AYURVEDA PERSPECTIVE ON PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME (PMS)

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.

Disclaimer: 'Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)' could be serious and should be checked by a medical doctor.

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Augment your diet with these specially chosen ingredients below which may be useful for 'Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)'. Individual results vary depending 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. Please check with your medical doctor before making any changes to your health & wellness routine, and for the proper use of these products.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH TIPS

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.

Everything you eat has an effect on your body, which Ayurveda categorizes in a simple and easy way, using biocharacteristics (gunas). Biocharacteristics are qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the 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)', you should select foods with the following biocharacteristics. Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance.

Cleanse & Detox:

Internal Detoxicant

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system.

SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

Mind, Stress & Sleep:

Analgesic

ANALGESIC

Pain reliever, reduces pain without eliminating sensation. Also known as anodyne.

SEE ALL 'ANALGESIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Brain Tonic

BRAIN-TONIC

An herb that strengthens the brain and thereby enhances memory or other cognitive functions and improves mental stamina or stability.

SEE ALL 'BRAIN-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Dopaminergic

DOPAMINERGIC

Dopamine lifts mood, but also reduces prolactin, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and lutenizing hormone (LH).

SEE ALL 'DOPAMINERGIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Nervine

NERVINE

Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature.

SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS

Heart & Circulation:

Alterative

ALTERATIVE

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.

SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

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Blood Thinner

BLOOD-THINNER

Herbs that thin the blood. Helpful for people with heart disease or clogged circulation.

SEE ALL 'BLOOD-THINNER' FOODS / HERBS

Kidney & Urinary:

Diuretic

DIURETIC

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.

SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Liver & Gallbladder:

Cholagogue

CHOLAGOGUE

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.

SEE ALL 'CHOLAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

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Hepatoprotective

HEPATOPROTECTIVE

An herb that is capable of preventing liver damage. Many hepatoprotectives work via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

SEE ALL 'HEPATOPROTECTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

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Livotonic

LIVOTONIC

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.

SEE ALL 'LIVOTONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Reproductive Health:

Anti Estrogenic

ANTI-ESTROGENIC

Reduces estrogen, which reduces thickness of the uterus endometrium, pelvic congestive disorders like fibroids, and frequently dysmenorrhea as well.

SEE ALL 'ANTI-ESTROGENIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Antiandrogen

ANTIANDROGEN

Reduces androgen (testosterone), which can reduce excess growth, drive, and libido. Reduces skin oiliness. Helpful for prostate enlargement.

SEE ALL 'ANTIANDROGEN' FOODS / HERBS

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Progesteronic

PROGESTERONIC

Progeserone is the pregnancy hormone. It raises body temperature (Pitta), and suppresses menstruation. It is generally more extroverted.

SEE ALL 'PROGESTERONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:

Aromatase Inhibitor

AROMATASE-INHIBITOR

Blocks estrogen synthesis by inhibiting conversion of progesterone and testosterone into estrogen.

SEE ALL 'AROMATASE-INHIBITOR' FOODS / HERBS

, Beta Carotene,

Choline

CHOLINE

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).

SEE ALL 'CHOLINE' FOODS / HERBS

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Inositol

INOSITOL

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.

SEE ALL 'INOSITOL' FOODS / HERBS

, Omega 3 Fatty Acids,

Vitamin B General

VITAMIN-B-GENERAL

B vitamins general help in metabolism, fat metabolism (lipotropic), and red blood cell synthesis.

SEE ALL 'VITAMIN-B-GENERAL' FOODS / HERBS

, Zinc

Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

HOW TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN STAGE OF DISEASE #2

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)

GET MY FREE AYURVEDA BODY MAP According to Ayurveda, one or more of the following doshas and biocharacteristics may aggravate 'Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)'. If you have an excess of one of these doshas or biocharacteristics below, Ayurveda recommends reducing foods and lifestyle habits that aggravate them. Click on the biocharacteristic to learn what foods and lifestyle habits should be reduced.

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:

TAKE THE 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.

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