Re: New Life's New Free educational articles on Holistic Health - PMS

[Guest guest]

There is a good article on PMS (I've reprinted it for you all)

Overcoming PMS: Caring for yourself all month long, eliciting long-term change and wellness

By M. Carnahan butterflysage73@...

So many women are affected by PMS that it seems a normal, expected part of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Not so, although anyone who experiences PMS may feel like there is no way out of this “curse” of femininity.

We are able to bring our bodies back into balance through utilizing diet, lifestyle, herbal remedies, and mind-body techniques. These are simple to apply, and efforts must be diligent in order to achieve a lasting change, greater health, body, mind and spirit healing. If you do “fall off the wagon” now and again (coffee and cheesecake, anyone?), there must be no beating yourself up! It will only serve to increase damaging stress hormone levels. Take notice, be kind, and lovingly steer yourself back to the middle way. Give yourself permission to love and care for yourself.

PMS Symptoms may include mood swings, fatigue, tension, backache, abdominal cramping, as well as other imbalances. “PMS is linked to liver and bowel congestion, poor diet and lack of exercise.” All prescriptions for PMS should involve remedies that address liver function, digestive problems, and balancing blood sugar. (5) “The primary systems of the body to focus on when working with PMS are the liver, endocrine system and nervous system.” (3)

Nutrients

Other possible causes of PMS are hormone imbalances, prostaglandin imbalances, and deficiencies in nutrients such as magnesium, vitamins A, E, B complex (especially B6), and GLA, which can be found in evening primrose, borage, and black currant oils.(3) Dietary factors include excess refined sugars, carbohydrates, salt and dairy (think xenoestrogens).(1) Consider having your hormone levels tested, including thyroid levels because low thyroid levels may create severe PMS symptoms.(1)

Investigate nutrient factors and their positive effects on bringing the body back into balance. In modern civilization, we are critically depleted of so many nutrients, which is the direct result of soil erosion and demineralization, denatured packaged and fast foods, as well as copious amounts of caffeine and sugar in our diets which cause nutrient depletion in the body.

Dietary Factors

Eat a high fiber diet, with plenty of organic fruits and vegetables. Include legumes, whole grains and seaweeds in the diet - these are high in iron and iodine. Include also fresh fruit and vegetable sources of vitamin C, to increase iron absorption.(4) Eat only organic meats, and eliminate dairy from diet. (1) Eliminate xenoestrogens from diet and home. Cut back on caffeine from all sources, including sodas and chocolate. Cut back on sugar, alcohol, salt, and tobacco. (5) Avoid hydrogenated fats such as shortening and most margarines, as well as polyunsaturated cooking oils, fluoridated water and chlorinated water. (4) Eliminate refined foods. (3)

Lifestyle Factors

“In order to alleviate premenstrual syndrome, it’s important to understand its physical and emotional causes.”(2) Investigate the possible reasons for imbalance in your body, and in your life. The monthly cycle repeats itself unless something different is introduced to change the cycle. These changes can be addressed on levels of mind, body and spirit. You can use PMS symptoms to help get in touch with your inner self, and in the process, correct problems associated with your cycle. (3)

Exercise

Walking, a consistent yoga practice, moderate aerobic exercise can help prevent PMS and menstrual problems from occurring. (2)

Yoga

On a physical level, yoga relaxes your nervous system, balances your endocrine system, increases the flow of blood and oxygen to your reproductive organs, purifies your liver, and strengthens the muscles surrounding all these organs. Psychologically, yoga works to ease stress and promote relaxation so the hypothalamus can regulate your hormones more efficiently. It offers you the time—and often the permission—you may need to go inside, listen to your body, and respond to what you hear. (2)

It is important to practice consistently in order to experience the benefits fully. Try inversions, such as Headstand (stimulates pituitary gland and pineal body, increases circulation to your brain), Shoulderstand (balances thyroid and parathyroid), and Plough Pose (enlivens adrenal gland and kidneys), as a way to create balance and stability within your body’s systems. (2)

Take good care of yourself

Take time for reflection, rest, baths, and walks. During menstruation, avoid heavy physical work, emotional stress, overexposure to cold and damp conditions, and get plenty of rest. (4) Consider acupuncture treatments to help clear stagnation and to address longstanding issues within the body. Acupuncture has been shown to be highly effective for PMS symptoms, among other ailments. Warm castor oil packs help to relieve bloating, cramping, congestion and discomfort. (6) Love yourself. You do not have to be the “super” mom, wife, or employee.(1)

This leads us effortlessly to the next stage of the game: introspection...

Meditation & Introspection

Focus on creating space in your rib cage and abdomen. Breathe into your body wherever you feel constriction. This brings internal focus and relaxation. (2) Be open to being shown that our own “inner tension is really a suppression of our innate inner selves.” Our bodies are our teachers, and when we practice deep listening, we can hear exactly what our body is telling us about ourselves, about our lives. (5) The inward nature of menstruation can be especially creative and attuned to our inner selves, our higher selves. We need to bring ourselves back in balance and learn to listen to the whispers from the universe, guiding us on this ride called human experience.

Herbal Remedies

Chaste tree berry and dong quai both work to balance hormones. “Chaste tree acts directly on the pituitary gland to balance sex hormone production. By reducing the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and increasing the luteal stimulating hormone (LSH), the relative excess of estrogen to progesterone can be remedied. Chaste tree may also help where there is thyroid imbalance.” (5) Nettles, oatstraw, horsetail are nutritive and mineral rich herbs, excellent in tea form. (3) Tension or anxiety may be treated with skullcap, wild oats, and chamomile, which are relaxing and nourishing to the nervous system. Corn silk, burdock, dandelion leaf all address fluid retention and bloating, working as nutritive diuretics. “Dandelion is most famous as a gently detoxifying bitter tonic, increasing elimination of toxins, wastes and pollutants through the liver and kidneys, cleansing the blood and tissues.” (5) Yellow dock and burdock roots both work to assist in balancing blood sugar, as well as regulating the bowels (which deals with digestion, constipation, diarrhea).

Something as seemingly annoying and even potentially debilitating as PMS can be regarded as an opportunity for healing and enhancing our personal experience of wellness. We are wherever we are, so might as well begin right there. Take small steps, and be consistent. It will take continued and diligent effort to elicit change on a deep level. There is no quick fix, or magic bullet. Slow and steady wins the race. It sure beats being a part of the rat race, rushing, demanding the body and mind to fit into our wildly paced, ungrounded culture of more-faster-better.

The menstrual cycle is intimately connected with the cycles of the moon, an age-old symbol of the feminine. There is great wisdom within. Take time to experience silence. There is an amazing inner world whispering its secrets to you. Slow down and listen.

Suzi

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

http://suziesgoats.wholefoodfarmacy.com/

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