Premenstrual Syndrome

For millions of young women, symptoms associated with the menstrual period are annoying and, at times, debilitating. Many women resort to taking pain killers or worse, birth control pills, to feel better. The birth control pill is one of the most dangerous drugs on the market! Instead of this suffering, most menstrual difficulties can be resolved easily using a Nutritional Balancing programme and, if necessary, modifying it at certain times of the monthly cycle.

This article discusses the cause of most menstrual difficulties and how to correct them without needing drugs of any kind.

 

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High oestrogen

Here we divide symptoms, not so much by when they occur, as by the sodium/potassium ratio and how this often correlates with high or low oestrogen.

In terms of physiology, high oestrogen symptoms correlate with an increase in the sodium/potassium ratio before the menstrual period, and a higher available copper level. Typical symptoms may include anger, irritability, breast swelling and tenderness, acne or other skin eruptions, copper headaches (usually one-sided and perhaps around the eyes), and perhaps some anxiety and feeling very emotional. Less common are very severe symptoms including crying spells, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, violent outbursts or more severe sleep difficulties.

When symptoms occur.  A few or perhaps more of these symptoms usually occur about seven to ten days prior to when menstrual bleeding begins. They often become worse until the period comes, or close to it. Sometimes they can last a day into the menstrual bleeding time. Then they go away until near the end of the cycle again – around day 24 to 26 or so, and the cycle repeats itself.

Sometimes one month’s symptoms are mild, while the next month’s are more acute, and this pattern alternates. This is because one ovary is producing more hormones than the other.

Low oestrogen

Less commonly, young women experience the symptoms of low oestrogen. This may correlate with a low sodium/potassium ratio on a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis.  It is also associated with what is called biounavailable copper in the body.

When do symptoms occur?  Typically, symptoms are worse when the young woman gets her period, and for a few days afterwards. However, the symptoms may begin a day or several days before the menstrual period begins, in some cases. Symptoms may also occur just after ovulation, around day 16 to 18 of the menstrual cycle, and they only last a few days.

Symptoms of low oestrogen.  These usually include some or all of the following: relentless depression, low energy, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, tearfulness, rapid heart rate, easily angered, edgy, hypersensitivity, sense of hopelessness, low self-confidence and self-esteem.

Some of these symptoms can be the same as high oestrogen symptoms above. However, with high oestrogen there is a higher energy behind the symptoms, almost like a fire raging out of control. With low oestrogen, usually one feels basically tired and depressed. Indicators for low oestrogen may include:

  • Feeling worse just after the bleeding ends for a few days.
  • Feeling worse for several days in the middle of your monthly cycle (just after ovulation).
  • Feeling worse just a few days before your cycle starts
  • Feeling your best right before ovulation (before the middle of your monthly cycle)

What to do about high or low oestrogen

A complete Nutritional Balancing programme will eventually reduce and usually completely stop these symptoms. However, this can take a few years on a programme to completely rebalance the hormones and eliminate toxic metals. In the meantime, changes can be made to your Nutritional Balancing programme that help to minimise symptoms of both high and low oestrogen. For more information, please contact us.

Other situations

Monthly alternating high and low oestrogen symptoms.  Occasionally, a woman has high oestrogen symptoms one month, while the next month she has low oestrogen symptoms, in an alternating fashion.

This is due to differences in the activity of her two ovaries. Each month, one of the ovaries produces a mature egg, and they alternate – the left ovary one month, followed by the right ovary the next month. If one ovary is functioning better than the other, then PMS symptoms can alternate from month to month, depending upon which ovary is producing a mature egg that month.

This problem will eventually go away if a woman is following a Nutritional Balancing programme, which tends to improve the functioning of both ovaries.

Mixed combinations of high and low oestrogen symptoms.  Rarely, a young woman experiences some high oestrogen and some low oestrogen symptoms during the same cycle. In most cases, this is due to malnutrition or a trauma that upsets their hormones. This usually improves within six months on a Nutritional Balancing programme.

Causes for menstrual difficulties

Causes of menstrual problems include stress, nutritional deficiencies, improper diet, copper excess and other excess toxic metals, an unhealthy lifestyle, emotional imbalances and liver toxicity.

Toxic chemicals that are hard on your liver and should be avoided including chemicals such as nail polish, hairsprays, and many body care products. Chlorinated and fluoridated water, and toxic household cleaners and solvents are also very hard on the body and should be strictly avoided. Also avoid toxic paints, pesticides, hair dyes, most cosmetics and skin lotions, along with other toxic products in common use. Use only natural cosmetics in small amounts, if needed.

Inadequate rest will make PMS worse for most women.

Excessive exercise exhausts the adrenals, and may lead to complete cessation of the menstrual period. This is very unhealthy for young women. Some gentle exercise daily, such as walking, is fine however.

Emotional imbalances in many women include hidden anger and resentments. While these can be understandable and explained, they are not helpful at all. They are a very important contributor to many cases of menstrual difficulties. The emotions can affect the liver and all glandular activity. They tend to affect the adrenals as well. The adrenal glands regulate copper metabolism and produce female hormones. Methods such as relaxation techniques and meditation can go a long way toward helping one to release hidden anger and resentment.

Anything that affects the adrenal glands negatively is likely to raise the copper level.  Fatigue is probably the single most common factor in adrenal underactivity. Worry or other emotional imbalances is second most important in most cases.

