The nature and severity of PMS symptoms vary from woman to woman. Some women may only feel edgy or tired for a day or two each month. Others may experience discomfort so severe that it interferes with normal activities anywhere from one day to two or more weeks each month.
Until recently, premenstrual complaints were widely considered to be "all in a woman's mind." It is now widely recognized that PMS is real, treatable and specifically related to controllable factors. Our experiences strongly demonstrate to us that diet is the most important factor in both creating and managing PMS.
For many women PMS can rob them of their vitality, energy and well-being. Women lose their jobs because of it. Personal relationships suffer from it. Most women affected by PMS will feel a decreased sense of self-value and self-image. It is not unusual that their families suffer severely from the effect of PMS on a mother or sister. Communication between husbands' and wives are often impaired, children are left confused and in extreme cases abused. It is common that PMS women pay the ultimate consequence because of their PMS with divorce, shattered dreams and chaos in their life.
While most women initially have a milder form, PMS is often a progressive condition which can rapidly change and leave women feeling trapped in its wake. It is also not unusual that these women have no idea of what is happening to them.
If you know that you have PMS you are in a sense lucky for now you can do something about it. In the following documents we will look at what PMS is, how it can affect the woman, her family, children and partner. We will look at the symptoms of PMS, its negative affects and its costs.
How Do I Know If I Have PMS?
PMS can be recognized by the timing of the symptoms and their pattern. Most important is that these symptoms must occur in the week or two weeks prior to the onset of the menstrual period. In the following pages we will look at how you can self-diagnose yourself "scientifically." There will be no guess work in it for you will be able to take advantage of our combined 35 years of experience in working with and treating women with PMS.
Before determine whether you have PMS it is important that you learn what PMS is and how to recognize it. The next step is charting your symptoms to establish their pattern and severity. Often professional help may be extremely valuable in evaluating and helping you make a definite diagnosis. Once PMS is diagnosed treatment can be set in motion.
The Following Factors Can Make PMS More Likely:
Number of Pregnancies
Age (More common in women 25-35 years of age)
High Stress Levels or Trauma
Lack of Exercise
History of Tubal Ligation
Use of Birth Control Pills
Excessive Weight Gain or Loss
Previous Major Surgeries
Skipping Meals or Poor Food Choices
Is There Help For Me?
Today there are many sources for attaining help. Resources such as medical doctors, nutritionists, and health educators who offer counseling and guidance in both managing and eliminating PMS symptoms. Unfortunately, in many cases most PMS sufferers will at best only get quasi good advice and lists of suggestions. For some women this is enough. For most women with moderate to severe PMS this is insufficient and they are unable to eliminate their symptoms without individualized attention and support.
What Is the Best Way to Treat my PMS?
The single best method of treatment we have found so far is to eat a correct diet. One that corrects the nutritional deficiencies and excesses that cause it. In most cases, the correction of these nutritional deficiencies completely reverses the PMS symptoms. While some people treat PMS with the female hormone, progesterone, we generally suggest against it unless it is being used only in severe cases where both of treatment programs are used together. Hormonal therapy will help to relive PMS symptoms but it does not reverse the underlying cause, the nutritional deficiency and hence you are left symptom free and deficient in essential nutrients at the same time. Since the symptoms of PMS are an intelligent communication from your body letting you know that a deficiency exists, covering them up using progesterone, simply hides them and leaves you vulnerable to long term health problems.
Do I Have to Change My Diet Radically?
The answer to this question depends on the individual and the quality of their diet and frequency of her meals or snacks. Since PMS is created by certain deficiencies and excesses in the diet the best way to control PMS is to correct the diet accordingly. In most cases this does require making some dietary changes. We understand that most people do not want to change their life radically. After years of working with women, treating PMS and getting excellent results we can assure you that most all of the women we have worked with are happier and enjoy eating more after their symptoms are gone than they ever did before.
Most of the food choices made while having PMS were driven by cravings that the women did not want to have. Now, with the cravings gone, the former PMS suffer can take control of her life and what she eats.
We also teach you how to cheat periodically so that you can enjoy life to its absolute fullness. So don't worry, you will feel better, healthier and more in control of your life then ever before.
To read Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), click here.
To read PMS Fact Sheet, click here.
To get your PMS Self Evaluation Questionnaire (PEQ), click here.
To read PMS and Your Diet, click here.
To read PMS and the Family, click here.
To read PMS and Emotions, click here.
To read PMS and Pregnancy, click here
To read PMS and Fibrocystic Breast Disease, click here.
To read PMS and Birth Control Pills, click here.
To get your book A Guide to Symptoms Relief, click here.
To purchase 30-Days to No More PMS, click here.
To read Personal PMS Diary, click here.
To read PMS Management Form click here.
Related Articles:
More articles by this author
|
Premenstrual Syndrome 
