If PMS plagues you month after month, break the cycle and take control so you can enjoy sweet relief! Try one or all of these three easy fixes for the next few months and kiss PMS goodbye.
#1 Mag it up!
According to Carol Dean, author of The Magnesium Miracle, magnesium levels fluctuate throughout your cycle. Magnesium decreases during the second half of your cycle as progesterone and estrogen increase. Magnesium deficiency contributes to cramps, headaches, and bloating.
Your body also needs magnesium to keep blood sugar balanced and to help have healthy glucose metabolism. You need both balanced blood sugar and normal glucose metabolism for hormone balance.
If you want to boost your magnesium levels, oral supplements may not be the best. They tend to trigger loose stools, which can be great for constipation but not ideal unless you can get the balance right! Natural Calm powder is highly recommended by Naturopaths because it is easy to adjust the dose; start with half the recommendation on the label. Another option is topical magnesium. Magnesium “oil” is actually a briny spray that is easy to apply on the bottom of feet or on calves. Magnesium gel or lotion are other options. Follow the directions on the label and welcome the relief!
#2 Ghee for me!
Swap out oils and butter for a jar of ghee!
Ghee is an excellent source of fat-soluble vitamins and cholesterol – both are necessary for balancing sex hormones. Unlike vegetable oils that are high in omega-6 fatty acids, ghee is low in omega-6 fatty acids so it doesn’t contribute to inflammation if consumed in moderation.
Including healthy fats in your diet is one way to support balanced blood sugar and balanced hormones, as a result! Repeat after me… healthy fats are fabulous!
#3 It’s time to Pack!
Applying a castor oil pack to your abdomen may seem like a weird thing to do, but it may just become your favorite self-care technique in the two weeks before your period!
Castor oil packs are used for everything from relieving menstrual cramps to easing childbirth, alleviating muscle aches and pains and relieving constipation. Therapeutic use of Castor Oil has been documented in healing texts in ancient India, China, Egypt, Africa, Greece, Persia, Italy and America as a treatment for pain, liver and gallbladder stimulation, lymphatic stimulation, digestive support, menopause symptoms, to boost the immune system, for bumps, bruises, cuts, skin disorders such as eczema or psoriasis and as an emollient and skin softener. Castor oil packs increase the flow of lymph which helps remove toxins in the tissues and in surrounding lymph nodes.
If you’ve never tried a castor oil pack before, you will need some simple supplies. Look for hexane free castor oil, a piece of organic cotton flannel that will fit over your abdomen when it’s folded two or three times. For your abdomen, a 10x8 inch pack should be fine.
To make the pack, lay out a few pieces of plastic wrap or a plain plastic bag. You want the plastic to be larger than the flannel so there is a barrier between the pack and your heating pad. Once the plastic is set, put your flannel on top and begin saturating it with the castor oil. Massage the oil into the fabric, fold over a layer and repeat until you have 2-3 layers in the size needed for your abdomen. You will be able to reuse the pack many times, so get it saturated, but not dripping wet and then let it sit for a few minutes just to make sure nothing is going to leak.
Place the saturated cloth directly on your abdomen with the plastic sheet on top of it. You want the plastic sheet to cover the entire exterior of the saturated flannel, since castor oil stains fabric. Some people like to hold their castor oil pack on by wrapping themselves up with a little cling film; if you do this, just don’t make it too tight!
Next, apply a heating pad on low or medium setting and cover with an old, clean towel. Lay down or recline and enjoy the warmth for 30-60 minutes. When you’re finished, remove the pack and place the flannel into a zip top bag or glass food storage container and store in the fridge until your next use! Wash off with a little mild soap and water to clear any residue and impurities that may have been drawn out in your sweat. Repeat every day or every other day in the weeks before your period. Do not use a castor oil pack on the abdomen during menstruation as it can intensify bleeding and is contraindicated.
Have you tried any of these remedies? Post in the comments below and share your experience or let me know what other simple remedies have worked to ease your PMS!
Written By:
Oshun
What To Do When You Have Period Acne
If acne seems to come on full force a week or two before your period, your hormones may be to blame. Higher levels of testosterone and cortisol trigger oil-producing glands to jump into overdrive and that can cause acne.
Why do some people get period acne and others don’t? Good question! Acne is an indicator that there’s stuff happening behind the scenes that may need your attention. It isn’t just hormone fluctuations or just stress, it’s usually also a sign that your body needs some support in balancing and clearing hormones.
