS. Oils high in GLA also include evening primrose oil and black currant oil.

Get Some Exercise
At least 30 minutes of brisk walking, cycling, swimming or other aerobic activity per day at least 3 days a week can help improve your overall health and alleviate symptoms such as fatigue and a depressed mood.

De-stress
Stress depletes progesterone, serotonin and do pamine and raises the hormone aldosterone, which contributes to water retention and magnesium loss in PMS. While it's impossible to avoid challenging situations in life, taking time to deliberately relax and take care of yourself will counteract the effects of stress. Schedule time to relax, meditate, stretch, do yoga, get a massage, take a walk or whatever nurtures your being and helps you unwind.
When confronted with stressful situations, practice breathing slowly and deeply to help you remain calm. If stress is a problem for you, consider taking Nutri-Calm or a calming nervine formula like Stress-J to help you unwind.

Hydrate
Drink 1 to 2 quarts of water per day, even if you get water retention as part of your PMS symptoms. Water will help your body detox, help you relax and improve your sleep. Even if you have PMS Type H, drink water.

Avoid Xenoestrogens
Xenoestrogens are environmental chemicals that mimic the action of estrogen in the body. They are a major factor in PMS Type A, which is the most common type, but may be involved in other types of PMS and female reproductive
problems as well. Sources of xenoestrogens include many pesticides and agricultural chemicals, hormones fed to animals that make their way into commercial eggs, dairy and meat, chemicals from plastic containers (especially soft plastics) and some cosmetic products.
Eating organic foods and avoiding plastic containers, especially with hot food, is a good place to start in avoiding these chemicals.

Support Your Liver
As mentioned previously, PMS may involve an overburdened and toxic liver. This is supported by the fact that many herbs that aid liver detoxification and nourish the blood have been traditionally used to ease PMS symptoms.
A classic Chinese formula for this purpose is dong quai root, prepared rehmannia root, white peony root and ligusticum rhizome. Millions of Chinese women take these four herbs throughout their childbearing years to reduce or eliminate PMS and menstrual problems and also to ease the transition into menopause. All four of these herbs are found in Blood Stimulator.
Blood Stimulator is helpful for many female health issues. Its traditional Chinese name, Bu Xue, means “build the blood,” alluding to its ability to counteract the anemia and weakness many women experience due to monthly blood ioss. It strengthens the liver, helps to balance blood sugar (PMS Type C), eases depression (PMS Type D), can help skin problems (PMS Type S) and ease heavy menstrual bleeding. Combined with magnesium and vitamin B6,it can be a good tonic for any woman with PMS who also suffers from heavy menstrual bleeding.
Liver balance is another Chinese herbal formula that maybe helpful for PMS. It helps decongest the liver, reducing feelings of anger and irritability (PMS Type A)