Pre Menstrual Tension or PMT

PMT causes a variety of physical and emotional symptoms in the days prior to menstruation. They vary from mood swings, food cravings and depression to breast tenderness and enlargement, fluid retention and bloating. Changes in hormone levels can also cause some women to develop migraine type symptoms. For 1 in 10 women, pre menstrual mood swings are extreme, (you know who you are). PMT is associated with low levels of progesterone and high levels of oestrogen. Low blood sugar is common prior to a period, and once blood sugar is balanced symptoms often disappear. There seems to be a very direct link between PMT and Candida or yeast infections.

So stable blood sugar = stable brain.

FOODS TO AVOID

  • Cut out all refined sugars the week before your period: Sugar, sweets, biscuits, chocolate, soft fizzy drinks.
  • Reduce refined flour: White bread, pastries, croissants and white pasta.
  • Stimulants will play havoc with your blood sugar too, so reduce: Coffee, or caffeinated drinks and alcohol.
  • Reduce all processed foods and salt, these contribute to the water retention and bloating: No processed meats such as salami, nor salty crisps, snacks or nuts.

FRIENDLY FOODS

  • Porridge with fruit or a good muesli will keep your blood sugar up until lunch.
  • Snack on fruit corn cakes or almonds through out the day as this will maintain your?blood sugar.
  • Eat plenty of good quality proteins and slow burning carbohydrate such as brown rice, lentils and sweet potatoes.
  • Miso soup, tofu, broccoli and Brussels sprouts will help balance your hormones naturally.

USEFUL REMEDIES

  • EstroBalance: This very effective mix of ingredients contains all you need to help metabolize oestrogen through the liver such as B complex as well as Chromium to help keep your blood sugar level as well as a blend of phytoestrogens for long term hormonal support. (3 scoops in water or juice in the morning.)
  • Black Cohosh Formula: This blend of black cohosh, dong quai and Rehmannia help smooth out the ups and downs of the female hormone cycle. It also helps to reduce water retention. (1 capsule 3 times a day for the week before, and one capsule a day the rest of the month).
  • Blackcurrant Seed Oil: This is very high in GLA which helps to reduce breast pain and swelling. (1 Capsule daily with food).

(All these are available from NUTRI 0800 212 742)

HELPFUL HINTS

  • Eat little and often during this period.
  • Stop and question whether you might actually be in the wrong.
  • Drink lots of water, it will flush out the water retention.
  • Exercise will burn excess adrenalin and make, making you less short tempered.
  • Remember that he is not that annoying the rest of the time.
  • See an osteopath or have a massage to try and flush the water and internal congestion.

If you are still unbearable after trying all this it may just be you … or you could be entering menopause, oh the joy !!

  • Dr Marc Farah