It’s undeniable that with age comes wisdom, but for women approaching menopause, it can also bring an unwelcome tag-along: PMS. The little acronym stands for pre-menstrual syndrome, and it packs a powerful punch of physical and emotional symptoms that can wreak havoc on your life if left unchecked. Fortunately, you don’t have to take these changes lying down. By understanding the causes of PMS at this stage in life as well as possible solutions, you will once again be able to reclaim control over those uncomfortable days before your period rolls around each month.
Should you still be PMS-ing?
Some women may report they have had this Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) all the way through since they started having their period when they were a teen. But for some, they’ve noticed it’s gotten considerably worse, and maybe they never even had it until they got into their forties and beyond.
These women are wondering why it’s so bad. They would often ask, “How could my hormones cause this much havoc and upset in my life?”
PMS is most typically in the days leading up to you get in your period, you start to have some symptoms. It can be a day or three leading up to your period or even all the way up until after you ovulate. So you might have these symptoms for up to two weeks every month. That’s a lot of time spent feeling upset, with mood swings, feeling confused, having a hard time digesting food, and feeling low or anxious. It can be really hard to control how you feel during this time.
On top of all that, you may also be having an upset gastrointestinal (GI) system. You feel like you’re retaining fluid and, therefore, gaining weight. Have you ever experienced taking off your socks and then discovering you have an unusually thick or stout ankle? Then, you notice more puffiness on your face, just around your eyes. Generally, you don’t feel well.
Are the hormones to blame all the time?
If you have too much PMS, it might be because your hormones are not balanced. This can happen to people in their 40s or 50s as they approach menopause. Even though this might seem normal, it’s actually not all related to your hormones. There are many other systems in the body that help to govern the balance of hormones, and hence, the PMS.
If you have symptoms that seem to be getting worse to the point where they’re disrupting your life, you might have what’s called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). This is a more severe form of the symptoms you’re experiencing. You might not be able to do your usual tasks leading up to and during your period.
Women are often willing to try anything they can in order to lessen the aggravation of uncomfortable symptoms. From medications and hormone replacement therapy, right down to birth control – it’s all been known as a viable way for women everywhere to combat these unpleasantries so life remains livable.
However, oftentimes, many women say that even when they utilize those techniques, they still feel like it’s a struggle. It’s just that they’re able to get by and kind of manage during this time.
As we explore the complexities of this issue, it’s important to delve deeper into why these symptoms are intensifying as menopause approaches. With so much still unknown, let’s seek out answers and uncover the best ways to navigate toward a successful outcome.
Busting Myths
It has long been thought that changes in hormones and fluctuations can cause physical symptoms during perimenopause or the menopausal years, but for many women, this is only part of the story. There may be more to it than changing hormone levels alone.
It’s important for our hormones to stay balanced, especially as we get older and start to experience menopause. To help keep our symptoms under control, we need to make sure all the other systems in our body are working properly too.
Detoxification Systems
The primary areas of our body that support detoxification are our liver and our gut, as well as even our skin. This should serve as a clue.
Your skin changes during your cycle. You might get dry skin, rashes, or itchiness. Some people get acne when they are teenagers, but if you are in your forties or fifties and getting acne, something might be wrong.
Chances are your hormones are not working in harmony with other systems of your body that help everything to stay balanced and to keep you symptom-free in this more tumultuous and turbulent time with the hormones changing and shifting towards menopause. To help women get to the root cause of their PMS, we need to do some lab testing to understand the balance and how well your body’s detoxification systems work in the liver and the gut.
There really is no guessing with this. Going to the store and getting a gut or liver detox kit for 2–3 weeks and just hoping for the best simply won’t work.
Specific and Customized
We need to get specific, understand what’s happening in your body, and ask:
“Are there any specific digestive imbalances, bacterial or otherwise, going on that affect how your liver is detoxifying?”
There are different phases to liver detoxification, so we need to understand how to be specific and customized to you for you to actually get some results. This way, you not only just subdue the PMS through some of those techniques described, but you actually get to the bottom of it and you start to heal and rebalance the systems of the body that create hormonal balance and hormonal harmony, even in the face of these hormones fluctuating and changing on the way to menopause.
Does it sound complex? Maybe, but it’s really not.
In truth, the best way you can get to the root of PMS is to work with a practitioner such as myself who’s going to dive in to understand the root cause of where it’s coming from. We will do the proper lab testing as well as understand what you’re doing with your lifestyle right now and if you are living a life balanced with your hormones or not.
Many women have PMS that gets worse when they are under pressure or stressed. This is because their adrenal glands are not working properly. When the adrenal glands are not working right, it can throw off the balance of your female sex hormones. This can cause problems with PMS.
Many women are also not necessarily eating correctly. They may not exercise consistently or in the right way for their bodies as they get into their 40s and beyond.
There are many different lifestyle strategies that need to be put in place in combination with an individualized, customized lifestyle plan based on lab testing. This is the only way to get rid of your PMS. Subduing symptoms is not enough. You should feel in control of the situation and notice improvements with your hormones, not just feel better during your cycle.
Get to the Roots
Feeling better with your overall body and wellness in many different aspects is what happens when we get to the root cause of the PMS and the hormone symptoms.
You don’t have to suffer. You don’t have to just put up with it. You may have been told that you just need to subdue your symptoms with whatever you can and try to get by. It doesn’t have to be that way. There is a way for you to thrive rather than just survive. I hope I can provide as much education and information for you as possible as to how you could do that and move forward with the next steps to feel like your best self in your 40s and well beyond.
If you can identify the root cause of your PMS, you may be able to find a solution that better suits you as an individual and helps mitigate the havoc it wreaks in your life. There are many causes of PMS, so it’s important to consult with a professional who can help tailor a plan specifically for you. We offer free discovery calls to help our clients get on the path to living their best lives. We hope this article has been helpful in busting some myths about PMS and providing some clarity about possible solutions. Schedule a discovery call today; we’re looking forward to meeting you.
Are you ready to embark on a journey of relief from the effects of PMS and perimenopause? Get started with us today by scheduling your discovery call. It’s an opportunity for both parties—no pressure, just clarifying questions—so that we can help bring balance back into your life. So what do you say? Shall we get to it?
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DISCLAIMER: The information in this email is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content is for general informational purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor or health professional.