Lack of self-acceptance as a woman.  Some young women today are angry at themselves for having periods and even for being a woman. This lack of self-acceptance as a woman tends to worsen menstrual symptoms even more. It is important to understand that all is perfect balance concerning the body and ones gender.

Extra detoxification procedures are most helpful for anyone with PMS. These are explained in detail on a Nutritional Balancing programme.

Most women with PMS are slow oxidisers.  This means their adrenal and thyroid glands tend to be underactive or sluggish. This may not be revealed on blood, urine or saliva tests. A complete Nutritional Balancing programme will help balance the oxidation rate and the major ratios.

The physiology of the menstrual cycle

Here we look at the basic hormonal cycle that occurs each month. When bleeding starts at the beginning of the period, oestrogen, progesterone and copper are at their lowest levels of the month. The levels of oestrogen and progesterone remain relatively low while menstrual bleeding occurs. At the end of the bleeding phase, oestrogen begins to rise. It continues to rise until ovulation, about half way through the cycle.

As the cycle continues, the oestrogen level dips slightly and then resumes its rise. The level of progesterone also begins to rise in the second half of the cycle. The last week or so of the cycle, oestrogen levels are at their highest. This is usually the time one feels symptoms of premenstrual tension. However, some women are more uncomfortable when the period arrives, and other variations are possible. They can also vary month to month in some women.

Copper and oestrogen

Most important from a nutritional standpoint, the copper level parallels the level of oestrogen, increasing as the cycle progresses.

Seven to ten days before the period, copper is at a relatively high level, along with oestrogen. High copper can give rise to many of the symptoms women think of as premenstrual syndrome.

This happens especially, though not exclusively, in women whose metabolism is sluggish and in those whose tissue copper level is already elevated. These women become copper toxic, in essence, each month before the period. It is also possible that in some women copper becomes mainly biounavailable. This produces a slightly different set of symptoms in some women.

The sodium/potassium ratio

As the menstrual cycle progresses, in most women the hair tissue sodium/potassium ratio also rises. It is highest just before the period. This is tied to the rise in copper and oestrogen in most women. The high sodium/potassium ratio just before the period and a much lower sodium/potassium ratio when the period arrives can also give rise to menstrual cycle symptoms.

The sodium/potassium ratio is a very crude indicator of the relationship between oestrogen and progesterone in the body. Therefore, as the ratio rises, one may experience more symptoms of oestrogen dominance or just high oestrogen. Symptoms may include irritability, headaches, anger, water retention and breast tenderness.

Symptoms may be worse If the body cannot detoxify oestrogen fast enough. This, in turn, may be due to or related to copper toxicity, which can affect the liver and is stored in the liver. Slow oxidation also will tend to slow all liver detoxification, as will deficiencies of zinc and selenium, among other nutrients.

A lower sodium/potassium ratio before the period.  While the above situation is by far the most common, another is possible. If adrenal activity is very impaired, copper may become less biologically available before the menstrual period. This can give rise to a decreased sodium/potassium ratio at this time of the month. This will give rise to symptoms that emphasise exhaustion and depression.

Taking other products

Some women use other products to control menstrual symptoms. Most of them are toxic and I do not recommend them ever. They are rarely needed if one follows a Nutritional Balancing programme with the necessary modifications, when needed. Here are some common products used for menstrual dysfunctions with my comments:

Primrose or borage oil.  While this may help some symptoms, it is slightly toxic and best avoided. Every woman needs fish oil or flax seed oil, about 1000 mg daily, and I much prefer these.

Natural hormone creams, patches or tablets.  Progesterone and possibly oestrogen creams or pills are sometimes used. These are all toxic, even the bio-identical hormones, and they can increase one’s risk of cancer. I would avoid them all. They also do not address the underlying causes of the problem in most cases. They are very rarely needed

Herbal remedies such as black cohosh and others.  These all tend to be a little toxic as well, and very rarely are needed. Of these, black cohosh may be best.

Birth control pills and patches.  These are highly toxic and should be avoided completely. They contain synthetic hormones that severely upset body chemistry and have horrendous side effects such as heart attacks, strokes, and cancer.

Skipped periods or no menstruation (amenorrhea)

Other than pregnancy, the cause for this is malnutrition, primarily. Too much exercise will cause it, as well. A Nutritional Balancing programme will generally restore the menstrual period, which is important for young women’s health and happiness.

Short or long periods, or bleeding during the month

Bleeding during the month is also known as breakthrough bleeding. All of these irregularities are caused by hormonal imbalances. They can also be due to improper diet and poor quality lifestyles. They generally go away easily if one follows a complete Nutritional Balancing programme.

Menstrual change on a Nutritional Balancing programme

A curious fact is that when a young woman begins a Nutritional Balancing programme, her menstrual cycle will often change within a few years so that the period will line up with the time of the full moon. I do not know why this occurs, but it is a common finding.

It is important for women to know this so that if the menstrual period starts to change, with either shorter periods or longer periods for a while, please do not be upset or worried about it. In all cases, the natural rhythm will re-establish itself after a time, and usually the period will then correlate with the time of the full moon.

This association between the period and the full moon has been known for millennia. In fact, Native Americans called the menstrual cycle the “moon cycle”.

At times, young women experience other changes in the length or quality of the menstrual cycle during a complete Nutritional Balancing programme. These are retracing reactions involving the ovaries, or perhaps the adrenal glands or the pituitary gland that regulates the menstrual cycle.

Although these changes can be annoying, they generally pass quickly and the period settles down to a regular cycle within a few months.

© April 2015, The Center For Development

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