Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) IS real, and refers to physical and/or emotional symptoms occurring in the two weeks leading up to your period. Not every woman gets PMS and for those that do, the symptoms vary from woman to woman.
Typical symptoms include:
- Acne
- Anxiety or depression
- Appetite changes or cravings
- Bloating
- Feeling tired (especially midafternoon)
- Headache or backache
- Irregular or short menstrual cycles
- Irritability
- Joint or muscle pain.
- Sore, tender or swollen breasts
- Tension, moodiness, or crying spells
- Trouble sleeping
- Trouble with concentration or memory
- Upset stomach, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea.
- Water retention
I include the following in the PMS category because the underlying cause for these issues is the same as it is for PMS.
- Endometriosis (uterine lining growth outside of the uterine cavity)
- Heavy periods with or without blood clots
- Uterine fibroids
- Painful periods
- Fibrocystic breasts
WHAT CAUSES PMS?
Most symptoms relate back to Estrogen Dominance which is a phrase coined by Dr. John Lee who pioneered all the research on bio-identical progesterone that is still valid today.
WHAT IS ESTROGEN DOMINANCE?
In a hormonally balanced woman, both estrogen and progesterone levels are relatively low during the menstrual period. Immediately following the period, estrogen levels rise quite rapidly and dramatically, peaking at ovulation.
It is this higher level of estrogen that stimulates the production of your uterine lining (endometrium) in preparation for conception.
Progesterone, on the other hand, stays relatively low during the first half of the cycle and it peaks after ovulation occurs. Ovulation triggers the release of progesterone.
For the second phase of the cycle, from ovulation to the next period, progesterone should dominate over estrogen. Progesterone plays a vital role in making the endometrium receptive to implantation of a fertilized egg.
When conception does not occur, both estrogen and progesterone drop, causing the uterine lining to shed, which is the bleeding that is experienced when a woman gets her period. The entire cycle then repeats itself.
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS
In the second half of the menstrual cycle, from ovulation to period, today’s woman either doesn’t produce enough progesterone OR has elevated levels of estrogen in relationship to her progesterone.
It doesn’t matter which one you have, progesterone deficiency or estrogen excess, the actual discrepancy between the two (estrogen and progesterone) is referred to as “estrogen dominance.”
HOW CAN YOU ELIMINATE PMS?
The focus will be on lowering your estrogen and raising your progesterone. To do this, you need to correct the cause of your estrogen dominance.
Each woman is different, but thankfully there is a generalized program that will start giving you some immediate results.
I also recommend fine tuning your program by following the guidelines mapped out in my book “Get Off the PMS and Perimenopausal Roller Coaster, Learn 9 Natural Fast Track Solutions to Balanced Hormones.” HERE
OPTION A: If you have mild to moderate symptoms I recommend the PMS and Perimenopause “Fast Track Foundation” Package with B6 found HERE
Your program would look like this:
After Breakfast or Lunch
- 1 Total Health Pack
- 1 (mild) or 2 (moderate) caps of Synergistic Vitamin B6 from ovulation to period
Before Bed
- 3 (+/-) Magnesium Citrate with L-Taurine
OPTION B: However, if you have any of the following more serious symptoms, then I recommend the Severe PMS and Perimenopause “Fast Track Foundation” Package with I-3-C found HERE
- Excessive Menstrual Bleeding
- Ovarian Cysts
- Fibroids
- Increased Weight Gain Around Your Middle
- Endometriosis
- Painful periods
- Fibrocystic breasts
Your program would look like this:
After Breakfast or Lunch
- 1 Total Health Pack
- 1 I-3-C
- 1,000 mg of Synergistic B5 (pantothenic acid) and/or 2 wild yam **optional for adrenal support
After dinner
- 1 I-3-C
Before Bed
- 3 (+/-) Magnesium Citrate with L-Taurine
BRENDA’S PERSONAL STORY
I am over 55 now and PMS seems so long ago, but it did have a profound effect on my life. I vividly remember having excessively heavy periods and horrible sugar cravings. If there was nothing sweet in the house, I would make a bowl of icing and eat that. YUCK! Just the thought of it now makes my teeth hurt.
