Periods 101
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Naturally balancing your hormones: A guide to managing PMS
PMS symptoms can have a really debilitating impact on people's daily lives, our friends at DR.VEGAN®, a sustainable plant-based supplement brand, share some of their latest PMS (premenstrual syndrome) research findings with us and provide a guide on how to naturally balance your hormones.
What is PMS (premenstrual syndrome)?
About 75% of women experience PMS - which usually starts during puberty. Many women experience physical, psychological and emotional symptoms before and during their cycle. An alarming 79% of women surveyed* by DR.VEGAN® felt that they were poorly educated about PMS and felt unprepared, and only a shocking 2% of women surveyed felt productive and confident during PMS, whilst 98% do not.*
There is no ‘one-size fits all’ cure for PMS, the most commonly used treatments reported in the latest research by DR.VEGAN® were pain relievers such as Ibuprofen and Paracetamol, followed by specialist vitamin supplements to relieve PMS such as PMS Hero®.
Symptoms of PMS
PMS symptoms, especially those experienced in the days leading up to your period, can be disruptive and throw you off your daily rhythm. The most common symptoms over two-thirds of women reported experiencing are mood swings and bloating, with more than half of women suffering from fatigue. Other common PMS symptoms include 'tummy pain', 'back pain', 'breast tenderness', 'brain fog', ‘depression’ and ‘cravings’.
Types of PMS
Dr. Guy Abraham, developed a system for the different types of symptoms of PMS, suggesting each PMS type is caused by its own hormonal imbalance.
- PMS-A: Anxiety: The most common PMS type which is suggested to be caused by an imbalance of oestrogen and progesterone (too high oestrogen and too low progesterone). Symptoms of PMS-A include anxiety, mood swings, irritability and tension.
- PMS-C: Cravings: This type of PMS is suggested to be caused by high levels of insulin during the beginning of your cycle and problems with glucose tolerance. Symptoms of PMS-C include cravings for sweets, tiredness, headaches and an insatiable appetite. You may be interested in GlucoBalance®, a unique plant-based formula of clinically studied ingredients to help protect against the highs and lows of blood sugar and food cravings.
- PMS-H: Hyper-hydration: PMS-H includes water retention swelling, the suggested cause for this type is too much aldosterone from the adrenal gland - which impacts the way your kidneys regulate and balance water in the body. Symptoms of PMS-H include water retention swelling, weight gain and breast tenderness.
- PMS-D: Depression: For this type of PMS, the suggested cause is related to low oestrogen and serotonin (known as the ‘feel-good’ hormone) and too much progesterone. Crying, sadness, depression and confusion are all symptoms of PMS-D.
- PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder): PMDD is when you have extreme PMS symptoms. This is where symptoms can be highly disruptive and affect daily life, making it hard to maintain relationships.
How to balance your hormones naturally
- Balance blood sugar levels: Changes in hormones, particularly during your period may cause blood sugar levels to drop, causing sugar cravings - these cravings may lead us to eat more. This can result in eating foods that can worsen your PMS symptoms such as bloating and gas, constipation and fatigue. This is why balancing your blood sugar levels through your period is important. Try to incorporate a balance of complex carbohydrates like wholegrains, protein like tofu and good fats like avocado into your diet and avoid refined sugar. Also, consider taking DR.VEGAN’s GlucoBalance®.
- Eat healthy fats: A handful of raw nuts and seeds can provide a great source of healthy fats.
- Support your liver: Incorporate cruciferous vegetables into your diet like broccoli and cabbage, to support your liver health and natural purification of your liver. You may also be interested in DR.VEGAN’s Debloat & Detox formula for liver and digestive health.
- Take a specialist daily supplement: If you're looking for relief from common PMS symptoms and to balance your hormones naturally, try DR.VEGAN's PMS Hero®, our naturally sourced and plant-based PMS supplement to help relieve common symptoms of PMS including cramps, breast tenderness, bloating, mood swings, and irritability - so you can get on with your days and thrive. 91% of women who take PMS Hero® daily day it is effective in relieving symptoms.*
Wondering what your diet is missing? Take DR.VEGAN’S FREE 3 min online Diet Profile and discover the essential nutrients your body needs for your health goals and the foods that provide them.
*Conducted during November 2022, a nationally representative survey in the UK of 252 people online with 32 PMS Hero® users.
