Balance Your Hormones Naturally - Part 3

Pre Menstrual Syndrome

When there is no baby (fertilised egg) developing there is a rapid fall in progesterone which heralds every menstrual period. It is this rapid the fall in progesterone that can bring on pre menstrual symptoms (PMS). PMS symptoms may include: tiredness, mood swings, depression, poor concentration, headaches, forgetfulness, increased appetite, sugar cravings, food cravings, bloating, weight gain, fluid retention, increased allergic reactions, thrush, skin problems, changes in libido, insomnia, and others.

Progesterone levels may drop at any point in the second half of the menstrual cycle, not only just before menstrual onset. This generally leads to PMS symptoms, or if a fertilised egg is present - a miscarriage. The amount progesterone fluctuates is usually directly related to the degree and severity of PMS. Basal body temperature taken at the same time daily is an accurate indicator of progesterone levels.

PMS Case History

Samantha (Sam) came to me complaining she suffered nearly every PMS symptom possible. Her troubles started each month directly after ovulation, when Peter (Sam's husband) would regularly say "so it's divorce week again" and would religiously remember to bring home the chocolate. Sam's PMS increased in severity till her period started, during which she experienced such severe pain that she had been known to faint.

Sam's individual PMS pattern included: abdominal pain, constipation, tender breasts, pimples, tiredness, mood swings, depression, poor concentration, headaches, and insomnia. She said to me "I feel like my marriage my job and my sanity are on a hormonal see-saw". I assured her that with a few simple nutritional and lifestyle changes her health and hormonal balance could improve. With an expression of disbelief she said "I'll try anything, absolutely anything".

Her iridology exam showed brown eyes, with a toxic heavy overlay. A zinc test showed Sam was very low in zinc. Adequate zinc is necessary for over 200 chemical reactions in the body including protein synthesis, absorption, hormone balance.. and immune function. Zinc deficiency does not occur alone. Sam also had other vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Her chocolate cravings, and menstrual pain pointed to a strong need for extra magnesium, and sore breasts pre-menstrually showed a need for extra vitamin B6.

For Sam's health to return, she had to improve mineral absorption, and reduce the toxic load that was impacting her health - hormonal balance and liver specifically.

Our liver is our major chemical processing plant. Sam's liver was sluggish in this respect, which also related to her poor absorption and general mineral depletion.

Other liver functions include toxin break down, and toxic chemical re-combination for excretion. The liver also produces digestive juices including bile salts are necessary for the digestion of fats. Optimal liver health, is an essential part of healthy hormone balance.

Sam was eating what she thought was a healthy diet. Breakfast was high fibre cereal or muesli with added bran and low fat milk and a cup of strong coffee. Her morning snack was something "sweet or chocolate and a cup of coffee", lunch a cheese and salad or cheese and salami wholemeal roll with a piece of fruit. Dinner was generally wholemeal pasta with cheese based sauce and salad or chicken and salad.

Sam had to reduce her intake of phytates and phytic acid - so she could absorb what was needed for her health to return.

Phytates and phytic acid are present in high quantities in bran and in whole grains. The quantity of phytates and phytic acid we eat directly reduces the amount of minerals (including zinc) that we can absorb from our food.

Over the last 100 years wheat has been cultivated specifically for high gluten content, so that wheat bread is light fluffy and appealing. High gluten food content often causes digestive problems and hindering healthy absorption by fermenting. The fermenting of carbohydrates inside us is a major cause of the bloating and gas. Wheat bran - whole wheat and all non organic whole grains contain pesticide residues. These residues have an xenoestrogen effect and can directly imbalance hormones.

Sam's nutrition program focused on non gluten grains that included refined rice that did not contain phytates nor phytic acid. Also recommended were all sour dough breads, as this bread making process inactivates phytates and phytic acid.

Reducing the xenoestrogen content of her diet and environment was important to Samls recovery. Environmental changes are simple. They include using naturally based cleaning products, filtering water, and avoiding gardening and other chemicals. I encouraged her to do as many of them as was practical.

I said "it's worth getting a water filter and as eating as much organic produce as possible". Sam looked horrified. I assured her that it just meant a different shopping routine. Eating fruits vegetables, and animal based foods as chicken and eggs produced without the use of chemicals was no different to what she was doing now".

In today's world the animals we utilise for food are given drugs including hormones to improve their growth. The food they eat has been grown on chemically treated soils that often contain heavy metal residues. All these drugs chemicals and residues are "fat soluble". So that all animal produce high fat concentrate these residues. The animal foods high in fat that cause the most health problems include cheese butter cream ice-cream and foods fried in animal fat and crunchy chicken skin crackling.

Sam said "I don"t want to eat foods full of Xeno whatever grunge, so I'll give the organic bit a go - and as I work near an organic food supplier I can shop there during lunch. But I'm really stunned about phytates and phytic acid in bran and whole grains - what about all those TV adds recommending bran fibre".

The type of fibre that our body mostly needs is in green and orange coloured vegetables. This is because it is natural and also contains vitamins and minerals. Bran is a by product of grain refining, and does not occur in high concentration by itself in nature.

Her supplements included zinc, a liver detoxification formula, a hormone balancing multi vitamin, a detoxif ication hormone balancing homoeopathic formula, vitamin C, a magnesium folic acid complex, Samantha's herbal tonic Red Clover, Horsetail, St Mary's Thistle, Dandelion, Black Haw, and Don quai.

Sam's improvement was rapid. After one month nearly most of the chocolates Peter brought home were still in the cupboard. Also her PMS symptoms of tender breasts headaches tiredness and mood swings were improved. Her bowel health improved, whilst not regularly eating bran. This did not cause bowel aggravation as she originally feared. Sam's program stayed the same with only her liver tonic changing to one with a herbal basis.

After two months her headaches and mood swings were further improved, and her PMS symptoms of tiredness and tender breasts were only a problem two days before her period. Sam no longer experienced regular constipation, nor insomnia. She said "I feel that the program including eating all the organic vegetables, the fish and the rice is rebuilding my life. Also I now have the energy to go for walks during lunchtime, and have a life after work".

I said "although things are much better, now is the time to really keep the changes going". Sam asked me why. I explained that with such wonderful health gains it would be easy to let things slip backwards. Sam answered "I don't think so, as now Peter really enjoys the taste of the organic food - especially the apples. I honestly only really miss eating cheese ". I nodded. Cheese is delicious but eating it several times daily is just not healthy.

Another two months later, Sam's PMS was now only tiredness several days before her period. That was all. She said "my marriage my job and my sanity are no longer in jeopardy. I have a new life." Peter and I am now considering starting a family in a year or so, this was not a possibility, the way things were before.

As Joan (Sam's mother) had suffered severe post natal depression, Sam wanted to know was there anything that could be done to prevent it or treat it. I said "both". There is a specific program for pre - conception care, which not only reduces the risk of post natal depression, but also lowers the risk of miscarriage, malformation, low birth weigh or having a baby with feeding difficulties sleep disturbances" allergies or learning difficulties. Sam said "I'm glad I found you", I answered "I'm glad too".

Go to Part 4 - Endometriosis

©1998 Miriam Orwin. This article may not be reproduced in part or full without the author's written consent.