February 22, 2019
The U.S. Office on Woman’s Health states that over 90% of woman experience some type of premenstrual symptoms such as bloating, headaches, and mood swings. For many women, their first instinct is to grab some OTC painkillers but this is just masking the real cause of PMS: Unbalanced hormones.
Before reaching for those gut bacteria killing pills, why not take a more natural look at how PMS can be reduced.
How to Manage PMS Naturally
Clean Your Diet Up
Fibre! Did you know that constipation causes imbalances in your gut bacteria? If you don’t “do the doo” at least once a day, the estrogen that is not being removed can be reabsorbed into your blood. Increase your consumption of vegetables, especially of the cruciferous family, as these contain DIM and sulphur compounds, which help detoxify excess estrogen and the liver.
Pick Organic
Today’s foods, especially meats and animal by-products, are ladened with Xenoestrogens and pesticides which are endocrine disruptors in the manner that they have estrogen-like effects on our body and interfere with our natural estrogen.
Increase Omega-3 Fatty Acids
This can be done by eating more cold water fatty fish ( salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, anchovies), and nuts (flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts).
Cut Back, or Even Better, Stop Drinking Alcohol
Alcohol may increase the risk of PMS as it prevents our liver from excreting excess estrogen.
Limit Caffeine
Many women consume more caffeine before menstruation in hopes to fight PMS fatigue. However, caffeine is a stimulant drug. It increases our heart rate, blood pressure and tension. Hello, cramps! An increased dose can cause trouble sleeping, causing even more exhaustion.
Cut Out Sugar, Simple Carbohydrates and Processed Foods
Keep blood sugar balanced by not skipping meals and eating wholesome natural foods.
Exercise
A combination of resistance training and cardiovascular is preferred. However, make sure you’re not overdoing it as exercise is a form of stress, which leads to my last point.
Manage Stress
Many times stress is the culprit of an early cycle, a missed cycle, and severity of PMS symptoms. A study published in the Journal of Woman’s Health found that woman who reported feeling stressed were more likely to report levels of psychological and physical symptoms during menstruation. Additionally, the severity of symptoms corresponded with the changes in their stress level.
I tried incorporating these into my own life and have relieved many of my PMS symptoms that were unbearable before. Drugs are not always the answer! I hope these tips can aid you as much as they did for me.
