By Nicole O’Neill

Okay, so your favourite time of the month AKA your period is coming up and the symptoms have been crazy with a capital C!

You’ve been crying over that chick-flick starring Ryan Gosling (is that even the guy’s name?!) for the past three hours and you’re beyond bloated. You spent most of yesterday yelling at everyone and daydreaming about punching your annoying workmate in the face.

And worse, your cravings are back and those nice leafy greens you bought two days ago are now in the bin. I won’t even talk about how you’ve been shoving your face with chips, chocolate, and greasy food.

But I’m not here to make you feel bad. Nah, ah. I don’t judge, I get it.

All I want to say is, congratulations! You’re one of the 90% of women who endure some symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). Cheers to that, sista!

It’s not you, it’s your hormones

Relax, you’re not getting PMS because you cheated on that vegan diet six months ago. It’s not your mother’s fault either or that dodgy Chinese you ate last week. You aren’t making it up either, like some people claim.

Your PMS is happening because of your hormones.

What do you mean ‘hormones’?

Oestrogen and progesterone are like yin and yang. They complement each other and work together for your body’s optimum balance and well-being.

• Remember when your boobies appeared out of nowhere? That was because of Oestrogen! Oestrogen is the female sex hormone and it is important for puberty, your menstrual cycle, bone health, and maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.
• Progesterone balances oestrogen. It is involved in your menstrual cycle and is responsible for the thickening of your uterus each month, just in case you make a baby! It is also a natural antidepressant and antianxiety hormone.

PMS symptoms happen because your oestrogen levels and progesterone levels are out of balance.

Before your period is due, your levels of progesterone and oestrogen drop to signal the beginning of your period. This is why you get the dreaded PMS symptoms like bloating, fluid retention, huge cravings, headaches, and low sex drive. At times, it’s the other way round: your progesterone levels drop and you are left feeling the effects of high levels of oestrogen.

The good news is that PMS symptoms usually stop during your period or at the start of your period. So, essentially, PMS is the extra gift on the side you get for not being pregnant!

Where can I find help to deal with my PMS?

I understand PMS isn’t fun. For some women, it’s debilitating.

There are various ways out there to deal with your PMS. Most women go to their medical professional for help. However, they often prescribed medications that come with harsh side effects.

No one wants extra drama when it comes to dealing with PMS.

Natural medicine, on the other hand, is a calmer and gentler alternative to pharmaceutical drugs. They are just as effective and work in sync with your body to treat your PMS.

How can natural medicine help me with PMS?

There are many natural remedies to help you deal with PMS and your menstrual cycle. Dealing with hormone disorders is one of my specialities as a Natural Medicine Practitioner.

Since East West Natural Medicine Group is an evidence-based practice based on pathology, I instruct you on how to do a Female Hormone Profile test to measure your hormone levels in the privacy of your own home. After I receive your pathology test results, I can then create a customised and individual treatment plan to ease your discomfort and get your hormones in check.

My Baldivis clinic also offers remedial massage services to give you some relief from your PMS symptoms.

Is your PMS driving you mad? Rest assured, it’s not you, it’s your hormones! Do you want to get your symptoms in check and get some relief? Give our clinic a call at 1300 00 WELL (9355) to book your appointment to see a Natural Medicine Practitioner today.