PMS

As a chiropractor, I have had many patients who complain of PMS (premenstrual syndrome). Current estimates are that severe PMS occurs in 2.5 to 5% of pre-menopausal women, and mild PMS occurs in 33%. PMS symptoms occur two weeks before menstruation and sometimes even extend into menstruation itself. The most common symptoms are bloating, water retention, breast tenderness and lumpiness, headaches, fatigue, cramps, irritability, mood swings and anxiety. There is no magic bullet for PMS but progesterone and nutrition can help. I am going to discuss progesterone in this article and cover other nutritional issues next week.

An imbalance in progesterone and estrogen levels can lead to a number of complications: osteoporosis, increased blood clotting, a reduction of oxygen and vital minerals in cells, menstruation without ovulation (anovulary cycles), and all the symptoms of menopause (hot flashes, irritability, sleep disturbance, breast swelling and tenderness). What causes this imbalance? Some causes are estrogen dominance in hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), environmental pollutants, hysterectomy and loss of ovaries. Studies have proved progesterone, not estrogen, fluctuates more during a woman’s menstruation cycle. Its presence becomes nearly obsolete after menopause. While doctors routinely prescribe estrogen to women experiencing these complications, it makes more sense to raise their progesterone level.

Symptoms of PMS may be caused by a lower than normal level of progesterone before menstruation. Dr. John R. Lee is the author of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Menopause. The majority of his patients reported outstanding improvements in their PMS symptoms, including the absence of water retention and weight gain after supplementing with progesterone.

Many pre-menopausal women begin experiencing uncomfortable symptoms ten to fifteen years before entering menopause. At this time, they may still menstruate but not ovulate. This is due to dominant estrogen levels and a waning progesterone level. Symptoms may include erratic vaginal bleeding and heavier periods, loss of libido, fatigue, vaginal dryness, breast tenderness, depression, thyroid imbalance, poor memory retention, bloating and weight gain. Oftentimes doctors prescribe synthetic estrogen such as Premarin, which is made from horse urine, and synthetic progestins in an effort to counteract the estrogen’s breast and ovarian cancer risks. Because the structure of these hormones is different than those normally found in the human body, women taking them often experience a variety of uncomfortable body disturbances.

Natural progesterone is made through an extraction and conversion process of specific components from plants, such as the European wild yam or soybeans. It is a fat-soluble compound best dissolved in a vegetable oil and applied to the skin over fatty areas of the body. This allows the body to use the progesterone as needed. The liver excretes most of that taken orally, so topical progesterone is the better choice.

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As a chiropractor, I have had many patients who complain of PMS (premenstrual syndrome). The most common symptoms are bloating, water retention, breast tenderness and lumpiness, headaches, fatigue, cramps, irritability, mood swings and anxiety. There is no magic bullet for PMS but progesterone and nutrition can help. I covered progesterone last week and will touch on nutrition this week.

Studies have shown that women who suffer from PMS tend to have the following nutritional and physiological characteristics.

* Excessive consumption of caffeine from soft drinks, coffee and chocolate

* Excessive consumption of refined sugar and not enough whole foods such as fresh vegetables

* High blood levels of estrogen and low blood levels of progesterone

* Excessive body weight, which increases the estrogen levels. Body fat makes one of the three types of estrogens

* Low levels of Vitamins C and E and the minerals selenium and magnesium

* High stress levels

It is recommended that women suffering from PMS take a multivitamin/ mineral supplement that includes magnesium, selenium, zinc, B complex, C and E. Supplements should be taken throughout the month, not just premenstrually. The body needs these substances to metabolize estrogen in the liver. Eat foods that contain essential fatty acids. These fatty acids are found in raw nuts and seeds and cold water fish such as salmon and sardines. Sesame oil is an excellent source as are sunflower, safflower and walnut oils. Eat a diet that is free of all refined sugar and flour products. Instead, a plant-based, fiber-rich diet of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes will help the body to balance its biochemistry. Herbal formulas that contain peony root, milk thistle, Vitex, wild yam, dandelion root, yarrow and nettle have been found to be helpful. Biochemically, it all comes down to keeping estrogen levels at a normal level. Unfortunately our American diet promotes estrogen buildup. We eat meat from animals which have been fed estrogens in order to fatten them up, we don’t get enough of the vitamins and minerals we need to metabolize the excess hormones we are getting, and when we do metabolize the estrogens, we don’t excrete them well because we are eating a low fiber diet.

Another way of decreasing symptoms of PMS is through aerobic exercise. Twenty minutes of brisk walking three times per week is all it takes. Not only does exercise help relieve stress, it increases endorphins (naturally occurring morphine like substances that help the body deal with depression and physical pain.) Chiropractic treatments can also help with stress relief and to normalize the nervous system. If the nervous system is working optimally, the organs (which are controlled by the nerves) are going to function better too. Chiropractic is about much more than back and joint pain.