When I meet with clients and listen to their worries, there’s a lot of subjects that come up often:  weight, compulsive eating, bloat/stomach issues, headaches/migraines, allergies, pain,  etc.  Something that doesn’t usually get brought up until I ask is PMS; most women have it, but it’s thought of as so NORMAL, that unless they’re smack in the middle of it, it’s not mentioned.

Just like I say Bloat’s Not Normal, and it’s our body yelling at us that something’s wrong;  PMS is the same situation.  Years of advertising has convinced us that when we have PMS, we’re just low on Advil/Tylenol/Diuretics/Midol.  OMG, that couldn’t be further from the truth!   POOR HEALTH IS NOT A DRUG DEFICIENCY.  EVER. No one needs to suffer from PMS.  I have 5 women in my household; we don’t use those meds (they’re not even in the house anymore), and we don’t suffer with: Cravings, headaches, low energy, cramps, or the low moods associated with PMS.  PMS ISN’T a Medicine Deficiency, it’s a NUTRITIONAL Deficiency, probably because of both diet and poor digestion.

Good news, you can fix this 🙂

The biggest links with PMS and nutrition is  (1) too much sugar  (2) vitamin B deficiency  (3) magnesium deficiency  (4)  Omega 3 to Omega 6 imbalance.

Thinking that can’t be you because you take vitamins?  Think again, because if you had all the Bs and Mag you needed, you wouldn’t be having PMS.   What’s the link?  The SHORT explanation is that when blood sugar levels are high (use a glucometer, but if you’re eating ANY flour, sugar, or drinking wine, there’s a 99% chance they’re too high), it takes a lot of B’s and magnesium to metabolize those carbs.  It takes 45 molecules of Mag to metabolize 1 molecule of sugar!  That metabolism also burns through your Bs.  Big up and down swings of your blood sugar actually decreases oxygen and blood to your ovaries ( thank you Cortisol). That’s not good!

Remember, getting nutrients INTO THE CELLS takes a LOT of CHEMISTRY.  (We’re a chemistry set, not a math equation).  High sugar diets mess up the acidity of the stomach ( it’s supposed to be very acidic).  Stomach’s that aren’t acidic enough can’t properly digest proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.  That’s why all those antacid boxes have warnings on them about pneumonia and fractures.  Less acidity always means poor digestion and nutrient deficiencies.  Always.

Our body isn’t made from medicines, and it’s sure not made from junk food, it’s made from nutrients in Real Whole Foods that get digested and absorbed.  Period.  When there’s Health Issues, look there.

Here’s some food for thought if you’re struggling with PMS ( follow these suggestions and weight comes off too).

1) ditch ALL grain flour, sugar, and alcohol ( liquid donuts), focus on plenty of good fats, quality meats, TONS of vegetables, some fruit, some nuts, some dairy if you tolerate it.

2) add B6, B12, and a B complex from a Real Food source, NOT SYNTHETIC.  Learn the HUGE differences here.

3) add magnesium citrate or glycinate, 400-600 mgs/day; try to take your minerals in the afternoon/evening because they’re better absorbed, and both vitamins and minerals absorb better with a meal.

4) if you have bloat/reflux/GERD etc, you’re not digesting or absorbing well.  Get in touch with me.

5) exercise; this doesn’t have to be a killer workout (unless you want that), but the links between moving, hormones, and mood is HUGE.

6) take a good Omega 3 fish oil, you don’t need Omega 6, that’s inflammatory and we get plenty of O-6s in our diet.  O-3 is harder to get.

7) evening primrose oil, 2 – 500 mgs daily  (fats need to be taken with meals)

Be a Real Whole Foodie.