Click one of the buttons above, or cut and paste the following link to share this page with your network.
This link will automatically track your referrals:
Are you prone to a problem with 'Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)'?
Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Reproductive System by taking the
free reproductive health quiz:
Master Personalized Wellness with these Diet, Lifestyle & Herbs Certification Courses
Pre-menstrual syndrome refers to a group of symptoms women experience between ovulation and menstruation, including one or more of mood swings, irritability, depression, food cravings, fatigue, headache, back ache, tender breasts, water retention & bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. Varicose veins may also ache during menstruation.
Premenstrual syndrome is thought to be caused by hormone imbalances. Alteratives, liver tonics, and hepatoprotectives are a foundation for normalizing hormones. Rest, stress management, and a dosha appropriate diet & routine may support a smoother pre menstrual time period.
Here are some approaches to specific symptoms of PMS:
PMS Blood congestion - Uterine congestion builds as estrogen stimulates growth of the endometrium. Congested uterine blood causes general pelvic blood congestion & stasis, leading to feelings of heaviness, achiness, pain, & backache. Estrogen receptors in blood vessels lead to vascular changes inducing blood stasis. Astringent decongestants and blood movers help in this case, including Yarrow (Achillea), Angelica, Horse Chestnut (Aesculus), and Witch Hazel (Hamamelis). Progesteronic and/or anti-estrogenic herbs may help reduce these estrogenic effects.
PMS Fluid retention - Estrogen receptors lead to fluid retention, causing pelvic blood congestion and breast tenderness. Diuretics and remedies for blood stasis will help. Diuretics for PMS include Parsley (Petroselinum), Nettles (Urtica), Dandelion (Taraxacum), and Horestail (Equisetum)
PMS Headaches - If congestive, treat similarly to blood stasis. Chastetree (Vitex) and Black Cohosh (Actaea) are specific to PMS headaches. If migraine type, consider alteratives.
PMS Mood Swings - Nervines, nerve trophorestoratives and HPA-Axis nuetrotransmitters may help. If these don't work, the symptoms may be liver related.
PMS Depression - Dopaminergic herbs will lift the mood.
PMS acne - High testosterone makes the skin oily. Consider anti-androgens, alteratives, cleansing toxins, & supporting the liver. Supplements include Vitamin A, Beta-carotene, Zinc, and Essential Fatty Acids.
Food is medicine, and well-designed recipes function as gentle herbal formulas.
The recipes below highlight biocharacteristics and ingredients that may support Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
from a Classical Metabolic Theory perspective*.
Because every person is unique, certain recipes may support your body more effectively than others.
Choose according to your constitution.
Suggestions are not strict, reflecting the real world need for variety and balance in diet.
As always, please consult your medical doctor before making any changes to your diet or wellness plan.
Augment your diet with these specially chosen ingredients below which may be useful for 'Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)'.
Individual results vary depending on the cause of your imbalance and by constitution.
Please research the ingredients below to find which are most helpful for you, and check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.
Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.
Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.
Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines.
Inositol is an alcohol sugar made naturally in the human body from glucose. It is lipotropic (aiding fat metabilism in the liver). It affects a variety of hormones, neurotransmitters, steroid, growth factors and water.
An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene.
Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.
Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.
Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.
Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines.
An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene.
Inositol is an alcohol sugar made naturally in the human body from glucose. It is lipotropic (aiding fat metabilism in the liver). It affects a variety of hormones, neurotransmitters, steroid, growth factors and water.
In Ayurveda, oily refers to anything moistening. More specifically, oily refers to building substances that increases fat, or are themselves fatty. For example, sugar is Oily.
Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.
The term "bland taste" refers, in Chinese medicine, to food containing few macronutrients, such as cabbage, radish or bok choy. These may be compared to negative calorie foods.
DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body.
The information on this page is for educational purposes only and should not be used to treat a medical condition. It is not a substitute for medical care.
Please check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.
Balance Your Body with Diet, Herbs, & Lifestyles Having These Virtues (Biocharacteristics)
Everything you eat has an effect on your body, which Personalized Medicine Systems (Ayurveda & Greek Medicine)
categorize in a simple and easy way, using biocharacteristics.
Biocharacteristics are vital qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the metabolic effect a food or herb has on your body.
Cooling foods like cucumber, decrease metabolism.
Heating foods like chili pepper, stimulate your body and increase metabolism.
For 'Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)', consider foods with the following biocharacteristics.
Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance.
BIOCHARACTERISTIC
FOODS TO FAVOR
MATCH WITH YOUR WELLNESS PROFILE
CLEAR
ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC
Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.
Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.
Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.
Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines.
An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene.
Precursor to acetylcholine. Essential nutrient that supports liver and brain development, metabolism, and muscle and nervous system function. It is lipotropic (aiding fat metabolism in the liver).
Inositol is an alcohol sugar made naturally in the human body from glucose. It is lipotropic (aiding fat metabilism in the liver). It affects a variety of hormones, neurotransmitters, steroid, growth factors and water.
PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME (PMS) IS IN STAGE OF DISEASE #2 - AFFECTING BLOOD & EMOTIONS
Affecting Blood: Initially, imbalances are localized, often in the digestive tract.
As an imbalance grows, it starts to affect your body systemically, via the blood.
If you have symptoms in this category it means that your imbalances are starting to spread,
have entered the bloodstream, and are now systemic.
