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PMS:
the Hormonal
see-saw
by Lynn
Hinderliter CN, LDN |
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I recall when I was a young woman, my boss called
me in one day to say that I simply had to do something about my
regular monthly absences: to him, it was an inconvenience, showing
how ill-fitted women were for higher managerial positions: to me, it
was the inevitable time each month when I was fit for nothing.
If only I had known then what I know now!
PMS does not come in only one flavor, however.
It is defined by letter as PMS- A for Anxiety, PMS- C
for Cravings, PMS- D for Depression, and PMS-H for
Hyperhydration. See table below:
|
PMS-A |
PMS-C |
PMS-H |
PMS-D |
| Anxiety |
Crave sweets |
Weight gain |
Depression |
| Irritability |
Increased appetite |
Breasts tender |
Forgetfulness |
| Insomnia |
Eating sugar causes: |
Bloating |
Confusion |
| Depression-
late |
|
headaches |
Edema of: |
Lethargy |
| |
|
palpitations |
|
face |
|
|
| |
|
fatigue/fainting |
|
extremities |
|
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Two new groups, Acne (pimples, oily
skin and hair) and Dysmenorrhea (cramps, low back pain,
nausea) have not yet been designated letters. A new name was
recently given to a certain grouping of mostly psychological
symptoms, PMDD, or Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder. My belief is
that this set of symptoms was singled out and named specofocsally so that
anti-depressants could be prescribed .. but that's another story,
and certainly some of us can attest that the condition exists!
The most common reason for PMS is a hormonal
imbalance, most frequently estrogen dominance; but
nutrient deficiencies, poor dietary choices, thyroid imbalance and
serotonin deficiency can also be factors.
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Dietary changes are
the first line of defense to cope with this.
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- Make sure your diet contains between 30 and 50 grams of
fiber each day. This inevitably means other healthy
changes will follow, since the best sources of fiber are fruits and
vegetables, and whole grains. The added fiber lowers the estrogen
levels in your blood: it appears that lack of fiber and an excess
of animal fats together promote the presence of bacteria in the
colon which, instead of allowing estrogen to be eliminated, in
effect change conjugated estrogens into free estrogens, which are
re-absorbed and recirculated.
- Second, concentrate on fresh vegetables and fruits
for the folic acid and phytonutrients they contain. Juicing
makes extra sense at around this time, but go easy on the sweet
things: I recommend a blend of carrot, celery, ginger,
lemon and apple. Add a little parsley if you tend to retain
water.
- A short course of pro-biotic supplementation is
also recommended and if your type of PMS appears to be
related to estrogen dominance, the use of a natural progesterone
cream can be enormously helpful. While the creams made from Wild
Yam may help a little, I recommend the use of the ones that
actually contain natural progesterone such as Pure
Essence's FemCreme.
- It is not a good idea to use
progesterone for PMD-D, unless you have had your hormone levels
measured and determined a deficiency exists.
- Limit salt - studies have shown that
women susceptible to PMS use 78% more salt. Consider herbs
and spices in your cooking, parsley, paprika, sage and cayenne are
good choices. A little soy sauce could replace some of the
salt, but of course, it is also high in sodium so go carefully.
- Taking birth control pills can cause higher
requirements of magnesium and B6, but these nutrients are also
sensitive to consumption of excess sugar and/ or alcohol. Some
nutritionists theorize that a craving for chocolate signals
low levels of magnesium, since this nutrient is present in chocolate
in high amounts. Conversely, supplementing with magnesium ( and
chromium) can reduce cravings for sweets and chocolate.
- Adding some soy to the diet, whether as
tofu, soy milk, or a soy drink not only helps mediate the symptoms
of PMS, but appears to have long-term benefits as well. A study**
published in Cancer (2002;94:1166-1174.)
by a Dr. Kimar and colleagues determined that
the use of soy also slightly lengthened the menstrual cycle, and
therefore lessened women's exposure to the "bad" estrogens,
estradiol and estrone. Using other plant phytoestrogens may have
the same effect.
-
There a number of
herbal teas which can be both comforting and therapeutic at this
time. Some companies make specific blends, such as
Traditional Medicinals' PMS blend; otherwise sage, red
raspberry, dandelion, ginger and Eleutherococcus (formerly known
as Siberian Ginseng) are good choices.
