A Holistic Approach to Managing PMS

These days many of us are seeking natural remedies to help manage PMS symptoms. Due to our busy lifestyles, it may be tempting to just grab an herbal supplement you find at your local natural health food store, hoping that it could replace over the counter drugs like Advil or other pharmaceutical interventions like birth control. While you may see some improvement with these quick herbal fixes, truly managing PMS naturally takes a bit more effort. It all begins with making the right dietary and lifestyle choices. We can certainly bring in our herbal allies as well, but without proper nutrition, daily movement, and stress management, working with herbs is more like putting a small Band-Aid on a large wound. 

So where do we begin? Completely changing your diet and lifestyle may sound a bit overwhelming if your current way of eating and work/life balance is like most Americans. Just remember, the way you care for yourself during this cycle will be reflected in the next cycle– so you can start improving future cycles by making small and sustainable changes to your habits starting today! 

When it comes to improving nutrition, start with eliminating the white stuff. Refined sugar and carbs wreak havoc on our endocrine system. Instead, opt for whole grains and starchy vegetables and fruits to satisfy your sweet tooth. By keeping our blood sugar balanced, we will be less likely to experience PMS mood symptoms like irritability and mood swings. And by mindfully including small amounts of these whole food carbs, such as sweet potato and quinoa, we are less likely to reach for quick sugar fixes like cookies and ice cream. 

Aside from eliminating refined sugar and carbs, aim to fill about half your plate with vegetables at each meal. Aim to get a variety of vegetables, including as many colors as possible, as each color offers its own unique profile of nutrients. Fiber, protein, and fat are also key to hormonal health. When it comes to fiber, start slow as suddenly dramatically increasing your fiber intake could be challenging for your digestive system. Great sources include lignan-rich chia and flax seeds, whole grains, legumes and vegetables. 

For protein, you want to stick to high quality pasture-raised animal products and non-gmo plant-based proteins. Soy is a common GMO, so always buy organic edamame, tofu, tempeh, and soy milk. As for fat, avocados are one of my favorite sources. They are rich in glutathione, also known as “the mother antioxidant” and thus help to support detoxification. They are also a wonderful source of vitamin B6 which has been shown to improve PMS mood substantially. Seeds are another optimal fat source as they contain numerous vitamins and minerals that are essential for hormone function such as vitamin E, omega 3s, zinc and selenium. They are also a great source of plant-based protein. 

Although I normally advocate for a whole foods approach in my clinical practice, there are some supplements that I do recommend for improving PMS mood, cramping, and almost any other uncomfortable symptom you may experience during your cycle. These are magnesium and a high quality omega 3 supplement such as fish or algae oil. Taking an omega 3 supplement daily has been shown to reduce the need for over-the-counter pain meds in 3 months or less.

Magnesium is essential for over 300 body processes and our modern agricultural practices have depleted our soil of this vital mineral. Meaning, even if we are getting plenty of magnesium-rich foods in our diet, we may still not have enough–especially if our diet and lifestyle are not optimal. 

Working with herbs like motherwort, passionflower, Tulsi, and ashwagandha can be really supportive for anxiety and irritability that plague many of us days before our bleed. When it comes to pre-menstrual depression, St. John's wort is a premier antidepressant herb. Other antidepressant herbs include Albizia (also called mimosa), lemon balm and saffron. For menstrual cramp relief, lean on cramp bark, ginger, turmeric and valerian. 

As for lifestyle practices that can improve your pre-menstrual experience, meditation or other stress-relieving practices and the right kind of movement can go a long way. When I say the right kind of movement, I mean listening to your body and not pushing yourself beyond your limits. Generally, it is best to save the HIT workouts for when we are near ovulation and stick to more gentle forms of exercise leading up to our bleed, such as yoga and going for walks out in nature.

Interested in learning what nutrition, herbal and lifestyle practices are best suited for your particular pre-menstrual challenges? Book a free 15-minute consultation to learn about working one-on-one with me and all the ways that I can support you. As always, I am here for you!