Pay particular attention to the biocharacteristics, tastes, and doshas out of balance systemically,
so you know how to strengthen your body as a whole, and reduce physical stress on your organs.
At this stage of imbalance you will begin to experience generalized discomfort, imbalanced emotions,
and may develop sensitivities to temperature.
It may take several weeks of strict adherence to a specific remedial diet to clear blood level imbalances.
Blood cleansing herbs may reduce symptoms.
A several day cleanse may shorten the recovery time.
(See all disease stages on JB)
AVOID DIETS, LIFESTYLES & HERBS THAT AGGRAVATE THESE BIOCHARACTERISTICS
According to Personalized Medicine Systems (Ayurveda and Greek medicine), aggravation of any of these
body types
and biocharacteristics may lead to 'Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)'.
Reduce the foods and lifestyle habits that aggravate these qualities (when dystempered).
Click on the biocharacteristic to learn what foods and
lifestyle habits should be reduced.
Symptoms Tell A Story
The first step to healing is learning patterns from your symptoms.
Symptoms are clues that reveal underlying imbalances.
Symptoms show you where your body is weakened.
Ultimately, all disease has a root in tissues too weak to defend itself.
Ayurveda describes these patterns of weakness using doshas & biocharacteristics.
If you notice a biocharacteristic or dosha appears next to many of your symptoms,
it helps you establish a pattern that may be systemic.
BIOCHARACTERISTIC
FOODS TO AVOID
DO YOU HAVE THIS IMBALANCE?
TOXIC
ABOUT TOXIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC
A substance that causes toxicity in the body, or that harms the body.
Are you prone to a problem with 'Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)'?
Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Reproductive System by taking the
free reproductive health quiz:
The following symptoms & habits may be related to 'Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)'.
See your quiz results for a computerized assessment of your body type.
Please click on the symptoms below to learn more about them.
Please login or create a free account to see statistics filtered on Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Hormonal cycle affects symptoms.
DISCOVER YOUR BODY WITH YOUR FREE INDIVIDUALIZED BODY MAP
Find ideal foods, herbs and lifestyle tips.
See your imbalances, and locate intervention points.
Your body map contains a complete analysis of your Ayurvedic imbalances, organ by organ.
Give your chart to your functional medical doctor or any alternative health practitioner.
Ayurveda strengthens the body while opposing disorders. It takes a holistic,
systemic approach that looks at the whole body. Ayurveda
shows how to interpret signs and symptoms of imbalance, and how to address them
using diet, lifestyle adjustments, and herbs. It shows a person how to optimize their health on a continual basis. You can't
take the doctor home with you, but you can take Ayurveda home with you.
Ayurveda is the most advanced and easy to use home system for self healing.
HOW DOES AYURVEDA WORK?
Ayurveda starts by identifying your body type,
which identifies certain tendencies in your body to get sick (as well as identifying your strengths).
It uses body type to determine the likely root causes of your disorders.
Next, Ayurveda analyzes the nature of your disorder.
It fits all your signs and symptoms into a pattern, expressed as a combination of biocharacteristics (gunas).
For example, you may have a heat disorder, a cold disorder, or an oily disorder, etc.
This simple categorical approach shows you how to correct systemic imbalances and strengthen your body as a whole.
On Joyful Belly, we've created an extensive categorization of food so you can easily match food to your imbalanced biocharacteristics.
By eating an optimal diet that balances your biocharacteristics, your whole body is strengthened
and the conditions that created the disorder are removed. Once the root causes of the disease
are removed, the disease lessens in strength or disappears altogether. Additional remedies -
such as herbs and lifestyle practices - focused on the specific disorder, can greatly enhance
your healing.
GET STARTED
To get started on your Ayurvedic journey, we first recommend that your find your body
type by taking our free quiz. In Ayurveda, every solution is based on your unique body type, so
by taking this quiz, you’ll get the best results.
5 WAYS TO HEAL YOUR BODY WITH AYURVEDA - FREE REPORT!
New to Ayurveda? Not sure how Ayurveda can help you?
This free report shows you 5 simple ways you can heal your body with Ayurveda.
It shows you simple, practical ways manage your health.
John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly & Magnolia Hill College, offers
professional clinical training
in personalized diet, lifestyle and herbs through Classical Metabolic Theory (Ayurveda & Greek Medicine).
His approach is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful.
John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders,
classical Christian philosophy for mental wellness, languages (French, Arabic, Bengali), cooking & botany.
He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.
John, his wife Natalie, and their 8 kids live in Asheville, NC.
Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’
Comments & Questions
How does 'premenstrual syndrome (pms)' affect your quality of life?
What aggravates it? What has helped you? Is there something else you'd like to know about 'premenstrual syndrome (pms)'?
Want our natural Metabolic recipes and health tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter!
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
The information and products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease.
On MeWe
On Pinterest
On Facebook
On Twitter
On WhatsApp
On Email
Ayurvedic Perspective on Premenstrual Syndrome...
Biocharacteristics & Herb Actions to Favor
Stage of Imbalance (Samprapti)
Biocharacteristics to Avoid
Diet Remedies by Dosha, Biocharacteristics, Action, etc.
Related Symptoms
Herb Remedies by Dosha, Guna, Action, etc.
Comments and reviews
