The Ultimate PMS Survival Guide

A lot of the time, PMS symptoms are caused by an imbalance between your estrogen and progesterone levels specifically, a high amount of estrogen in relation to your progesterone.

High estrogen levels are caused by high exposure to estrogen-mimicking compounds like BPA, as well as excess fat tissue, overconsumption of alcohol, poor liver detoxification, and gut issues (like IBS).

• Broccoli
  
  
• Brussel sprouts
  
  
• Bok choy
  
  
• Cauliflower
  
  
• Cabbage

Low progesterone levels are caused by unrelenting stress, over-exercising, or under-eating.

Progesterone rises significantly after ovulation and declines if conception does not occur causing the lining of the uterus to shed and your period to arrive.

Ovulation is how the majority of your progesterone is made so without ovulation, your body is relying solely on progesterone produced by your adrenal glands (which sorry to say it, ladies, if you are stressed, your adrenals will be struggling to do this!).

Many PMS symptoms, especially anxiety, are due to the declining levels of progesterone before your period.

Support ovulation

Without ovulation, we cannot make progesterone

Supplement magnesium

This is my number one supplement for period health. It can significantly reduce PMS symptoms.

It also aids in the production of progesterone as well as regulating the stress response to help reduce anxiety experienced during PMS.

Natural sources of magnesium to start including in your diet are dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, silverbeet), cacao (yes, you have my permission to eat dark chocolate for your period!), pumpkin seeds, almonds, and avocados.

Getting adequate daily magnesium intake from diet alone is very difficult so I usually recommend my clients to supplement magnesium for PMS symptoms.

Thinking it’s time to start having magnesium? Ensure you buy magnesium in the form of magnesium bisglycinate as this form is better absorbed than others.

Increase Vitamin C

This is one of the only nutrients shown to help boost progesterone levels in females. So start getting into those high

 vitamin C foods such as:

Increase Zinc

Zinc is needed to nourish the ovarian follicles and promote healthy ovulation and corpus luteum formation.

Without this, ovulation will not occur meaning no progesterone production.

Zinc-rich foods include pumpkin seeds, oysters, chicken, beans, and legumes.

Support stress reduction

Your body can shut down or delay ovulation until a time that it feels your environment is safe again (i.e an environment without extreme stress).

Remember, no ovulation means no progesterone production so we want to focus on supporting ovulation by reducing stress levels. Continue reading below for some lifestyle tips on managing stress levels.

Socialize

Hanging out with your female friends has been shown to positively support progesterone production. Get a group of girlfriends and spend some time together. 

I know, coffee gets us through the day. The thought of giving it up is too much for some to deal with.

Trust me, I understand - I love my coffee!

The same goes for alcohol, it can be difficult to even think about having to give this up especially if it’s only that one glass you are having to wind down at the end of the day.

Reducing your intake of the two will significantly help to balance your hormones to reduce PMS symptoms experienced. Caffeine and alcohol have been linked with an increase in PMS symptoms especially anxiety and insomnia.

• Matcha latte
  
  
• Turmeric latte
  
  
• Green tea
  
  
• Hot cocoa
  
  
• Dandelion tea 

Yes okay, you’re probably thinking ‘no way I don’t want to gain weight by having fats’.

Ladies, these types of fats will not make you gain weight.

Healthy fats are essential for healthy hormone production and have been shown to reduce PMS symptoms.

Some PMS symptoms including pain and cramping are due to the increase of prostaglandin production throughout the cycle.

Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances that are involved in the contraction of the uterus each month to shed the lining of the uterus when the period bleed occurs.

Prostaglandins are essential in the body and provide protection against inflammation and infection however, a higher level of these substances has been linked with painful menstrual cramps.

Healthy fats will ensure adequate anti-inflammatory actions are provided to help reduce period pain.

• Salmon and other oily fish
  
  
• Avocado
  
  
• Extra virgin olive oil
  
  
• Homemade nut butters

Cow’s dairy contains a protein called A1 casein.

This particular protein causes inflammation in some people because it stimulates your immune system to produce inflammatory compounds.

