Women's Health Articles

Companies that manufacture dietary supplements and herbal remedies for PMS are not allowed to refer to them as natural ?cures? for PMS. In fact, the FDA requires that all manufacturers of dietary supplements add a medical disclaimer that goes something like, ?this product is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.? However, I am not a manufacturer and not involved in the manufacturing process of dietary supplements or the sell of said supplements. I am simply a woman that used to suffer from sometimes severe symptoms of PMS and it is my belief that there are natural cures for PMS and that I have been cured.

Technically, there are no cures for disease, there are only treatments. Personally, I do not consider PMS a disease. I believe that PMS symptoms are caused largely by unhealthy dietary changes that occurred over the last several hundred years and the stresses we face as modern women. Not to say that women did not suffer from PMS hundreds of years ago. In the 19th century, it was referred to as ?menstrual madness? and the popular treatment was removal of the ovaries.

Although the removal of normal healthy ovaries is not supported by the modern medical community, suppressing ovulation to treat PMS symptoms is not much different. Doctors that would never recommend herbal remedies for PMS would prescribe birth control pills and other synthetic hormones, with all of their accompanying side effects. Most medical doctors know very little about herbs and other natural treatments.

They are courted by the pharmaceutical companies, whose representatives visit their offices bearing free samples and informational brochures. Manufacturers of natural cures for PMS and other conditions do not send out sales representatives to visit doctor?s offices. Likely they would be turned away, at any rate. There are exceptions of course. Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine are becoming more common. And there are some medical doctors that have spent time on their own, educating themselves about herbal remedies for PMS and other conditions. They may be looked down upon by the majority of the medical community. These are ?folk remedies? after all.

Actually, the best herbal remedies for PMS were ?folk remedies?, used in traditional medicine by native healers. But, many have been evaluated by the scientific community. The active components have been isolated and they are being manufactured. You can?t patent them. They are naturally occurring substances. So, the pharmaceutical companies are largely uninterested in them. The necessary research and development to get FDA approval is too expensive and time consuming to be spent on substances that they cannot patent.

So, these herbal remedies for PMS or natural cures for PMS are available without a prescription, but your doctor probably won?t tell you about them. I spent years researching and trying different products, different diets, different exercise plans, etc. It was all worth it, in the long run, but frustrating, nonetheless.

Diet is as good a place to start as any. Salt, caffeine, sugar and alcohol will increase symptoms of PMS. Some women say that they are not sensitive to salt and this may be true. Everyone is different. If I eat processed foods that contain a lot of salt, then I will swell up like a balloon.

Some women say they are not sensitive to caffeine, but try going without it for a while. You really don?t realize what caffeine does to you, until you go without it for a few weeks. The first thing you?ll probably notice is a headache. If you drink a lot of caffeinated beverages, it is not a good idea to stop suddenly. Withdrawal symptoms can be bad. Try cutting back gradually, until you can stop completely. If you go without caffeine for a couple of weeks and then drink a caffeinated beverage, you will see the effects that it has on your body. It is a drug. When used occasionally, it will make you feel high and happy, but once you build up a tolerance to it, you simply ?need? it to get by.

Caffeine is a stimulant, increases production of stress hormones in the body, which decrease circulating levels of serotonin, the body?s mood regulator. Caffeine increases anxiety or nervousness and irritability. Occasional use gives a temporary boost, but frequent continued use leads to fatigue. But, even though you are tired, you can?t get a good night?s sleep. One of the very best natural cures for PMS is 5-HTP, which the body uses to produce serotonin. But, if you don?t cut back on the caffeine, you may find it ineffective.

We crave sugar during PMS, because of a lack of B-complex vitamins and complex carbohydrates. This is also why we feel tired and depressed. If we give into the cravings and eat a simple carbohydrate (sugar), we may feel better temporarily, but in a very short time, we will feel more tired and even sadder. When you crave something sweet, eat an apple or a fruit that you really like and always remember to take your B vitamins.

Alcohol is a depressant. It inhibits the body?s ability to absorb B vitamins and other necessary nutrients. It increases fluid retention, headaches, fatigue, mood swings, anxiety and depression. Although studies have indicated that one glass of red wine with the evening meal is good for you, scientists have determined that the active ingredient in red wine is resveratrol, which is available in dietary supplements.

The best herbal remedies for PMS (in my humble opinion) are black cohosh, chasteberry, sarsaparilla, red clover and tribulus terrestris. These contain components that stabilize hormonal levels, are used by the body to create hormones, or have an estrogen-like effect on the body. Chasteberry, specifically, is a natural anti-inflammatory, like Ibuprofen, but safer. Studies have shown that it effectively relieves breast tenderness and other pain. I believe that these are natural cures for PMS. If you find them ineffective, then look at your diet, your caffeine intake and the other aspects mentioned here, as well as regular exercise. Herbal remedies for PMS can only work if they are not counteracted by negative aspects in a woman?s diet or lifestyle. To learn more, please visit the Menopause and PMS Guide.