To call me “bitchy” at that time of the month was an understatement. All my friends would give me a wide berth in the days leading up to my period. I couldn’t understand why my popularity would swing up and down. It was a mystery until one friend was kind enough to enlighten me.
Fast forward a few more years; I entered the nutritional field and started learning how vitamins and eating habits effected everything in my health. I began a program very similar to the one I have designed for you and, I couldn’t believe it, my symptoms got so much better.
ALL my PMS disappeared once I began taking some specific supplements and did a colon cleanse! That’s right! A colon cleanse. When you read my book, “Get Off the PMS and Perimenopausal Roller Coaster, Learn 9 Natural Fast Track Solutions to Balanced Hormones” you will understand the correlation.
In a nutshell, excess estrogen MUST be able vacate your body via your bowels, and if you have poor bowel function as I did, then you will reabsorb your estrogen and become estrogen dominant. To learn more about how to do a proper deep herbal colon cleanse (the same one I did all those years ago), you can purchase my “Scoop on Poop” Colon Cleansing e-Manual HERE
From then on, everything went well until I hit a period of extreme stress. This lead to an undetected thyroid issue which sent me into perimenopause then menopause in my early 30’s. I went through hell trying to balance my hormones and it took quite a long time to do so, but in the process, I became an expert in Women’s Hormones and now you can benefit from my research and vast experience with my own hormonal issues and those of hundreds of clients.
OTHER NUTRIENT SUPPORT FOR PMS AND PERIMENOPAUSE
You’ll learn more about these products and how they apply specifically to PMS in my book “Get Off the PMS and Perimenopausal Roller Coaster, Learn 9 Natural Fast Track Solutions to Balanced Hormones” HERE
- Norwegian Kelp
- L-Tryptophan or 5- HTP (either can help raise serotonin levels)
- Candida Package (GO HERE to find out if Candida is an issue for you) LINK to the great
- Adrenal Rejuvenation Supplements (for more details GO HERE) **LINK TO NEW ADRENAL ARTICLE under health solutions
- Milk Thistle
- Liver with Milk Thistle
Purchase your PMS Package to get started on recovering your energy and vibrancy now, GO HERE.
AND REMEMBER THESE 5 CRITICAL LIFESTYLE STRATEGIES
(For More Details Go HERE)
- Drink ½ ounce of purified water per pound of body weight daily.
- Eat 2 cups of vegetables daily, not including lettuce, potato, peas, corn and mushrooms. You can eat them; they just don’t count.
- Reduce caffeine intake to no more than 16 ounces of organic coffee per day. Zero to 8 ounces is preferable.
- Have four to five sugar free days per week.
- Find exercise you enjoy, that energizes you and get movement at least 4 times per week.
Information made available through this website is provided for educational or reference purposes only. Nutritional Therapy and/or Coaching is not intended as a diagnosis, treatment, prescription, or cure for any disease, mental or physical, and is not intended as a substitute for regular medical care.
Copyright Brenda Eastwood, RNCP and Megan Boff, RNCP 2016 – I’m Not Possessed, It’s PMS
MaximumResults@shaw.ca www.BrendaEastwood.com www.TotalHealthPack.com
Would you like to use this article in your E-zine or website? You may, if you include this complete write-up with it: Brenda Eastwood is a holistic health expert who specializes in Women’s Health Issues. Her expertise stems from over 35 years’ experience as a Registered Nutritional Consulting Practitioner. This includes ongoing research, 17 years running a successful private practice, presenting hundreds of seminars and workshops, as well as coaching clients through her unique online Inner Circle program. Today she is reaching out to even more women through her regular article contributions to HANS (Health Action Magazine) and her book “Get off the PMS and Perimenopausal Roller Coaster, Learn 9 Natural Fast Track Solutions to Balanced Hormones”. For more information on Brenda Eastwood please visit www.BrendaEastwood.com or for information on her Total Health Packs visit www.TotalHealthPack.com
