Every month is there that time when you feel a little off? It might manifest as anxiety
over every little thing, it could come out in the form of stressing over something that
wouldn’t normally set you off, or you might even burst into tears. It’s the time of the
month when emotions feel heightened, but why exactly does this happen and how can
you prevent it?
What is this thing we call PMS?
PMS or Pre-Menstrual Syndrome, happens to 90% of all menstruating women with all
kinds of symptoms, the emotional ones happening to 85% of those women. And yet
researchers don’t necessarily know why PMS occurs. With so many wide-ranging
symptoms, it makes it difficult to make a firm diagnosis.
PMS is a combination of symptoms that women get one to two weeks before their
period. For women on their periods, they can experience bloating, physical pain, and also
the emotional side of PMS such as stress, anxiety, gloominess, and irritability. For some
women, the symptoms can be so severe that they forgo school or work, but for others, it
can be more mild. And women in their 30’s are more likely to have PMS symptoms
according to a study from 2011.
But there are some theories as to what causes PMS, which we’ll take you through in this
article.
Theories on the Causes of PMS
One such cause is that chemical changes in the brain lead to PMS. There are fluctuations
of the neurotransmitter serotonin that are thought to play a critical role in mood states
during the PMS time that might contribute to PMS symptoms. According to the Mayo
Clinic, “insufficient amounts of serotonin may contribute to premenstrual depression, as
well as fatigue, food cravings, and sleep problems.”
Another cause could be the cyclical changes in hormones that occur during the course of
your cycle. These fluctuations change and disappear with pregnancy and menopause and
PMS syndrome change during this time, so a common belief is that the hormone changes
affect PMS.
PMS could also be caused by carbohydrate metabolism changes, according to Children’s
Hospital. They say that the premenstrual syndrome seems to be related to fluctuations in
estrogen and progesterone in the body during the cycle.
When does PMS Happen?
PMS happens after ovulation and before the start of the menstrual period, and researchers
believe that PMS occurs in the days after ovulation because estrogen and progesterone
levels begin to decline. Then, the PMS symptoms withdraw within a few days after a
woman’s period starts as hormone levels begin rising again.
The menstrual cycle starting point differs from each woman, it can start as early as 9 or
10 now, and then the menstrual cycle ends at menopause. But as a girl gets older, PMS
tends to get more severe, with the worst PMS symptoms towards the tail end of her
menstrual time. In fact, PMS can be the most intense during peri-menopause.
90% of women are affected by PMS at some point during their lifetimes.
With 90% of women affected by PMS at some point during their lifetimes, it’s amazing
that there is not necessarily knowledge on WHY we all have PMS, but there are ways to
help.
So how exactly can I prevent PMS?
There are now innovative period products to help you fight and conquer your
PMS. We’ve come such a long way when it comes to period care, but there are still
stigmas around menstruation that come up every day, even with science not fully being
able to explain PMS, we at Jubilance are working to get to the bottom of PMS.
PMS is already stressful to begin with, stop dreading it with some of these tips that can
help you live a fuller life during that week of the month.
There are a number of things you can do to help you through your PMS and to stop it in
its tracks. And, as an added bonus, these tips will help you stay healthier in general!
• Get Exercising! You want to get aerobic activity to help stave off fatigue, keep
you energized, and it can help with concentration, all symptoms that can occur
during PMS.
When you’re taking care of your body, your body feels better and the endorphins
you release during exercise can help you not only sleep better, but relax a little
easier. I also find it helpful to channel my frustrations into a run or a ride on a
bike, when I exercise, I’m able to find my calm a lot easier.
• Make sure you’re sleeping right! Sleep can be your best friend during this
time. You want to make sure you’re trying to get your eight hours. Lack of sleep
can you make you feel awful and make PMS symptoms feel worse, think about
how your anxiety levels spike when you don’t get enough sleep. Maybe try
practicing yoga or getting in some meditation time. Also be sure to not have
sugar, caffeine, or alcohol right before you go to bed as all of these interrupt your
sleeping cycle.
Lately I’ve tried meditating right before I go to bed. It helps me find my calm
levels of breathing and I’m able to focus on just one thing, instead of my mind
spinning in dozens of different directions.