These inflammatory compounds can lead to an increase in PMS symptoms.

How do you know if you have casein sensitivity?

A common sign is recurrent middle ear, chest or tonsillitis infections during childhood. This is a sign of immune system reactivity.

You likely grew out of these infections but as an adult suffer from hay fever, asthma, eczema or chest infections.

If this is you, try removing cow’s dairy for 3 months and record changes in your level of pain.

The good news is sheep and goat milk products don’t contain high levels of A1 casein, so you can replace your cow’s dairy with almond, coconut, sheep or goat milk cheese, yoghurt and milk.

Anxiety is a common symptom experienced by females during PMS and is highly linked with the decline in progesterone levels when your period is arriving.

Progesterone acts as a natural ‘anti-anxiety’ hormone and when your levels of progesterone decline in the lead up to your period, anxious thoughts may begin to creep in in response to this.

Estrogen is also on the decline in the days leading up to your period and as estrogen declines, so does serotonin causing a dip in your mood. 

Constipation before your period is due to the surge in progesterone levels that happens after ovulation occurs.

It can also be due to the high amounts of prostaglandins circulating causing inflammation meaning your digestive system may struggle to break down food.

• Hydrate: drink your water ladies. Hydration is key for digestion and can help to reduce bloating and constipation experienced.
  
  
• Eat smaller more frequent meals to help reduce bloating
  
  
• Have slow-cooked meals: these are easier to digest.
  
  
• Herbal teas: chamomile tea has been shown to calm the digestive system helping to increase the digestion of foods and reduce bloating experienced.

Sore and painful boobs?

This is a common PMS symptom. This is once again usually due to estrogen dominance and lower levels of progesterone so following the tips I gave above for naturally balancing your estrogen levels will help to reduce breast tenderness.

The number one nutritional deficiency causing cyclical breast pain is iodine deficiency. Iodine is an under-rated nutrient when it comes to your breast health. We mostly think of iodine as being crucial for thyroid function, but it has important roles in keeping our ovaries, uterus, brain, and detoxification systems healthy as well.

One of iodine’s main roles is to make cells less sensitive to estrogen. This is good news for your breasts because iodine helps to lessen the breast swelling and sensitivity associated with increased estrogen.

Read my blog post “Sore Boobs? The Truth Behind Premenstrual Breast Pain” for more information on this. 

Suddenly crying over nothing?

Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us. All the emotional changes you notice in the lead up to your period are due to the declining levels of estrogen and serotonin.

• Exercise helps to reduce the stress experienced and it releases endorphins helping to improve your mood by boosting serotonin levels
  
  
• Time in nature helps to stabilise your moods. Aim to have 20 minutes of daily sun exposure to further boost your mood.
  
  
• Increase magnesium-rich foods. These are the ones I mentioned before, the dark leafy greens, cacao, avocado, nuts, and seeds. These will help to support a healthy nervous system functioning. 

Ah, the dreaded acne - we’ve all been there.

It’s a week before your period and you start to notice multiple spots appearing on your face and think to yourself why!?

Acne is commonly experienced in the lead up to the period bleed and is usually linked with a fluctuation in hormone levels as well as high androgen levels. 

• Zinc supplementation
  
  
• Stay clear of cow’s dairy as mentioned above
  
  
• Hydration is important to clear toxins out of your body which can help to reduce acne breakouts.
  
  
• Support optimal liver function to improve the detoxification of estrogen. Focus on the tips given above in solution #1 ‘Support the detoxification of excess estrogen’.
  
  
• Avoid refined sugars and alcohol where possible
  
  
• Support optimal gut health by having probiotic-rich foods to encourage the growth of beneficial gut bacteria 

Having sugar cravings before your period is completely normal and something we all go through.

The sugar cravings experienced during this time in the cycle are due to blood sugar irregularities caused by the decrease in progesterone.

As estrogen declines, so does serotonin, triggering an increase in appetite.

Remember, you require more calories in the first few days of your period as your body is using more energy than usual.

When you are not meeting these energy needs with foods including complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein, your body may start to crave sugar. 

