Natural Home Remedies for Premenstrual Syndrome

Premenstrual Syndrome is defined as a collection of symptoms which may occur in the days before a woman menstruates.

The symptoms are caused by hormonal and chemical changes. Your estrogen levels may increase while progesterone decreases. You may experience none or any of the symptoms.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

Acne
Alcohol intolerance
Anxiety
Appetite changes
Breast tenderness
Constipation
Depression
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Fluid retention
Food cravings
Headache
Insomnia
Irritability
Joint pain
Libido changes
Lower back pain
Mood swings
Muscle pain
Poor concentration
Social withdrawal
Tension

PREVALENCE

It is estimated that up to 75% of women experience some of the symptoms of PMS. About 20% of those women require medical intervention.

ALLOPATHIC TREATMENT

A doctor may prescribe medications if your symptoms are severe and cannot be altered by lifestyle changes. The good news is that diet, exercise, stress management and other healthy changes might alleviate your discomfort.

SELF TREATMENT

DIET

A healthy immune system is always the first line of defense against disease and disorder. To promote a healthy immune system, it is important to eat a balanced diet, with as much variety as you can manage, with lots of whole, fresh vegetables and fruits, quality protein and healthy sources of monounsaturated fat. The Zone is an excellent nutrition plan.

Doctors advise certain changes in your eating habits that may help more than others.

Eat small, frequent meals
Cut back on salt to keep fluid retention minimal

FOODS THAT MAY PROMOTE HEALING

Bone broth
Flax seeds
Foods rich in calcium
High-fiber foods
Pumpkin seeds
Soy, for the isoflavones
Whole, living foods that have not been processed

FOODS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE

Alcohol
Caffeine
Excessive salt
High-sugar foods

TEAS AND OTHER LIQUIDS

Chamomile tea
Cramp bark
Fennel
Ginger
Green tea
Lemon Balm
Peppermint
Raspberry leaf

HERBS AND SPICES

Chasteberry
Dandelion (roots and leaves)
Dang Gui
Evening Primrose oil
Ginger
Ginkgo
Kudzu root
Lemon Balm
Mimosa
Red clover
Saffron
Valerian root
White Peony
Wild yam

ESSENTIAL OILS

Essential oils can be administered via a diffuser for inhalation, administered topically in a carrier oil (coconut, almond, olive, etc.), or undiluted drops can be added to a hot bath or compress. Find recipes for blends on the web or create your own.

Chamomile
Clary Sage
Geranium
Lavender
Neroli
Rose

OTHER SUBSTANCES AND SUPPLEMENTS

The cost of having a blood test to determine if you have nutritional deficiencies is likely to be negligible compared to over-consuming expensive supplements that you do not need.

Ashwaghanda
Black Cohosh
Calcium
De lune PMS pills
L-tyrosine
Magnesium
Omega-3’s
Probiotics
Serenol (flower pollen extract, royal jelly, chromium pisolinate) – http://www.aoafamily.com/blog/safe-effective-and-non-hormonal-options-for-dealing-with-pms-menopause-dr-melanie-bone/
John’s Wort
Taurine
Vitamin B6
Vitamin E
Xiao Yao San

HYDRATION

Water is essential and a main nutrient for the human body. Without it, you cannot survive for many days. Good hydration will help flush extra salt and help to stop bloating. Staying hydrated is fundamental for a healthy body, so how much is enough? There are so many differences in people (i.e., how much we sweat), as well as the diets we consume (a lot of water comes from healthy, whole foods), but a general rule is to consume enough water that your urine is clear, but not so much that you dilute your nutrients. If you are taking certain supplements that make your urine yellow, then you can start out with the formula of drinking ½ to one ounce of water for each pound you weigh. If you weigh 130 pounds, drink 65 to 130 ounces of water a day. Definitely drink when you are thirsty.

EXERCISE

That exercise is beneficial for overall health is undisputed. Getting half an hour of aerobic exercise daily (all the time) may lower the level of free-circulating estrogen and decrease fluid retention. If you are ill, you will want to take it easy, of course, but there is always something you can do to support your body. Do what you can without making yourself feel worse. Exercise in fresh air whenever possible.

SLEEP

Studies show that lack of quality sleep affects the production of disease-fighting antibodies. If you wake in the morning after 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep feeling unrested, you aren’t getting enough sleep or you have an underlying health condition.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

Stay calm. Anxiety undermines health. Practice relaxation exercises, talk to a friend, meditate. Do what works for you to stay mellow. Some of the following relaxation methods may be helpful for you: