PMS Factor

You know you have PMS if you have one or more of the following symptoms the week before your period:

~ You experience breast swelling and tenderness.
~ You tire easily and have trouble sleeping.
~ You have bowel symptoms such as an upset stomach, constipation or diarrhoea.
~ You have aches and pains such as headaches, joint or muscle pain.
~ Your appetite changes significantly.
~ You experience tension, irritability, mood swings or crying spells.
~ You have trouble concentrating on regular tasks.
~ You feel anxious or depressed.

You can try these diet tips to help you with that nasty PMS week:

~ Eat small and frequent meals. This helps keep blood sugar levels stable and might reduce cravings.

~ Boost your serotonin (the hormone that makes you feel good) by eating high starch foods such as potatoes, bread and corn. Chocolate might help too, especially the dark kind.

~ Limit intake of fat and do not go on binging sprees triggered by your cravings. Stick to good sources of protein (such as beans, nuts and sprouts) and complex carbohydrates (such as steamed rice, rotis and bread) as opposed to sweets and artificial juices.

~ Some vitamins, especially B6, can help reduce symptoms. So might magnesium and calcium, according to some studies. Take one multivitamin-multimineral pill a day during those days. This will also help replenish the iron you lose during your periods.

~ Herbal remedies such as ginseng and chamomile tea can lift your spirits. Whether they actually treat symptoms has not been proved by research, but they can be tried.

Hope this helps some

I often tell women that one missed or “weird” period per year is nothing to worry about.

The series of events that produce a “normal” period are complex and involve many components. Remember that our calendar is based on a “solar” system, whereas the true meaning of month is related to the moon. There are slightly more than 12 lunar cycles in a calendar year, so your period won’t fall on exaetly the same day of the month, every month, unless you are artificially regulating with a birth control pill. The average length of a menstrual cycle (from the first day of bleeding to the next month’s first day) is 29 days. However, anything from 23 to 45 days can be normal.

A woman usually needs at least 20% body fat to menstruate regularly. Low body fat is one reason female athletes do not have regular periods. Stress, travel and a change in sex life are other factors that can change the rhythm of your period.

Regarding the progesterone you were given: When you stopit, you should get your period within 1.° days. If a “progesterone push” indeed produces a period, then your gynecological system is working and your period should normalize on its own. If the progesterone does not produce a period within 10 days, then further testing is required.

There is a new product out there that I believe is rather fabulous. I am very much into healthy products to help control my fibromyalgia and to keep me moving around. I have been hearing about these three fruits and their incredible benefits:

Acai Berry
Mangosteen
Goji Juice

The problem was, I didn’t want to pay $120 to join a company to get just one of these products, let alone $120 to join 3 different companies to get the benefit.

Well, a 20-year old company has come out with a product that combines all 3. You can get it in powder or capsule for $49.95 per month. That is a HUGE bargain, even from the local health food stores. It even states on their company brochure that it has beneficial effects for people with several disease conditions, relief from things such as PMS, and several immune disorders.

I have been taking it now for about 1 week, and I must admit… I feel great. Absolutely great!

Now, if you have diabetes, they do recommend the capsules because the powder has 2 mg of sugar. I personally like the powder. I mix it with water, juice, put it in my yogurt, etc.

Here is where you can learn more and buy some: Amigo Juice

Last week I wrote about the connection between PMS and Acne. About.com came out with an article about the same time saying the same thing essentially. It’s nice to know when others back up what you’re saying

Basically they said this:

Treating Acne Caused by Hormonal Changes | Treatments for Hormonally Influenced Acne

For some female patients, treatment-resistant acne is caused by excessive production of hormones called androgens. Clues that help the doctor diagnose hormonally influenced acne are adult-onset acne, hirsutism, premenstrual acne flares, irregular menstrual cycles, and elevated blood levels of certain androgens.