That Time of the Month: Managing PMS Naturally

Photo by Gabriel Delgado

Pre-menstrual syndrome can cause some pretty serious discomfort and disruption in the lives of many women.  There are natural ways to treat PMS and easy remedies that you can try at home to lessen the symptoms of this syndrome.  Most women are familiar with the typical symptoms of PMS:  increased emotions and water weight gain before the onset of menstrual bleeding.  But, did you know that PMS can include such symptoms as food cravings, bowel changes, sleep changes, and even increased clumsiness?  PMS symptoms don’t even need to occur before the onset of your period.  PMS is defined as any symptom that comes regularly timed with your menstrual cycle.  That could be before, during and after.  So the name Pre-Menstrual Syndrome is actually a bit of a misnomer. Most women are told by their doctors that there is not treatment for mild menstrual symptoms, and the standard treatment for severe PMS is birth control pills or anti-depressants.  There are risks and side-effects with both of these options, however, there is actually a lot you can do to treat PMS naturally.  In this article we will discuss Natural remedies for PMS including nutritional supplements, acupuncture, dietary changes and exercise.

PMS occurs because of hormonal shifts that happen to every woman during her menstrual cycle.  Two hormones, estrogen and progesterone, play an important role in this cycle.  PMS symptoms occur when one or both of these hormones are a little unbalanced.  Too much or too little of either hormone can cause a lot of symptoms.

Important to a healthy menstrual cycle is proper functioning of the liver and the colon.  The liver actually plays a really important role in regulating the level of hormones in the blood stream, because it breaks down hormones and helps the body get rid of them via the bowels.  If the liver is congested,  this function becomes encumbered, and you have higher levels of hormones in your blood.  The colon must also be working optimally because it is your body’s primary mode of elimination.  The slower your bowel transit time, the more your body can reabsorb toxins and metabolized hormones.  The blood supply from the colon feeds right back into the liver, so if you aren’t eliminating properly, you may be adding extra burden to the liver.  Also, it is important to remember that the menstrual cycle is a natural function of the female body, and a certain amount of fluctuation in mood, energy and libido are a normal part of that cycle.  But you shouldn’t ever have to just put up with extreme or uncomfortable symptoms.  Here are some natural remedies you can use to help regulate your cycle and decrease PMS.

Evening Primrose Oil: Essential Fatty Acids, rich in Omega 3’s are great for helping with the symptoms of PMS.  Not only are they anti-inflammatory, but they help regulate your hormones as well.  Try this supplement if you tend to get breast tenderness before your period.  Take as directed.

Regular Acupuncture:  Acupuncture helps move circulation, stimulate the liver, reduce stress, regulate the bowels, and improves mood.  Regular treatments can do wonders for the symptoms of PMS.  Acupuncture is ideal because it can work on a physical and psychological level.  Just because you have PMS doesn’t mean you aren’t upset about real issues.  Regular acupuncture can help you process emotions and you’ll find that your life flows more smoothly.  Click here to learn more about Acupuncture.

Flax Seed Meal: Flax is also high in Omega 3’s,  I like to recommend the flax meal over the oil for two reasons.  One, flax oil goes rancid very quickly, fresh ground meal is just that, fresh!  Two, flax meal is an excellent source of soluble fiber; keeping your bowels moving is an important part of regulating PMS, as discussed above.  To get the best flax meal, I recommend you grind it yourself.  It is really easy!  Use a coffee grinder or spice mill, (have one just for this purpose) and grind one tablespoon of flax seeds just before using.  If you really don’t have time to do it daily, it is still better to grind a bunch on your own,  store in an air tight container in the freezer, and use with in a week.  That way you know it hasn’t been sitting on the shelf for a month before you bought it.  You can use flax meal in smoothies, sprinkled on salad, or in hot breakfast cereal.

Exercise: We all know we should do it.  But getting out there and moving your body is especially important right before your period.  Exercise increases circulation, which flushes out your liver, and reduces stress.  Even a 30 minute walk will do wonders for you body and mood.

Herbal Remedies: Simple common herbs that help with PMS are dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale), yellow dock root (Rumex crispus), burdock root (Arcticum lappa), and motherwort leaf (Leonurus cardiaca).  Taken alone or together these herbs will all gently cleanse the liver and regulate hormones, dandelion root and motherwort are also diuretics and can help with water weight gain.  These herbs can all be quite bitter, so you may want to take them in a tincture form, or add herbs like ginger, cinnamon and licorice to improve the flavor of a tea.  I really like the PMS Compound ticture, and the Alterative Tea both by Wise Woman Herbals.

Chinese Herbs: There are also many Chinese herbal formulas that are helpful for the symptoms of PMS.  The most famous is called Xiao Yao Wan, or is sometimes known by the name Free and Easy Wanderer. This formula is found in pill form, and is great for when PMS symptoms come with bowel changes such as diarrhea, or alternating diarrhea and constipation.

As always, make sure you consult your health care provider before you taking herbal supplements.

If home remedies aren’t doing the job, you may need to see a professional.  Seeing an Acupuncturist trained in formulating Chinese Herbs, or seeing a Naturopath can be a good place to start.   You may need a more comprehensive health evaluation to pin-point the specific imbalance with your hormones, and it is always important to rule out more serious endocrine disorders that may be causing the problem.