Better Nutrition February 2019

naturalREMEDY/HOLISTIC STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU FEEL BETTER
Conquer
Your PMS
Symptoms
A holistic practitioner
offers advice that has
worked in her own
clinical experience
/// BY KAREN JENSEN, ND
From a naturopathic perspective, the
main causes of PMS are poor diet, lack of
exercise, and liver and bowel congestion.
Many different chemicals from many
different sources—including our food
and water supply and body care or
household products—resemble human
estrogen, and these hormone imposters
cause estrogen dominance in both men
and women. Some forms of PMS are due
to estrogen excess. Low thyroid function
(hypothyroidism) has also been found to
be a cause of PMS in some women.
There are different forms of PMS
(you may be a combination of types):
*
*
*
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PMS-A (Anxiety) affects 65–75
percent of women with PMS. It’s
usually caused by estrogen dominance.
PMS-C (Cravings) affects 24–35
percent of women with PMS, usually
due to blood sugar imbalances.
PMS-D (Depression) affects 23–37
percent of women with PMS, often
due to estrogen dominance.
PMS-H (Hyperhydration) affects
about 60 percent of women with PMS.
It’s often caused by an increase in
adrenal stress hormones.
Top Natural Remedies
for PMS Symptoms
Although there is no “one
size fits all” remedy, the
following supplements have
proven to be helpful for the
majority of women with PMS
over my 25 years in clinical practice.
*
Indole-3-carbinol (I-3-C), diindolylmethane
(DIM), and calcium
D-glucarate help with the breakdown
of harmful estrogens. Milk thistle
and other herbs to support removal
of toxic byproducts are also helpful.
* Chasteberry, also known as vitex,
is the No. 1 botanical remedy used in
Europe to treat PMS symptoms. Its action
in the body increases progesterone
levels relative to estrogen levels.
* Vitamin B can be very helpful for
6
the relief of PMS symptoms such
as edema, bloating, breast pain,
depression, and irritability. Some
women find that increasing vitamin
B 6
to 150–250 mg per day one week
prior to menstruation helps.
* Prebiotics and probiotics are
important for keeping the microbiome
Healthy
Tip!
To minimize symptoms
of PMS, avoid or reduce
your intake of dairy
products as much
as possible.
*
*
healthy. Probiotics,
a type of good bacteria,
help to restore the gut
microbiome. Prebiotics
are fermentable fibers that
provide a source of food for
gut microorganisms, and they are
at least as important as probiotics in
maintaining microbiome health. This
is crucial not only for hormone health,
but also for mental health because the
majority of serotonin is produced in
the gut, which also affects our toxin
and hormone balance—approximately
50 percent of the estrogen “couples”
formed in the liver are excreted into
the intestines via bile. The successful
journey of these “couples” through the
intestines requires healthy microflora.
Omega-3 fatty acids block the
formation of an inflammatory
prostaglandin that promotes
inflammation and pain. Fish oil is
also effective in controlling cravings.
Try 2–4 Tbs. of flax oil daily or
2,000–3,000 mg of fish oil.
Evening primrose oil, when taken
monthly at least three to five days
prior to the usual onset of symptoms
20 • FEBRUARY 2019