Quick answer - Yes!
Long answer, read on.
Symptoms I see in my clinic everyday include painful periods, cramping, bloating, feeling tearful, acne or spots, cravings, weight gain, mood swings and low confidence. These are common Hormonal Imbalance symptoms, yet for many women, this is often downplayed as PMS - almost expected as part of menstruating.
This is not the case, and if you're especially susceptible to feelings of anxiety, low confidence or depression, then you may suffer from a specific type of PMS - PMS A.
PMS A (A for Anxiety) is suffered by up to 80% of all women at one point in their life. Whilst it can take a few months to regulate hormones through a nutrition protocol and possible herbs and supplements, there are some simple ways you can alleviate feelings of anxiety when you feel it or PMS coming along:
Try to eliminate caffeine
Limit your time looking at screens, especially social media
Rest and sleep. Everyone needs at least 7-9 hours of good quality sleep per night
Focus on whole foods, including fruits & veggies
Avoid processed foods and refined sugars
Another reason for anxiety may be you life stage and nutritional deficiencies:
Peri-menopausal or menopausal: the change in hormones during this phase of life is known to affect mood, energy levels and general outlook on life. Balancing hormones during this time is focussed on stabilising levels as they reduce to minimise the experience of symptoms.
Pregnancy: a common symptom, especially during the first and third trimester. If you are feeling this way speak to your healthcare professional about how you feel as pregnancy hormones can cause many new feelings
Some vitamin and mineral deficiencies can contribute to anxiety including B vitamins, iodine, iron, vitamin D and selenium. Before you go bulk buying supplements, speak to your healthcare professional first.
Lastly, one of the best (and cheapest!) things you can do to assist feelings of anxiety and to improve a hormone imbalance is exercise.
I know, I know, you've heard it before, life is busy, it's challenging to find time. However I don't just mean an hour at the gym or an intense 10 mile run. Low intensity weight bearing exercise like yoga or pilates is perfect, or a 20 minute brisk walk outside counts.
Even this low level of exercise helps to balance blood sugar levels which is so important in rectifying a hormone imbalance. It will also help to combat feelings of anxiety as it's a time of action where you are in control, the exercise will improve sleep and also release happy hormones such as dopamine to improve your mood. As an added hit, if you can incorporate movement outside or with friends you'll get a boost of vitamin D and fun!
Heres what Charlotte had to say about support her PMS
" I'd come to accept that period pain during the month and through my period was just something I’d have to deal, PMS and anxiety was always going to impact my life and spots I'd just have to mask with make-up - I didn’t believe there was anything I could do to help it and wasn’t aware of the benefits of balancing my hormones.
Thanks to the weekly hormonal balancing diet and meal plans, I now eat substantial, filling meals which keep me full, fill me with energy and help reduce my symptoms. I no longer get pains in the run up to my period, the pains during my period have significantly reduced, my skin is so much better, I don't experience PMS anywhere near to the extent that I used to and I'm so much happier in myself. "
If you're looking for more advice on regulating your hormones, or you're experiencing negative symptoms around your period, book in with me for a free 20 minute consultation to find out how I can help you today.
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Kelly Mulhall
Registered Nutritional Therapist
Kelly is a Registered Nutritional Therapist who focuses on positive physical and mental wellbeing, achieved through diet, lifestyle, sleep and exercise. Having struggled for years with IBS and hormonal imbalance, and increasingly frustrated with the lack of support and helpful advice from her GP, Kelly began her own journey of healing the body from the inside out. After seeing huge improvements she quit her job to study nutrition and focus on harnessing the healing powers of food to help other people in similar situations.
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