-
Taking some things OUT
of the diet can be as important as adding the right foods. Many women
are sensitive to foods containing Solanin ( the nightshade
family) such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and tobacco.
These, with Sugar, alcohol and caffeine* are
inducers of the inflammatory cascade which can seriously affect
PMS status. Arachidonic acid is also a precursor to the
inflammatory prostaglandins, and is found mainly in meat and
dairy products. Limiting these foods during the days
before your cycle may pay dividends.
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Those of you who are
limiting your fat intake thinking to control weight, need to be aware of the importance
of
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) |
PMS is affected not only by an excess of the wrong
Fatty Acids, but also by inadequate intake of supportive EFAs :
dry skin, poor hair growth, low energy levels and other more serious
health problems can result.
Many women benefit from the use of
Evening Primrose oil, or other sources of GLA such as
borage or black currant.. PMS sufferers who use 500 mg 3 x daily of
GLA & DGLA show improvements in all areas, specifically depression,
irritability, breast tenderness and fluid retention.
The Omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil have been
studied for helping depression, and would definitely be a good
addition in the case of PMS-D. I have heard PMS defined as
"inflammation without infection", and since Omega 3s control the
inflammatory cascade, their use may have benefits in other
areas of swelling and tenderness as well.
A good multi vitamin throughout the month can
promote significant improvement in PMS symptoms by ensuring the
availability of the many nutrients that play a part in hormonal
control. Available also are formulas combining
beneficial herbs with extra Magnesium and B6 for the days of the
cycle.
If you are plagued by the psychological symptoms
mentioned above, you may find relief by adding L-Tryptophan,
an amino acid which is the natural precursor to Serotonin, at a
dosage of 1 to 3 500 mg capsules daily. Remember that B6 is
necessary for this function!
In Europe, health oriented physicians have
for many years made use of a herb called Agnus Castus,
sometimes marketed as Vitex or Chasteberry. . Several
studies have shown that it helps control acne by normalizing sexual
hormones, but a German study, using a liquid extract of Vitex, rated
its effect as very good or good in 92% of PMS cases. A significant
reduction was noted in such symptoms as headaches, bloating,
fatigue, breast tenderness, nervousness & irritability. It is also
helpful for correcting menstrual abnormalities because of its
influence on the luteal phase defect. Chasteberry influences
the pituitary gland to regulate the balance between estrogen and
progesterone.
Pycnogenol (a patented pine bark extract) has been
studied for relief from the physical symptoms of PMS, with
excellent success in controlling cramps and discomfort.
Using other herbs such as Dong Quai (an
anti-spasmodic which helps prevent cramping), Licorice Root
(helpful for stress and digestion, and Ginger (an
anti-inflammatory) is also helpful, and there are teas containing
them which are effective and comforting.
Many experts have concluded that the strength
of the bone that has been laid down in adolescence is a direct
indicator of how the aging body will cope with bone loss: and
while no one dwells on that in their early years, it helps to
know that the dietary changes recommended here will also make sure
that your body is stronger to resist the demands of child-bearing
years and the aging process.
In short, PMS is classic case of a problem where it is possible for
you to take charge, and in a non-invasive, self-enhancing way -
improve your quality of life through natural help.
*
A Study has found a strong association between caffeine and PMS:
61% of women who drank 4 to 15 caffeine containing drinks daily
experienced symptoms: only 16% of women who did not ingest
caffeine had symptoms. **An increase in menstrual cycle length would
reduce the number of menstrual cycles during a lifetime, thereby
reducing the total number of times the breast is exposed to
estrogen," Dr. Kumar's group points out. Furthermore, "women will
spend more days in the increased follicular cycle, when
proliferation is at its lowest." They continued: "These
effects are mediated by the pituitary gland, and long-term effects
on the pituitary gland may result in an overall antiestrogenic
effect and, thus, in a lower risk for breast carcinoma."
A note here on endometriosis, a serious
condition which affects many women and which is addressed frequently
by a hysterectomy, and/or hormone injections.
Before you go that route, which brings its own
problems in its wake, you may be interested to learn that
Pycnogenol
(already, as mentioned above, studied for certain PMS symptoms)
turns out to be as effective a treatment as the injections.
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More sensible Guidelines to help yourself with
PMS
Important
information: ANY woman who is on birth control, and has received the
report of an atypical Pap smear needs to know about this.
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