You Don't Have To Suffer With PMS-Women

» You Don't Have To Suffer With PMS

You Don't Have To Suffer With PMS by: Dr. Loretta Lanphier ND, CN, HHP

We now know that premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is experienced by 60% of all women. What causes PMS has been difficult for researchers to pin down because each woman experiences symptoms differently.

PMS Symptoms

When making the diagnosis, the most important tool you can use is a chart of the cyclic nature in which they occur. If nothing is done to interrupt PMS, it often gets worse over time. You may begin by having symptoms just a few days before your period that stop abruptly as soon as your period begins. Later, the symptoms gradually begin to appear one to two weeks before the onset of menses. Over time, you may have only two or three days of the month that are symptom-free. Eventually no discernable pattern of good days and bad days can be detected. You feel as if you have PMS all of the time.

There are general symptoms that have been determined that include:

Abdominal bloating

Abdominal cramping

Accident proneness, coordination difficulties

Acne, hives

Aggression, rage

Alcohol intolerance

Anxiety, irritability, suicidal thoughts

Asthma

Back pain

Breast swelling and pain

Bruising

Confusion

Depression, withdrawal from others, emotional liability

Edema

Exacerbation of preexisting conditions (lupus, arthritis, ulcers, herpes, etc.)

Fatigue, lethargy

Fainting

Food binges, salt cravings, sweet cravings

Headache, migraine

Heart palpitations

Insomnia

Joint swelling and pain

Nausea

Seizures

Sex drive changes

Sinus problems

Sore throat

Urinary difficulties

Don’t confuse PMS with cramps occurring at the beginning of your period, which is a different condition.

Chart the Pattern

You don’t have to suffer. By keeping a chart of your symptoms, you can often begin to see a pattern emerge and predict when the symptoms will start. Keeping a daily symptom journal can be a valuable tool when trying to uncover your premenstrual symptom triggers and the issues associated with them. Many events and other factors can contribute to or trigger your PMS by resulting in hormonal changes in the body, including:

Onset of menses

Perimenopause

Discontinuing birth control pills

Amenorrhea

Childbirth, or termination of pregnancy

Toxemia during pregnancy

Tubal ligation

Unusual trauma

Decreased light associated with autumn and winter

Family history of alcoholism; parent or grandparent who is an alcoholic

High consumption of dairy products

Excessive consumption of caffeine (soft drinks, coffee, chocolate)

High blood levels of estrogen

Low blood levels of progesterone, either due to lack of production or excessive breakdown

Diet that leads to increased levels of the hormone prostaglandin F2

Excess body weight which can increase you levels of estrogen

Low levels of vitamins B, C and/or E

Selenium deficiency

Magnesium deficiency causing chocolate cravings

End the Suffering

Many of the factors in this list you can control. For years allopathic (traditional) medicine has given symptomatic treatments for PMS that do not work. Most physicians do not know the latest research on hormone balancing. Some never had any training in PMS. Treating a woman’s bloating with diuretics, headaches with painkillers, and anxiety with Valium ignores the underlying imbalance that led to PMS. Many of the treatments prescribed often have side effects. Psychotherapy can provide insight about stress, but this bypasses the nutritional and biochemical aspects of this disorder.

Don’t give up! There are answers that can help you heal your PMS:

Adopt a diet of fresh, in-season, organic fruits and vegetables.

Review your dietary needs eliminating caffeine, sugar, dairy and excess soy.

Take good organic multivitamin mineral supplements.

Reduce stress.

Consider participating in a 12-step program if alcoholism runs in your family.

Get at least 20 minute of aerobic exercise five times per week.

Try reflexology.

Get more natural or full-spectrum light.

Test hormone levels and apply natural progesterone.

For more suggestions go to www.menopause-pms-progesterone.org and www.oasisserene.com.

At Oasis Advanced Wellness hormonal levels can be tested with a simple and inexpensive saliva test performed in the privacy of your own home. With these results and your symptom journal, you can determine your need for natural hormone replacement therapy (HRT). One product that is safe and non-toxic is natural progesterone. It helps to balance the effects of estrogen, and has a calming effect on the nervous system. The use of natural progesterone in combination with lifestyle changes often improves PMS symptoms. By reviewing your symptoms, we can evaluate your diet and exercise program, create a program and then monitor your progress.

You can find out more about the solutions in my e-Book, Balancing Your Hormones Without Drugs…You Can Feel Good Again.

About The Author

Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP is a Doctor of Naturopath, Clinical Nutritionist and Holistic Health Practitioner in the Houston, TX area and Founder / CEO of Oasis Advanced Wellness. A teacher, educator and seminar speaker, she counsels Oasis Advanced Wellness clients on the aspects of getting the body healthy and keeping the body healthy. As a cancer survivor, she is able to relate extensively, both as a patient and a practitioner, to clients suffering from disease. She is also involved in researching new alternative disease treatments and products. Dr. Lanphier is Editor and contributor to the worldwide E-newsletter Advanced Health & Wellness. To receive a free subscription go to: www.oasisadvancedwellness.com. Be sure and visit our hormonal balancing site at www.menopause-pms-progesterone.org and www.oasisserene.com.

staff@oasisadvancedwellness.com

This article was posted on August 08, 2004