• Opt for a piece of dark (70%) or above cacao chocolate. The bitterness of this chocolate will help satisfy your cravings but not have you indulging in the whole block.
  
  
• Pair a piece of fruit with some peanut butter or other nut butter to stabilise blood sugar levels
  
  
• Make sure to pair every meal with healthy fats and adequate protein. This will help to reduce cravings and ensure you feel fuller for longer.
  
  
• Try my ‘Hormone-Loving Hot Cacao’ recipe.
  
  
• Stay hydrated: most of the time when we crave sugar, it's simply our body saying it's a little dehydrated.  

This is one of my favorite areas to educate my clients on especially in this day and age where we all get caught up in working non-stop and rushing around trying to do a thousand things at once.

Taking time out during the day for a little self-love can have a huge benefit in reducing PMS.

When you start to notice those PMS symptoms creeping in, think of some lifestyle things that will help to reduce these symptoms and ultimately help you relax.

Breath-work is one of the quickest ways to reduce stress in your body. Slowly inhale through your nostrils ensuring your breath is reaching your stomach and then slowly exhale. Repeat this as required.

Exercise is known to help improve overall mood. 

Sweating is an important way to remove excess toxins (especially estrogen) from your body to help reduce PMS symptoms.

Exercise reduces stress, improves blood flow to your reproductive organs, and reduces inflammation. 

The best kind of exercise is something that you enjoy and will keep doing. 

Be careful with trying to attempt those hardcore HIIT workouts during PMS as this can be super challenging with minimal energy.

Yes, we all NEED sleep. Sleep is one of the most important aspects when trying to balance your hormones. 

When we wind down for sleep a hormone called ‘melatonin’ (otherwise known as our sleepy hormone) is secreted to signal its time to sleep. 

Melatonin signals the body to stop producing cortisol (our ‘stress’ hormone). Focusing on restful and restorative sleep helps to balance our hormones. 

Balanced hormones = happy and healthy periods with few PMS symptoms experienced.

These salts are rich in the essential mineral magnesium which helps our bodies combat stress as well as helps our muscles to soften - this could be part of your nightly wind-down routine after you switch off screens.

Herbal teas such as licorice help the adrenal glands cope with increased periods of stress. 

Chamomile tea is also an amazing tea to help calm you down.

This is one of the best stress management techniques. 

Take a step outside and get into nature. Being in nature reduces feelings of anger, stress, fear, and anxiety and increases feelings of contentment and happiness. 

Try taking a walk without your phone.

Writing down your thoughts with no judgement attached can be a very freeing feeling. 

Putting thoughts on paper allows them to move out of your mind, helping to detach from them and reduce stress levels.

There are several supplements to incorporate into your daily routine if you are struggling with PMS. 

The following are my top recommendations to help support overall hormonal health to reduce PMS symptoms

experienced. 

Always talk to a qualified healthcare practitioner before taking any new supplements.

This is my number one supplement for period health. It can significantly reduce PMS symptoms. 

It also aids in the production of progesterone as well as regulating the stress response to help reduce anxiety experienced during PMS. 

Thinking it’s time to start having magnesium?

Ensure you buy magnesium in the form of magnesium bisglycinate as this form is better absorbed than others.

There is evidence to support the use of these to reduce menstrual pain experienced during the period due to their potent anti-inflammatory benefits.

This is essential for the production of progesterone and GABA (a neurotransmitter in our brain). 

B6 also works to support the detoxification of estrogen as well as acting as an anti-inflammatory in the body to help reduce painful periods.

Zinc is an essential cofactor for many of the daily reactions that happen in our body. 

Zinc is also a powerful anti-acne agent to help reduce acne experienced during PMS.

There have been a large number of studies undertaken showing calcium levels in women with PMS are significantly low.

Supplementation of calcium may be beneficial in reducing PMS symptoms. 

You’re days away from your period and you notice all of the sudden PMS symptoms creeping in. 

Now is the time to take action and follow all of the tips you’ve just learnt from this guide. Good luck! Sending hormone loving vibes your way.