The PMS Protocol.

PMS effects more women now than ever before, with symptoms lasting up to 2 weeks at a time. Symptoms can range from cramping, bloating, sore breasts and sugar cravings to anxiety, low mood, depression and irritability. The thing with PMS is that it can interfere with a woman’s quality of life on a monthly basis. Feeling fatigued, rundown and moody whilst dealing with foggy brain and irritability may make it hard for these women to think, work and function.

When it comes to managing PMS, we need to take a multi-modality approach by incorporating elements of diet, lifestyle and stress management strategies. In a lot of cases, mental health support may also need to be considered.

As a nutritionist with a strong focus on women’s health, PMS is up there with one of the main conditions I treat regularly. Whilst everyone is different and different approaches work for different people, here’s something that I’d recommend as a good starting point to help alleviate some of the more common symptoms.

Support the liver.

Our liver cleanses and detoxes our hormones. When our liver becomes overloaded, it is unable to carry out this process as effective and efficiently as it should. This may lead us to see recycled hormones re-entering the blood stream instead of being discarded as waste product. This can lead to things like an excess of sex hormones such as estrogen. An excess of estrogen may cause symptoms such as sore, swollen or discomfort in the breast, fatigue, moodiness, weight gain, heavy periods, acne breakouts and may even cause cramping.

Estrogen and progesterone have a see-saw like relationship, meaning if one is high, the other is low. So, a surge in estrogen will cause a decrease in progesterone. Progesterone is known to support a healthy period, promote quality sleep and stabilise our mood. Progesterone also assists with the preparation of pregnancy.

So, what’s the solution? To help support liver function and to rid of excess estrogen stores, there are a few things we can do with our daily diet.

Eat a range of cruciferous vegetables. This includes vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, rocket, cabbage, Brussel sprouts and radish. By doing so, these vegetables will assist with the clearance of excess estrogen and support liver function.

Increase fibre intake through the form of flaxseeds, chia seeds, fruits and vegetables. Include a form of fibre at every meal and snack. Fibre will assist with reducing estrogen absorption and support estrogen excretion via our stools.

Up your omega 3’s intake. Think olive oil, chia seeds, flaxseeds, sardines, salmon, eggs, avocado and walnuts. Omega 3’s has a weak estrogen affect, meaning it can act as an anti-estrogen in an estrogen dominant environment.

Limit processed foods and liver loaders like refined sugar, alcohol and excessive caffeine intake. These foods and stimulants are known to overload the liver, causing it to impair estrogen detoxification.

Supporting liver detoxification can help reduce symptoms of PMS by clearing excess estrogen in the body. In turn, you may start to see a reduction in symptoms or lessen the extremity of your symptoms.

If PMS is something you deal with frequently, know that it is something you do not have to put up with. Start by implementing the above strategies and book in for a free 15 min consult to chat more about your individual needs.