Bloating, cravings, cramps, eczema, acne…PMS – Yes, I want the fellas to also take note! Before you close this post thinking that it’s just applicable to females, please read further and reconsider. Chances are, you have a female friend and/or loved one in your life who could benefit from the information I’m about to share with you. You’re also likely directly affected by PMS symptoms of said loved one. The moodiness, cravings, complaining, change of plans because of pains, etc. You’re probably trying to avoid the lady during this time every month!
Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance:
- breasts are swollen and getting bigger
- rings are sometimes too tight
- impatient
- server menstrual cramps
- period doesn’t come on time
- miss periods regularly
- see large clots during period
- PMS
- breasts hurt
- fibroids
- endometriosis
- cannot fit into shoes
- cyst in breast
- feel tired all the time
PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, is more like a series of problems cropping up at a particular time each month. It is linked to a deficiency in essential fatty acids (EFA) and B6, underactive thyroid (hypo), allergies, and hypoglycemia. It is aggravated by candidiasis. I could write a whole other post on candida, but in a nutshell, candida is an overgrowth of yeast, and I don’t mean vaginal yeast. Men can also get candida, but I’m talking about yeast and fungal growth in the gut and intestines. An imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the gut is referred to leaky gut or intestinal permeability. It affects your digestive system, immune system, induces cravings for junk, can lead to allergies because foreign, undigested foods can leak into the blood stream (so this means allergies can be cured), and a whole slew of problems. You can read more about candida and intestinal flora health HERE. Let’s get back to PMS!
PMS can be described as changes in sex hormone levels but it responds very well to nutritional improvement – however, you should allow 3 months to see results since there may be multiple causes.
Digestive issues linked to PMS:
- bloating and gas after meals
- eating while stressed and not chewing properly
- dysglycemia (hypoglycemia, diabetes potentially) – cravings sweets and starches, and hungry within hours after a meal, energy drops in the afternoon
- high consumption of animal protein
- caffeine consumption
- inability to absorb or metabolize vitamins and nutrients
- consumption of common allergens such as dairy, gluten, shellfish, eggs, caffeine, alcohol etc.
As a holistic practitioner, I truly believe in finding the source of the problem rather than masking it with OTC drugs such as birth control or pain killers. Those are just bandaids. When you put something in your body that it doesn’t naturally make, it becomes reliant on the drug. You shouldn’t have to live life trying to avoid certain foods and popping pills and putting on creams. Try a temporary elimination protocol, figure out what the cause is, heal yourself, and slowly reintroduce it back. This usually takes a couple of months depending on how well you stick to the program, compared to a lifetime of pain and pills. To achieve your optimal health, I believe you need to heal from the inside out.
Here’s a general guideline on how to address PMS depending on suspected cause.
- if candida or allergy is suspected: eliminate the common allergens noted above for 3 weeks, then reintroduce one item back into your diet. Monitor for any reactions over the next 3 days. If all is good, reintroduce another item and monitor again. Also eliminate processed foods, refined sugar, alcohol, caffeine (I know, all the good stuff, but just focus on the end result, your long term health, and is it worth it?)
- if underactive stomach is suspected (not enough hydrochloric acid or HCl): consider going 1-2 days a week without animal protein and load up on vegetables and legumes. This is a lot easier on the digestion. When an underactive stomach is suspected, absorption of calcium, magnesium, chromium, iodine, iron, zinc and protein are poor. Deficiency in chromium and iodine can lead to cravings.
- control your stress levels. Avoid eating on the run and rushing. Practice meditation, breathing exercises and yoga.
- Food combining and sequencing: See HERE
- Make a food journal and record what you ate, when, with who, and how you felt (stressed, bloating? gassy? heavy full feeling? Were you discussion a heated topic?)
- During the elimination period, take a probiotic everyday to replenish and heal the gut with healthy bacteria. See HERE
- If estrogen dominance is suspected: Supplement with a B-complex, high quality multi, Omega 3, drink lemon water in the morning 20-30 mins before your first meal (this should be done anyway), exercise, go organic where possible, increase cruciferious vegetables(broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage etc)
Food Sources:
EFA
- Flex seed oil Omega 3 supplement (1,000 – 2,000 mg/day DHA)
- Salmon, halibut, avocado oil, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pecans
Chromium
- avoid white flour
- consume shellfish and whole grains
- supplement 130-200mcg/day
Zinc
- pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, eggs, liver, mushrooms, seafood, soybeans
- supplement 15-75 mg/day
- vitamin A helps with absorption (fruits and veg)
B6
- cabbage, grains, eggs
- take it with a B complex
B1 (for HCl production)
- brown rice, oatmeal, nuts, organic meat, sunflower seeds
- take it with a B complex
Again, everyone is different and this is just a general recommendation. I typically spend 2-3 hours with my clients in the initial meeting, learning everything I can about them, giving them my recommended program and then spending the next few weeks and months providing ongoing support and tweaking where we need to. Just like any other fitness or diet program. Consistency is key and to stay committed, you need the right mindset and be ready to take control of your health.
I hope you found this helpful! Please like and share and contact me if you would like more information!