• Try to eat healthy foods. You want to stay away from sugar and salt as much as
possible during this time of the month, these can keep you from sleeping, but they
can also make you feel bloated and lethargic. You want to eat those “super”
foods, with all kinds of vitamins and minerals, so you feel “super” too!
There are some awesome foods you want to keep in mind when you’re pms-ing.
Try a handful of blackberries, they’re perfect for when you want to amp up that
Vitamin K, in research, they’re shown to help with cramps during PMS.
Or why not try some blueberries? They have so many antioxidants and they’re believed
to help with low estrogen levels, so they can help you sleep better during your
period.
Or how about some pineapple chunks? Pineapple seems to be the fruit of
the year, I’ve seen printed pineapples on cups, on shirts, on jewelry, but did you
know it’s also a super fruit for that time of the month? The tropical fruit is high in
manganese and with its antioxidants it can help reduce inflammation, so those
cramps you experience during PMS.
Pumpkin Seeds – Pumpkin Seeds have so much magnesium. Magnesium can help reduce cramps during PMS, so maybe
we should be eating these like popcorn? PUT CHIA SEEDS ON
EVERYTHING. I’m completely serious. Chia seeds are not only a good source
of fiber (good for your poop) but they’re also packed with omega-3s, which make
them anti-inflammatory, so they help you with cramps! Chia seeds for the win!
• Find ways to cope with stress. You can try meditating, there is a great
meditation series for PMS just for you from a therapist, find it here! Another idea
to find new ways of helping your anxiety is journaling or doing some yoga.
When you journal, you can start to see patterns in how you are feeling, so, you
can take those patterns and better understand your emotions, and figure out how
to help yourself. You’ll know about when exactly you’ll start to feel a little pmsy and then can take that information and run with it.
• Limit your caffeine & alcohol intake. You want to be careful during your PMS
time with the amount of caffeine and alcohol you consume. They keep you up at
night and don’t allow you to “reset” your internal clock, which you really need
during that time of the month.
Caffeine really does keep you awake at night! You want to stop drinking it in the
afternoon, so you can stop those jitters and feel ready to sleep by the time it’s bed
time.
• Try Jubilance for PMS. It’s the only clinically proven supplement on the
market that helps to relieve the emotional sides of PMS including stress, anxiety,
irritability, and gloominess. Find more about how this supplement can help you
fight off the emotional side of PMS so you can be you every day of the month. It
helps 80% of women feel so much better during that time of the month! And,
with only two ingredients, Vitamin C & Oxaloacetate (found in the Krebs Cycle),
you know exactly what is going in your body.
This supplement is produced by a women run company and is the ONLY
clinically tried supplement on the market for the emotional side of PMS. Just
think if you could stop all that stressing and those anxieties that accompany PMS?
It’s totally possible with a supplement you take once a day. Find out more at
www.jubilance.com
All of these are tools for you to use to prevent your PMS. Try what feels right for you
and consult with your doctor about your period and menstrual cycle. With PMS affecting
almost all menstruating women there are now ways to better understand your body and
make changes so that you can feel better during that time of the month.
Dickerson, L., Mazyck, P., Hunter, M. (2002). Premenstrual Syndrome. American Family
Physician; 67(8): 1743–1752.
Publishing, Harvard Health. “Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS).” Harvard Health,
www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/premenstrual-syndrome-pms-a-to-z.
“Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS).” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education
and Research, 7 Feb. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/premenstrualsyndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20376780.
“Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS): Symptoms & Causes: Boston Children’s
Hospital.” Boston Childrens Hospital, www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-andtreatments/conditions/p/pms/symptoms-and-causes.
Dennerstein, L., Lehert, P., Heinemann, K. (2011). Global study of women’s experiences
of premenstrual symptoms and their effects on daily life. Menopause International; 17:
88–95.
Steiner, M. (2000). Premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder:
guidelines for management. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience; 25(5): 459–468.
Aganoff, J. A., Boyle, G. J. (1994). Aerobic exercise, mood states and menstrual cycle
symptoms. Journal of Psychosomatic Research; 38: 183–92.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2015). Premenstrual Syndrome
(PMS)
Tully, Lissa, et al. “Oxaloacetate Reduces Emotional Symptoms in Premenstrual
Syndrome (PMS): Results of a Placebo-Controlled, Cross-over Clinical Trial.” Obstetrics
& Gynecology Science, vol. 63, no. 2, Mar. 2020, pp. 195–204.
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