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It’s hard to embrace the days when PMS symptoms leave you fatigued and in pain. According to the Office on Women’s Health, over 90% of women experience PMS symptoms. Most women experience milder PMS symptoms, though some have it rough and are forced to call in sick. We are here to help give you some tools to add to your wellness tool belt in the hope that it will help you to live with less struggle and more joy.
PMS or Premenstrual Syndrome is an assortment of emotional and physical symptoms brought on by a crash in oestrogen and progesterone in the days following ovulation. These symptoms disappear after your menstrual cycle begins and as hormone levels stabilise.
Some of the most common symptoms attributed to PMS are:
- Physical Symptoms: cramps, bloating, acne, weight gain, fluid retention, digestive disturbances, clumsiness, headaches, joint & muscle pain or breast tenderness.
- Emotional Symptoms: mood swings, irritability, depression, insomnia, anxiety or confusion.
- Mental Symptoms: inability to focus or concentrate, feeling like you're going around in circles, forgetfulness,
PMDD
It's important to mention, that if you have severe depression, social anxiety or other major mental health issues before your period arrives, this may not be PMS, it may be PMDD. The same tips mentioned in this article can also help PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder).
PMDD is considered an endocrine disorder (also hormone-related) and there are links between PMDD and Pyrrole disorder (usually the root cause of these like most health issues is poor gut health and imbalanced gut flora).
This condition seems to be on the rise and so is pyrrole disorder as our stress levels seem to rise and gut issues are also on the up (both of these things can cause Pyrrole and PMDD).
As someone who has both of these issues, I have lots of experience here and I can tell you that by getting my diagnosis and correcting my nutrition (this cannot be guessed/self-diagnosed and must be done under the supervision of a holistic doctor/functional medicine doctor as blood tests will need to be taken and proper nutrients prescribed), I am feeling a lot better these days, however, if I fall off the "wagon" with diet, stress etc. I really suffer just before my period arrives! 😫
Getting our gut health right, managing stress diet, butting down/out caffeine, alcohol & sugar, moving our body, taking correct nutrients for Pyrrole can all help.
I will write more in depth about this soon so be sure to be subscribed to our newsletter. If you're not and would like to be, please contact me here.
Easing PMS (and PMDD) Symptoms
Fortunately, there are many natural remedies that ease the discomfort of PMS symptoms.
NATURAL WAYS TO REDUCE PMS SYMPTOMS
When isn’t a good time to dine on fresh fruits a vegetables (never really); this is especially true if you suffer from PMS. It’s not uncommon for women on their cycle to eat extra calories so to avoid binging on junk food, fill your plate with a spectrum of different coloured fruits and vegetables. You’ll ingest an array of vitamins like calcium, fibre and vitamin C which will alleviate PMS symptoms. Additionally, many dark leafy greens are rich in iron which helps prevent fatigue
Countless studies suggest consuming enough calcium every day can result in a decline in fatigue, moodiness and food cravings. Additionally, if taken with vitamin D, calcium can drastically reduce the onset of PMS symptoms.
Try dairy or dairy-free options like sesame seeds, tahini, brazil nuts, beans, peas, almonds, seaweed, leafy greens, green cruciferous veggies or parsley.
Matchinga is also an excellent source of calcium - it actually has 9 x the calcium of milk! Check it out here.
- Ground yourself on the earth each day
Because grounding (being 'earthed') helps to influence our parasympathetic nervous system, this can help many factors of wellbeing but did you know that grounding (earthing) can also help to naturally rebalance your hormones?
It's true. Balanced hormones help to reduce stress, lower anxiety, decrease depression and increase feelings of happiness and well-being, and also reduce PMS symptoms.
So kick off your shoes and get your bare feet on the ground every day (or as often as possible) just 5-10 minutes is all it takes! Begin to see the subtle and non-so-subtle changes occur in your body and how you feel.
It may seem counterintuitive to drink plenty of water to offset PMS, but drinking lots of water will actually ease bloating and help with digestion.
The super-fruit baobab is packed full of nutrients and is, low-cal/low-carb, high in fibre and rich in calcium, vitamin C, B vitamins and iron. All of these nutrients have a direct role in boosting progesterone and clearing out extra eostrogen to alleviate PMS symptoms.
As mentioned, Matchinga (Matcha and Moringa) is a like a whole food version of a multivitamin for good health, containing antioxidants, amino acids, iron and calcium (to name a few) — all of which will support your body through the trials of PMS.
