PMS and Period Myths BUSTED!
I remember being in high school and talking among my friends about how our PMS would cripple us, and how horrible we felt leading to our periods. We’d talk about symptoms we had such as our breast being sore, headaches, acne flare ups and mood changes… extreme mood changes… Now in my thirties hearing that PMS is common, but not normal - was a foreign concept to hear. I’ve been taught that it was normal, and common. I had no idea that PMS is a sign of hormonal imbalance and that balancing your hormones will help with PMS, and it could even make PMS disappear.
My mother would tell me this pain was part of womanhood, and I bonded with all types of women about how their monthly cycles – and how horrible they were.
First let’s start normalizing this topic as it helps women with furthering our education, and we often don’t realize how many women are suffering or are embarrassed by this topic. A lot of us, including myself, had no idea how our PMS or our periods are indicators that tell us what’s going on within our bodies.
So what had I learnt over the years of being a woman that I thought was worth sharing?
For one – our cycle length, lightness or heaviness in flow, and regularly of our menses are all affected by hormones in our bodies, and these hormones also help us get pregnant and maintain a healthy pregnancy. We have a lot of hormones at work during our time of the month but the main stars are estrogen and progesterone. We produce estrogen in the first half of our cycle and then progesterone takes over for the second half. Tracking your cycle can help you identify which hormones you have out of balance and what we can do to help bring them back into balance.
Awful periods, and yucky PMS symptoms are signs of imbalances that are caused by stress, extreme changes in diet, underlying medical conditions, medications, and lack of rest.
Why are some women suffering more than others?
Hormone imbalance
Thyroid issues
Weight issues
Birth control
Medication
PCOS
Stress
Lack of sleep or rest
Poor diet
Lack of movement
Lack of hydration
Chronic disease
TRUTH OR MYTH
Birth control will balance my hormones?
MYTH
Any form of hormonal contraceptives will suppress your hormones and your brain tells your body to stop ovulating. Hormonal birth control works on your brain level, not on your ovaries. It alters the function of your brain and stops it from communicating to your ovaries. It masks the symptoms and hides a lot of underlying health issues that women have, and often blame the pill once they’re off and trying to conceive.
Find the underlying issue – it will take some time but getting to know your body is vital for optimal health.
TRUTH OR MYTH
Exercising when on my period is good for me
TRUTH
Movement on a daily basis is not only good for you mentally, but also for good blood circulation, and provides oxygen within the body. Women who live a sedentary lifestyle have a likelihood of experiencing irregular, heavier and painful periods.
TRUTH OR MYTH
Period poops are normal!
MYTH
Prostaglandins and progesterone are the two hormones to blame when it comes to the poops during our time of the month. When Prostaglandins is too high it causes inflammation. When progesterone, the hormone that sustains pregnancy, is too low it can cause our mood to be unstable…
These two being out of balance because of diet, stress or inflammation can make unpleasant bowel movements which isn’t normal, but definitely a common occurrence.
TRUTH OR MYTH
Stress does not affect my menstrual cycle
MYTH
Stress hormones, like cortisol, can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, and prolonged stress can cause burn out and lead to HPA axis dysfunction which drives down the production of estrogen and progesterone – leading to symptoms of discomforts.
Foods to Help Ease PMS Symptoms
Experiencing PMS isn’t ideal and can throw you off the week leading to your period. There are foods that can help support you filled with nutrients and help alleviate some of your PMS symptoms. Period.
Quinoa
Brown rice
Organic Popcorn
Salmon
Eggs
Chia seeds
Bananas
Pasture raised meat
Beans
Kale
Spinach
Pumpkin seeds
Avocado
Dark Chocolate (+80%)
Vitamins and Minerals That Help You Through Your Period
Magnesium
works by relaxing the smooth muscle and reducing prostaglandins that cause period pain.
Iron
Works to provide energy levels and reduce PMS symptoms
Zinc
Works to help relieve menstrual cramps and swelling. *Zinc requires B6 to be absorbed.
Omega 3
Works to supporting mental health and reduce symptoms of PMS
B Vitamins
A complete B vitamin supplement is great for mood stability, helps with energy levels and helps nerves and blood cells be healthy.
Finally, skip the alcohol, refined and sugary items before your period arrives. These items will not help alleviate the pains or discomforts. They will increase blood sugar levels, strain your liver, and cause crashes that affect your mood. Food follows mood.
When aunt flow is in town, try to greet her with some healthy food options and self love. She isn’t here to make our lives miserable, she is here to remind us that we are strong, resilient women that just need little reminders that our bodies do tell us what’s happening. We just have to pay attention. Be kind to yourself and if things do not improve with lifestyle or diet changes please check in with your health care providers. Seeking professional help is nothing to be ashamed of. Knowledge is power and with power we can heal.
