As many as 80% of pre-menopausal women experience PMS. Symptoms can last anything from one day to two weeks before a period, and can include: bloating and weight gain, mood swings, water retention, tension, headaches, skin eruptions, anxiety, irritability, sugar cravings, aggression, depression, weepiness, a lack of self-esteem, feelings of helplessness, insomnia, change in sex drive, palpitations, back pain or cold symptoms. No wonder women might sometimes be convinced they are going mad! Severe PMS is called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), and medicating it has become the most recent approach - the anti-depressant Prozac is now licensed for use for severe PMDD.

Around 70% of women who suffer PMS have too much of the female hormone oestrogen pre-menstrually, while 30% of women have too much of the other main female hormone, progesterone, and too little natural oestrogen. It is also possibly to have both high oestrogen and high progesterone at the same time.

DIET TO BANISH PMS

The most important factors, to help balance out hormone levels, are: • cutting out sugar, refined carbohydrates, caffeine and alcohol as they can play havoc with blood sugar levels. This means substituting ‘green’ and ‘brown’ foods such as vegetables, brown rice, wholemeal bread and mueslies for ‘white’ foods such as sugary breakfast cereals, white bread or rice, pastry and biscuits.

• increasing fibre levels, by eating more porridge, fruits and bran cereals as well as the foods in the point above. Fibre helps to normalise oestrogen levels.

• addressing any food allergies or sensitivities can have a profound effect on PMS. The most common are wheat which you can replace with rye, corn, rice, buckwheat and oat products, and cow’s milk products which you can substitute with goats and sheeps cheeses or yoghurts, soya milk and yoghurt, rice milk, oat milk or coconut milk (diluted).

• alongside these, pay attention to your stress levels, and have your thyroid check by your doctor as this is often related to premenstrual problems.

Part of the problem with PMS may relate to xenoestrogens, artificial forms of the female hormone, which come mainly from modern day chemicals such as pesticide, industrial residues and other compounds leaching into our food and water. Plastics we use for storing food are other important sources, and have been implicated in a wide number of female hormone related problems, including endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovaries and breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers. No solid research is available about the specific impact of xenoestrogens on PMS, but they are suspected of contributing to the problem as they seem to with most other hormone driven symptoms.

Certain foods are rich sources of healthy phytoestrogens that can have a balancing effect on our hormones, and help to counter the negative effects of environmental xenoestrogens. Soya is one of these foods, and 2-4 oz of tofu daily, or 1 1/2 glasses of soya milk daily can make a difference. You can also buy nutty tasting soya flakes to add them to mueslies, baked products or to stews, salads, soups and casseroles. Breads are now being marketed called ‘ladies’ bread’ and soya and linseed snack bars and yoghurts are available. Rye is another rich source of beneficial oestrogens and many bread and crackers are available. Linseeds have a potent hormone balancing effect and one to two tablespoons daily can be added to soups, stews, yoghurts and cereals. Beans and chick peas, which are good sources of fibre, are also fairly high in similar compounds to those which soya contain.

It is ideal to eat organic food wherever possible, and to avoid using plastic food wrap and containers, to reduce exposure to environmental oestrogens. Instead use ceramic containers and greaseproof paper.

Vitamin B6 encourages the correct processing of oestrogen through the liver, while the B-vitamin family, and choline, which is found in lecithin, helps to deactivate oestrogens in the liver. Apart from the B-vitamins, the most important nutrients to supplement are magnesium, vitamin E, and GLA in the form of evening primrose oil, starflower oil or borage oil.

Exercise has been proven to lower excess oestrogen levels in the body significantly, and can help to regulate overall hormone levels. The minimum amount which has a meaningful impact seems to be around an hour of exercise, four times a week, sufficient to get your heart rate up a bit, but not so much that you are out of breath and cannot hold a conversation.

HEAVY PERIODS

For some women the scale of bleeding each month can be a cause for alarm. This is especially the case if there is a significant change in the amount of flow from what you would consider normal. An increase in flow can signal fibroids in the womb or endometriosis, and if you are concerned it wise to have a check-up, and then aim to treat them using natural methods before considering more radical medical intervention. Two thirds of the 90,000 annual hysterectomy operations are for heavy periods in younger women, and not as a life saving procedure. Also 70% of investigative D&Cs (dilation and curettage) performed turn out to find nothing as the problems turn out to be hormonal.

There is a possible link between low vitamin A levels and heavy blood loss. Just after stopping the Pill it is common for women to experience a heavy flow, and this may be linked to blood levels of vitamin A plummeting. 7,500-15,000 ius (international units) of vitamin A can help to replenish levels (but do not take vitamin A if you are planning a pregnancy or are pregnant). . Vitamin C, together with bioflavanoids, can help to control heavy periods. Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, at least five portions daily, and take three grams of vitamin C daily.