More and more evidence is coming forward to suggest vitamin D deficiencies has a direct impact on our moods. This of course is bad news if you happen to be vitamin D deficient and suffer from PMS, so the solution apart from getting sunshine is to take a high-quality supplement like our Vitamin D3 drops.
Sunshine is one of the most important "supplements" known to man, we have been fooled into believing that it's 100% dangerous but this is simply not true. I heard a doctor recently speak about how we are scared into thinking that it is dangerous because sunshine is actually healing and not getting the right light is more harmful than it is good.
Just remember, there is no money in cures and healthy people, and "they" know this so the truth is often kept from the masses.
Whilst I cannot give health advice, I can say this. For me personally, sun (at the right time of day) is right up there with getting my bare feet on the bare earth. To me the most powerful healers are found in nature and they are free! Vitamin D (from the sun) ☀️ and vitamin "G" meaning vitamin ground as the earth's energy is incredibly powerful when our body's can properly receive it. Learn more about Earthing (grounding) in my recent blog 'What on Earth is earthing'?
If you find yourself snacking on junk between meals, grab a handful of unsalted mixed nuts. Nuts are nutrient-dense, namely in omega-3s that are known to reduce inflammation and fibre to aid in digestion.
Try: Activated or organic unsalted mixed nuts as the oils and nutrients haven’t been destroyed during the heating process.
You’ll want to steer clear of simple carbs (white breads or pasta) and go for complex carbs as they boast a higher fibre content, this slows sugar digestion down to prevent digestive complaints.
Try: Pumpkin, sweet potatoes, lentils, unprocessed oats, whole wheat or potatoes (unless you are sensitive to carbs or on a low-carb/keto diet, then go for more greens, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers etc...)
Alcohol rids the body of B vitamins and is more likely to trigger depression while too much caffeine often causes tenderness so reduce your consumption of both. When it comes to sugar, aim to nourish your body with fruit sugars (in moderation) for good blood sugar levels. Limiting all the above will work to improve your moods, anxiety and bloating.
Liver is a superfood, especially for women because it’s rich in iron and other nutrients. It’s important for women to replace their iron stores after a cycle so you’re less likely to encounter fatigue or headaches.
Try: Our Desiccated Liver Powder or our Multi-organs supplement for all the same (plus more) potential health benefits as liver.
If you’re physically affected by PMS, one of the easiest ways to help alleviate your symptoms is to take a high-quality magnesium supplement like our Perfect Magnesium Citrate Powder. This can also help you sleep better and instil a whole-body calm.
- Sage tea. By balancing hormones, sage tea has been shown to help alleviate not only PMS symptoms like cramps, but also menopause symptoms like hot flashes. 1 cup a day is often enough. Just be aware that sage can interact with some medications like anti-seizure meds, and some conditions like diabetes, high or low blood pressure and hormone sensitive disorders. Speak to your doctor before using sage tea if you have any of these conditions.
- Reduce stress. Reducing stress is also very important for helping to balance hormones and reduce PMS symptoms and in the later part of our cycle this can be even more challenging as as may tend to feel more anxious! I find that meditation has helped me a LOT with my PMS symptoms but I need to stay on top of my day-to-day stress of business and life - which can be challenging at the best of times!
Best Ways to Reduce PMS
There really is no need to endure the trials of PMS, not when there are so many things you can do to reduce PMS symptoms by helping to balance your hormones and wellbeing. Fight back by taking your health into your hands and try out one or many of these tips until you find your solution to a drama-free cycle.
For any health-related advice, it's always best to speak to your trusted health practitioner or medical physician.
Summary
To summarise the above, here are some of the best tips for helping reduce PMS Symptoms:
You Might Like Our PMS Support Pack
(Click on the image below to take you to the product)
REFERENCES
https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/premenstrual-syndrome
https://www.healthline.com/health/pms-supplements#TOC_TITLE_HDR_1
https://www.webmd.com/women/pms/supplements-help-with-pms
https://www.liverdoctor.com/diet-end-pms-pre-menstrual-syndrome/
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/11-diet-changes-that-help-you-fight-pms/
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/prior-stress-could-worsen-premenstrual-symptoms-nih-study-finds
https://eco-age.com/resources/what-is-earthing
http://www.hriptc.org/hriptc/pyro.html
Disclaimer: the information in this article is intended purely as information and not health advice. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure and one should always seek expert advice from their trusted health practitioner.
