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

Ask any woman: It can be difficult to weather “that time of the month” and “the change.” But managing these episodes when you have diabetes adds a whole set of complications. Here’s what you need to know to make these two experiences smooth sailing.

A new wrinkle to your menstrual cycle

Some women with diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) find their blood sugar levels don’t stay steady over the week before and during their period. “Most commonly, we see women having higher blood sugars pre-period, and then these drop down when they begin to menstruate,” says William Petit, MD, medical director of the Joslin Diabetes Center affiliate at New Britain Hospital in Connecticut. The culprit: those fluctuating hormones that accompany your cycle. But not everyone is the same, and you need to determine how your body is affected. “Each woman needs to recognize her own pattern,” says Dr. Petit, because the effects can be variable.

To see if hormones affect your blood sugar levels, make a note of the days when you have your period in your blood glucose record book. Here, you should already be recording blood sugar levels (at least four times a day if you have type 1 diabetes) as part of your standard diabetes management. You can look for emerging patterns and speak to your endocrinologist or other health-care practitioner about the best plan for managing your diabetes at various times of the month to keep blood glucose levels optimal.

Read the rest at iVillage