Seems like as I've gotten older my PMS symptoms have gotten worse--mainly the irritability, fatigue and bloating. I have never really had an issue with cramps thankfully. I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas for natural solutions (herbs, essential oils, etc.) to deal with these symptoms? They're not bad enough to have to take medication for, plus I prefer a holistic approach first usually. Also, I generally get a good amount of sleep but notice I just feel extra tired during that time of the month so am listing that as a symptom, as well. And I do exercise somewhat regularly so I know that helps too. TIA for your help!
I've posted this so many times before here, but I had horrible PMS before, and now I'm pretty much PMS-free. I take Magnesium, Calcium, and a B-Complex vitamin every day, and it has helped me to get rid of my PMS symptoms. My my gynecologist suggested this to me years ago and said that this combination of vitamins really helps some women, but has no impact on others. It changed my life. I hope you find something to help you.
Comprehensive supplementation helps more than anything to restore balance in the body. I had zero symptoms of menopause and have a lot of colleagues who got rid of PMS-related issues, UTIs etc., and I've also gotten rid of all the symptoms of fibrocystic breast disease. My doctor can't find the cysts anymore and all my mammograms have been clear (which they were not for all those years before). A single ingredient doesn't usually do it - a single vitamin, a single essential oil, etc. And a balanced approach prevents you from throwing things off even more by overdoing it with a particular nutrient, vitamin, mineral, herb, etc. Food scientists and physicians who are educated in this area agree, and the AMA recommends full supplementation for everyone in the US (men, women, kids). Also, I think the new information and all the peer-reviewed papers on lunasin are very exciting for a number of reasons - cholesterol reduction, inflammation reduction, immune-system boosting, and epigenetic effect (restoring proper gene expression when it's been thrown off by disease, toxins, environmental pollutants, etc.). I take the purest and most concentrated form of lunasin in my supplements, working with the scientist who discovered it and its properties. It's been on Dr. Oz and other TV shows, and in all the magazines. I would not go for the cheap knock-off lunasin though - it's not as pure and you don't know how it's formulated to survive the digestive process, so it's often wasted money. I've been to a number of conferences and seminars on this and it's THE nutritional breakthrough of the decade and maybe beyond. I'm enjoying my studies and very reassured by the safety - as always, a pure, food-based approach is the best.
Eating an organic diet and cutting out processed/industrial food will help enormously with PMS--I know, because after I started an organic diet 6 years ago, most of my PMS symptoms vanished. Then last fall I read the book The Wisdom of Menopause by Dr. Christiane Northrup, MD, which talks about hormones and hormone disruption (it is PACKED FULL of so much useful information for women going through perimenopause that I feel it is a book that every woman should own). I looked at the classic signs of estrogen dominance, progesterone dominance, estrogen insufficiency, and progesterone insufficiency and noted that, due to the clinical symptoms, that I was deficient/low in progesterone. I got some natural/bioidentical progesterone from my naturopath and haven't had any issues with any PMS symptoms since. It's amazing--wish I'd known about this way back when I was 15 and just starting with periods! I would have taken progesterone way back then and avoided having PMS altogether!
I myself (besides the progesterone cream) take Paradise Adaptogens (for adrenal/thyroid health; if they're off, can also affect female hormones), and an immune complex. I used to take Maca root for about a year, year and a half; it helped me. However, I no longer need it, so I don't use it. For some women, red clover or Red Raspberry work well (have used both).
As one poster noted and I will again stress: each herbal remedy works differently in each woman's body. It depends on what hormones are out of whack. For me, finding which ones worked for me involved a lot of reading, researching, and trial and error. One will work now/for a bit and then you might need another one. Or you might get lucky and that one herb is the one that is the "miracle" for you and your body.
I also discovered 6 years ago that I had severe heavy metal toxicity. I naturally chelated through herbal remedies (I used a specific system). After I was done with the whole process (I did it three or four times), I also noticed that my periods/PMS symptoms had vastly improved. When the body is burdened with toxins, it can't clean itself or run properly. When all that gunk is gotten rid of, it really makes a difference in how the body runs and functions.
I've found, though, that eating well (organic, purging processed and fast food) and drinking lots of filtered water has helped me the most. Just giving my body the necessary nutrients it needs via clean living/eating is what it really needs.
Eat apples. One apple in the morning will give you more energy than a cup of coffee.
Add a couple pieces of dark chocolate. It has been proven to improve your mood. :)
Increasing your calcium is supposed to ease PMS symptoms.
Try some Raspberry tea and look for a holistic doctor in your area. They would be more helpful in finding what will work best for you.
I know of quite a few herbs which can be used for different purposes.
That said, I think of herbs like medicine-- if you are taking the wrong ones, there can be problems. Since I don't know you or your whole health situation, I would recommend finding a Naturopathic Doctor with a good reputation and talk to them.
One thing I will mention is that I found out why my PMS used to be so terrible (I'm on B/C pills for this now); I have a genetic mutation which keeps me from processing B vitamins, which are often used to help deal with menstrual/pms problems. Google "MTHFR gene mutation" and look at the symptoms. Apparently, one quarter of our population has this genetic defect and there are a myriad of health problems which result from it. If this looks (from the symptoms list) like something you have experienced, you can ask your MD for a genetic test. NDs can get one for you as well. MDs will not give a prescription for the supplements, as it's not medicinal, but an ND could. Don't know that this is your situation, but we've had family who have started taking the supplements and have had great results. Just food for thought...
Maca root helped me! It evened my hormones out! I highly recommend looking into it!
Raspberry leaf tea and calendula tea helped me before my periods got to Hell intesity. Once they did, I had an endmetrial ablation, and stopped all that - no periods, no PMS, no chance of getting pregnant. TRIFECTA!
