Consult with a Nutritionist
What is Your PMS Type?
For starters, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is not a diagnosis per sé, but a group of symptoms associated with fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone during the luteal phase of a woman’s cycle. Alright, so what does that have to do with you? Not every woman experiences the same symptoms, onset and severity.
by Sonia Chartier, on 5 October 2015, Women's Health; co-written by Rick Olazabal, BSc, BN Gleaned from the A.Vogel Blog
There are four groups of PMS symptoms:
- PMS-A: which includes anxiety, mood swings, nervousness, irritability;
- PMS-C: which is marked by cravings, as well as hypoglycaemic (i.e. low sugar) symptoms like headaches, dizziness, brain fog;
- PMS-D: which combines depression, insomnia, poor memory, heightened emotional states (e.g. crying); finally,
- PMS-H: where weight gain, edema, bloating, and hyperhydration are present.
So which PMS type are you, and what can you do?
It is especially important that you work alongside a qualified healthcare professional in order to determine whether conventional intervention is needed. This is done in order to rule out any underlying serious conditions (e.g. hypothyroidism, depression, etc.). The next step is minimizing any obstacles to your healing. This involves reduction of potential environmental contaminants, stress management, promoting proper digestion and liver function (for effective hormone excretion). Some sources state that, when compared to symptom-free women, those with PMS tend to consume1:- 62% more carbs
- 275% more refined sugars (including juice and sodas)
- 79% more dairy products
- 78% more sodium
- 53% less iron
- 77% less manganese
- 52% less zinc