Please Make it Stop! No one really knows the cause of PMS but there is definitely an association between hormonal changes involving estrogen and progesterone that create the disruptive symptoms one to two weeks before the period begins. Symptoms improve once the period starts so there is undeniably a hormonal connection.

It’s probably safe to say that we’ve all experienced (or continue to experience) the physical and emotional craziness that accompanies the week or two before a period. We’re familiar with that three to five pound water retention, the short fuse, the cravings for all things sweet and salty (for me it was Kit Kats and Kung Pao Chicken), and the urge to sob at saccharine 30-second TV commercials featuring puppies and wounded animals. For some, premenstrual symptoms are only slightly noticeable, but for others the symptoms are debilitating, affecting school, work, relationships and life in general—it may seem as if you’ve being cast in a role for two weeks, 24/7 that doesn’t feel at all like yourself. When symptoms are that severe, we are talking about Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), which typically encompasses emotional changes such as drastic mood swings, depression, crying spells, irritability and anxiety. Physically, PMS symptoms include bloating, breast tenderness, weight gain, food cravings and acne. A perfect storm which can lead even the most sane women to feel as though she’s become victim to an Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

The first thing to understand is why these changes happen in order to figure out a way to combat the symptoms of PMS. Fortunately, the majority of symptoms caused by PMS can be treated with diet, exercise, supplements and the avoidance of certain key foods. The irony being that most women suffering from PMS seek immediate comfort from their symptoms in all these wrong foods!

In Good Hormonal Health-

Dr. Sherry, Co-Founder She-ology