How to Relieve PMS Symptoms Naturally

Ever wondered how to relieve PMS symptoms naturally?

If you’re anything like me, you may not be the nicest person to be around in the week leading up to your period entering the scene. You may want caution tape wrapped around you warning people to stay away. Or is that just me?

I’ve tried for years to help relieve my Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms. Between aging, having 4 kids, and the stress of life, my hormones felt out of whack for a long time. Thankfully, I’ve been able to find ways to help make this time of the month much more manageable. 

What is PMS?

Premenstrual Syndrome is a group of symptoms that many women experience 1-2 weeks before they start their period. PMS can lead to many uncomfortable side effects that are part of this natural biological process. 

PMS Symptoms can include (1):

• Acne
• Back pain
• Bloated abdomen
• Changes in appetite, including cravings for certain foods
• Constipation
• Crying spells
• Diarrhea
• Depression
• Fast heartbeat
• Feeling irritable, tense, or anxious
• Feeling tired
• Headache
• Hot flashes
• Joint pain
• Mood swings
• Not feeling as interested in sex
• Tender and swollen breasts
• Trouble concentrating
• Trouble sleeping
• Swollen hands or feet
• Wanting to be alone
• Weight gain

What Causes PMS?

If you’ve ever dealt with PMS symptoms,  you know how disruptive it can be. But what causes it to happen? Well, there are several reasons it happens and it varies from person to person.  

Some of the causes for PMS symptoms include: (2)

 

• Hormonal changes and imbalances
• Chemical changes in the brain
• Poor diet, including ultra-processed foods
• Low vitamin and mineral levels
• Stress
• Emotional problems
• Depression or anxiety
• Thyroid problems
• Environmental toxins
• Consuming alcohol and caffeine, which may alter mood and energy level
• Eating too many salty foods, which can cause fluid retention and bloating
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise

Very often, hormone imbalance is one of the primary reasons for PMS symptoms, so it’s important to start there first and start addressing any underlying causes. At Nutrition World, we are big fans of frequent blood testing and partner with Bwell4ever so you can understand your baseline health and work to achieve your health goals.  

Are there Ways to Relieve PMS Naturally? And Balance Hormones?

Women dealing with PMS often will resort to using NSAIDS to help relieve their back pain and cramps. For the longest time, that was all I knew what to do. Looking back, I wish I knew more about natural pain relief. But I’ve learned that easing my symptoms is way more complicated than just popping a Tylenol. 

Like most things as it relates to health, diet, exercise and stress management are always at the top of the list of lifestyle changes to help. Easing PMS symptoms are no different. But there are some specific things I’d like to highlight as it specifically relates to women experiencing PMS. 

Diet 

Eating a diet rich in whole foods, healthy fats, with plenty of protein is always a great place to start. I like to eat lots of iron rich foods like red meat and leafy greens to help prepare for menstruation. One of my personal favorite ways to fuel my body leading up to my period is with lots of steak and vegetable stir fry for a fast, easy and nutrient dense meal. Other great foods to fuel with include fatty fish like salmon, avocado, chia seeds, black beans and berries. 

Avoiding sugar and processed foods is also very helpful, though difficult, especially as those cravings come up. My sweet tooth kicks into overdrive during that time of my cycle. The struggle is real. Try your best to limit your intake of these foods as well as taking it easy with caffeine and alcohol consumption as they can worsen your symptoms. 

Exercise 

Regular exercise is important for overall health, but during the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle, it’s not uncommon to feel like you can’t perform at your highest level. While it’s encouraged to continue exercising through all phases of your monthly cycle, you may feel like it’s harder to lift as heavy or do as many reps in your weight training or perform cardio to your best ability. It’s important to listen to your body’s signals and ease up if you are feeling tired or lacking strength. Doing a lower intensity exercise like walking or yoga can be great for recovery. Just keep moving!

Stress management

PMS symptoms can lead to additional stress on your physical, emotional and mental health, so it’s important to incorporate activities into your routine to help relieve stress. Of course, a balanced diet and exercise will naturally help relieve stress, but it’s important to find ways that are meaningful to you that relieve stress. 

How to Relieve PMS Symptoms Naturally With Herbal Remedies

Addressing PMS symptoms is way more nuanced than just pain relief. If one of the root causes is hormone imbalance, then we need to address our hormones in our approach. 

There are some amazing herbs and minerals that can help address PMS in a more holistic manner: 

• Chaste Tree: Helps regulate menstrual cycles and reduce PMS symptoms.
• Dong Quai: Supports hormonal balance and relieves menstrual discomfort.
• Cramp Bark: Comforts occasional discomfort, cramps and irritability associated with menstruation.
• Black Cohosh: Eases cramps and other PMS-related discomforts.
• Magnesium: Reduces muscle tension and promotes relaxation.

There are several other great nutrients like Ginger, Vitamin B6, Red Raspberry Leaf, that can also support 

My Favorite Natural Relief for PMS Symptoms

When I first learned about Lifeseasons PreMense-T, I was elated to find a formula that seemed to check all of the boxes when it came to an herbal remedy to help alleviate my symptoms. It has all of the nutrients in the list above. Knowing that I needed a more well-rounded approach to see improvements, I had to give it a try. 

I was told that more than likely it would need to be something I would take every day all month long to notice improvements. But much to my surprise, I saw results immediately. I have always struggled to be consistent with taking my supplements, and so I just tried taking PreMense-T regularly starting 7-10 days before my period. Did I feel better? I can’t tell you how much better I felt when I started taking it. I typically continue taking it during the first few days of my period as well, which tends to be very uncomfortable, and the Cramp Bark in this formula really helps relieve my discomfort from cramps during that time.