It's time to talk about
PMS
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Before college, I didn’t worry or think too much about PMS. It was never an issue for me. I didn’t get bad cramps or huge cravings. It was other womens’ problems. However, my curiosity was piqued by The Hormone Genius podcast. For the last few months, I’ve been fascinated by learning about how PMS symptoms are associated with different hormonal actions and how certain nutrients work to balance hormones.
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But let’s start with the ugly, shall we? PMS, or pre-menstrual syndrome, is usually experienced by women as an act of terror against their bodies. “Pre-menstrual” indicates the days before a woman’s period. This tends to be anywhere from a few days to a week before bleeding, associated with the sudden drop in progesterone. Symptoms include mood swings, irritability, depression, insomnia, inability to focus, crying spells, libido change, acne, headaches, constipation, joint or muscle pain, abdominal bloating, and the list goes on. Note that all this happens before the period starts. Negative symptoms during the period are a different issue.
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The bad part? Not many cycling women are exempt from this occurrence. According to the National Institute of Health, 9 in 10 women experience multiple premenstrual symptoms, while 2-4 out of 10 deal with diagnosed PMS. When a woman experiences extremely debilitating PMS, it is referred to as PMDD, or pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder. Around 2-8% of women suffer from this.
Declining Progesterone
**According to
Cleavland Helath Clinic, cycle syncing would not apply to those using hormonal birth control, for lack of ovulation.**
Clickedy Click
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Both PMS and PMDD are treated with lifestyle changes and/or medication. Recall that a few of the symptoms are similar to those of depression. It should be no surprise, then, that anti-depressant medication is high on the list of treatments for PMS. Others include diuretics, birth control, and aspirin--very different medicines affecting very different functions of the body.
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Anyone confused? I was when I found out that most forms of treatment are band-aids rather than solutions to the problem. They push back against the symptoms, rather than stopping them in the first place.
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But here's the good news:
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The time at which these symptoms occur tells us that our changing hormones have something to do with it. So the question becomes: How can we support our hormones during this pre-menstrual time?
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The main way I’ve learned through the podcast is by adding nutrients that specifically support certain functions. We all know that fruits and vegetables contribute to our overall health. Get those in. However, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D supplements specifically have been shown to improve PMS symptoms as well. Fish oil can also be super beneficial in reducing cramps.
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If you would rather eat your vitamins, here's a helpful guide on where to find them:
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Eating certain foods during certain times in your cycle is a part of cycle syncing. If you, like me, haven't seen this on social media, it is the concept of using your cycle to your advantage. For example, tailoring your exercises or food choices to the phase of your cycle, helping to mitigate PMS symptoms. Other small changes to consider include reducing salt intake, drinking plenty of water, and limiting caffeine. Ya know, things we are told to do anyway.
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The bottom line? PMS sucks, and many women are directly affected, but there are preventative measures that can ease the symptoms.
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