Iron levels are often low as a result of heavy blood flow and if you are feeling tired and have pale skin, then it is wise to have your blood iron levels checked by your doctor. Red meat is the best source of iron, but you can also get it from other vegetarian protein containing foods. Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron from vegetarian foods by about 25%, so a small glass of orange juice, or some cabbage or broccoli with a meal can help significantly. On the other hand a cup of tea can reduce uptake of iron from a meal by two thirds. Beetroot extract supplements increase blood levels of iron gently, and fresh raw beetroot can be grated and dressed with lemon juice and is delicious. Green foods such as spirulina and chlorella can significantly improve iron uptake

The polyunsaturated fats found in evening primrose oil, starflower oil and borage oil can be helpful if you have heavy periods with a tendency to clot. Take sufficient to give you 100-200 mg of the active compound GLA daily.

Any muscle can be susceptible to cramps and the muscles of the womb are no different. During a period the muscles of the womb have to work hard to shed it’s inner lining, and this can sometimes be very uncomfortable.

The main foods which can adversely affect period cramps are red meat and dairy produce. They contain the type of fats which interfere with short-term hormones called prostaglandins, and this can encourage inflammation. On the other hand the healthy fats from sources such as fish oils and polyunsaturated fats can improve the performance of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. Caffeinated drinks and alcohol can also impact on muscle cramping by interfering with mineral absorption from the diet and influencing the conversion of fats into prostaglandins.

The key nutrient which can help to reduce period cramps is magnesium. The minerals calcium and magnesium govern the working of nerves which regulate muscle contractions. Magnesium, which, according to Government figures, is deficient in the diet of 72% of women, is not only directly responsible for a part of this process, but also helps the body to use calcium more effectively. Sources of calcium and magnesium include: dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, soya beans, legumes, dried fruit, sardines, salmon. Dairy products are a rich source of calcium but have very little magnesium which can serve to upset the balance. It is worth taking 600 mg magnesium to 300 mg calcium daily to see if this relieves the problem.

The normal cycle can be anything between 20 days and 40 days between periods. Periods can be skipped for no particular reason, and, while you may want to check this with your doctor, it is not normally anything to worry about. You may, of course, also want to run a pregnancy test!

If the frequency of your periods start to alter significantly, you may be moving towards the menopause. The menopause phase normally starts any time from the ages of around 40 to 55. One in a hundred women have a very early menopause, possibly as young as the age of 16. For these young women this can be a confusing and upsetting time, and wise counselling, is usually needed.

Absent or irregular periods can also be associated with a number of other factors, including low body weight, anorexia nervosa, overtraining for sport, the contraceptive pill and extreme stress. High stress levels can lead to both missed periods and to more frequent periods.

When there is an excess of oestrogen just prior to a period, or a deficiency of progesterone, the balance in favour of oestrogen encourages more water retention

Most women will be familiar with blood sugar irregularities pre-menstrually. This is when your will-power falls apart and you Hoover up anything and everything sugary or starchy. Many women need more energy ‘props’ just before their period is due. Not only are the bloating effects of excess oestrogen being felt, but the knock on effect on blood sugar imbalance means that the bacteria in the bowels are feeding on all the sugary and starchy foods which are most likely to encourage them to make water retention and digestive bloating worse.

Foods rich in potassium can help to alleviate water retention associated with PMS. Bananas, tomatoes, watermelon (including the crunchy seeds) and potatoes are potassium rich, though all fruits and vegetables offer a usable amount. If you experience water retention, increase your intake of artichokes, asparagus, parsley, watercress and chamomile tea for their diuretic action. Avoid salt which encourages water retention and drink two litres of water daily to keep yourself hydrated. Coffee, including decaffeinated coffee, and other caffeine drinks, along with grain allergies are most commonly a problem for lumpy breasts pre-menstrually.

If you are taking the contraceptive pill, and you find that you are experiencing bloating, this probably indicates that the oestrogen levels in the pill are too high for you.

Mood swings can often be resolved by cutting out sugar and stimulants to regulate blood sugar swings. In really severe cases it may need even more attention to detail, and you may need to have a small snack every 2 hours to keep your blood sugar levels topped up. Appropriate snacks are those which do not significantly affect blood sugar swings, such as hummus on rye crackers, live yoghurt and fresh fruit, or fresh nuts and seeds. Stimulants use up B-vitamins, decrease potassium, zinc and magnesium levels, so give coffee, strong tea and alcohol a miss. Magnesium helps to maintain normal brain chemical metabolism and hormone balance, and yet it is deficient in around 50 per cent of women with PMS. Vitamins B6 and B3 are needed to regulate blood sugar levels and are involved in normalizing levels of the ‘mood brain chemical’ serotonin. Taking a 50-100 mg B-complex can be helpful to help alleviate depression, sleep disturbances and headaches, all of which can be worse premenstrually.

High oestrogen to progesterone levels can result in low levels of the brain chemical serotonin, and also lowered endorphins in the brain. These lower levels can lead to a variety of symptoms, including the need to binge, and also affect moods. Endorphins can be raised with exercise, and acupuncture can also be very effective. Stress often lowers endorphin levels.

© Suzannah Olivier 2000

For more information read Balancing Hormones Naturally. Click here.