Is PMS Normal?

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Nancy Este, One of Thousands of Health and Fitness Coaches on Noomii.

Balancing hormones is complicated. But you have to start somewhere and there three things you can do to help which can give you a good idea as to how much work you have to do.

When Sara was first diagnosed with uterine fibroids in 2015, she was stunned. For years, her periods were irregular and some heavier than others. She thought PMS was normal, at least it was for her. Sara had also experienced some weight gain, especially around her belly and across her back. Her younger sister and mother also had the same body shape – wasn’t this hereditary?

Sara is not alone. Many of us come to believe that painful PMS, irregular cycles, back ache, breast tenderness, moodiness, cravings and weight gain are ‘normal’ as women.

Truth is – it isn’t. It’s an indication that some is amiss and requires our attention.

​Like many woman, Sara wanted to find some real solutions to heal her body – naturally. The last thing she wanted was a hysterectomy even though she had not planned for any more children. She was tired of the heavy painful periods and wanted to reshape her body. Moreover, she wanted to be healthy.
Here are three strategies to help address some underlying causes of what Sara experienced. We started working together and developed a long-term plan over 6 months and incorporated these strategies along with private yoga sessions.

Tip #1
Lower Stress: When we are stressed, the adrenals work overtime to protect us from what they consider physical stress (even though we are not really in danger). This is our fight or flight response. It causes the adrenals to produce higher levels of adrenaline and cortisol.
Because we can only produce adrenaline for a few seconds, our fight or flight response is dependent on excess cortisol, and this is where the havoc begins. Excess cortisol has been linked to depression, blood sugar problems, reproductive issues, anxiety and weight gain around the middle.

Bottom Line: Support the health of the adrenals with foods rich in B vitamins, vitamin C and potassium. Practising meditation or deep breathing helps lower cortisol.

Tip # 2
Detoxify: Excess hormones like cortisol, estrogen and testosterone all need to be detoxed out of the body. This is a key process that the liver performs to make sure we do not suffer from the excess of these hormones. Supporting the health of the liver, therefore is critical. A Liver GI Support formula helps liver function more optimally. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and kale, apples, grapefruit, garlic, onions, Jerusalem artichokes, lemons, limes and berries are just a few foods that help support the liver.
We also need good gut health to help make sure the toxins leave the body so supporting gut health is also important.

Bottom Line: Start adding probiotics and fermented foods such as kefir, yogurt, kimchi or sauerkraut. Prebiotic foods such as garlic, onion, potatoes, broccoli, berries and apples, just to name a few, feed our good bacteria and help keep our gut healthy.

Tip #3
Balance Blood Sugar: Bad eating habits and stress can cause our blood sugar to swing up and down throughout the day. When our blood sugar drops, we can experience anger, fatigue, weakness and depression. Normally, we then receive a signal to do something such as a sugar craving or a desire for a coffee or a beer/wine. If we respond to the craving, and consume something, this will bring our blood sugar back up. Caffeine, sugar and alcohol all cause the blood sugar to swing up high. This causes a high insulin release. And too much insulin can affect other hormones.

If we do not respond to the craving, then our adrenals send a signal to tell the liver to release stored glucose and bring up blood sugar. Again, it tends to be a lot of glucose since adrenaline is a powerful hormone. Blood sugar swings high and again, large amounts of insulin are released.

Bottom Line: To keep blood sugar stable, eat small meals throughout the day with fiber and/or protein. Blood sugar stabilizing foods such as Jerusalem artichokes, cinnamon and legumes can be very helpful. Lowering stress also helps keep blood sugar stable

These are just three simple steps to help optimize PMS issues and reset hormonal misfires that contribute to a host of issues for women. Give them a try and see the difference they can make.

Wishing you healthy hormones,
Nancy