The good news is that there are some simple shifts you can make in your diet and supplement routine that can really help!
Healthy food is the best way to combat hormonal dysfunction because you need to eat anyway and if you focus your nutrition in a targeted way, you can solve the hormone woes while also improving your overall health and reducing your risk of virtually every disease! Natural supplements can also help and may speed up the process balancing things out. Combining a healthy diet with a few quality supplements can make things shift even faster!
Here are my top five supplements for fixing and preventing hormonal acne:
Magnesium + Calcium. Magnesium fights inflammation (acne is inflammatory). Calcium is important for skin renewal. Taking a magnesium/calcium supplement can reduce inflammation and acne. You can also focus on Magnesium and get more calcium in your diet. (Hint – milk/dairy is not the best source!)
Omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and are very beneficial for skin, hair and nails! Look for a supplement rich in fish or flax oil.
Zinc. When we’re zinc deficient our skin is more prone to bacterial infection and redness. Research has shown that zinc supplementation is an effective way to ease acne (even when compared to antibiotics).
Probiotics. Probiotics are important for more than just your gut health…but a healthy gut can mean healthier skin. Believe it or not, gut bacteria are responsible for helping to process and eliminate excess estrogen. So, If you’ve been on the pill or antibiotics and you’re experiencing hormonal acne, probiotics could be key to getting your skin back on track.
B Vitamins. Taking a good B-complex every day that includes B6 has been shown to ease hormonal acne. B6 counteracts skin inflammation and the overproduction of sebum (which clogs pores and creates acne).
Written By:
Oshun
Three Common Reasons Why Your Period May Have Gone Missing
Period irregularities aren’t uncommon, and a missed period need not ring alarm bells when it’s a once in a blue moon occurrence. Nevertheless, there are some things to be mindful of, even with the seemingly normal cases of missed periods. Let’s take a look at the reasons we could miss a period, what it means for our health, and how we can remedy that.
Birth Control
1. Birth control pills can cause hormonal imbalances once the pills are discontinued, which can lead to missed periods. For women with regular periods, missing their periods up to 3 months from discontinuation of the pill could be normal. Nevertheless, it's highly recommended to consult your gynecologist if you miss out on your periods, after stopping birth control pills.
Around 3 to 6 percent of women who are on the pill, experience secondary amenorrhea, or missed periods, once they discontinue the pill. Hence, it can be a valid reason for a missed period. However, if missed periods last more than a month, especially 3 months in a row, it's best to consult a doctor, as there could be other factors and physiological issues that could contribute to a lack of periods.
Chronic Stress
2. Acute as well as chronic stress can both seriously impact the reproductive system, resulting in missed periods. Amenorrhea caused due to stress whether physical, mental, or metabolic, is called hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA).
This is because the normal functioning of the reproductive system depends on both the nervous system and the endocrine system, and the hypothalamus, which is part of the neuroendocrine system, is responsible for producing gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). The gonadotropin-releasing hormone is significant, as it is in turn responsible for the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by the pituitary gland. LH and FSH are responsible for regulating our menstrual cycle, and ovarian function as well.
Stress negatively impacts the functioning of the hypothalamus, the pituitary, and the reproductive organs, causing irregular or missed periods as a result.
Thus, if you are under extreme stress, it could lead to a missed period, but it is advisable to consult a doctor, to ensure other factors are not involved as well.
PCOS
3. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common causes of irregular or missed periods. PCOS is primarily caused by hormonal imbalances and is marked by high levels of androgenic hormones. PCOS results in weight gain, irregular and painful periods, and the formation of ovarian cysts.
Consulting a gynecologist and taking proper medication can help reduce some of the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome and can also help maintain regular and healthy periods.
Missing periods can have many different root causes apart from the three reasons aforementioned. If your period has been missing take the time the get checked out, so that you can take the proper steps to preserve your menstrual and hormone health.
Written By:
Oshun
If acne seems to come on full force a week or two before your period, your hormones may be to blame. Higher levels of testosterone and cortisol trigger oil-producing glands to jump into overdrive and that can cause acne..
If PMS plagues you month after month, break the cycle and take control so you can enjoy sweet relief! Try one or all of these three easy fixes for the next few months and kiss PMS goodbye.
Period irregularities aren’t uncommon, and a missed period need not ring alarm bells when it’s a once in a blue moon occurrence. Nevertheless, there are some things to be mindful of, even with the seemingly normal cases of missed periods.
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