Writing Out Your PMS Headaches, Irritability and Mood Swings in Favor of Better Ending
Yesterday you felt great, the sun was shining and all was right with the world. Today you could slice the air with a knife with the way you feel, or worse. Somehow your mood has been twisted, and like an M Night Shyamalan movie you might have felt like something was about to happen, but boy you didn’t see that coming! And unlike a movie, you can just turn off, extreme PMS symptoms like PMS headache, irritability and mood swings can have you feeling completely out of control over your body. And no matter what anyone tries to tell you, what you’re feeling is real. If it weren’t, 88,000,000 work days a year wouldn’t be missed for PMS symptoms like this and others. The mystery can be solved, though, in figuring out what’s causing the disruption in the natural flow of your menstrual cycle. So, what’s your body trying to tell you?
What your stealthy hormones are doing
I know you hardly even realize they are there like a movie playing in the background while multi-tasking on your phone, which is why your stealthy hormones can get away with murder when you aren’t watching. So, what are those sneaky estrogen and progesterone up to that can have you feeling like your about to boil over with rage one minute and euphoric the next?
Your main sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, follow a natural rhythm throughout the phases (follicular, ovulatory, luteal) of your 28-, 30-, 32-day cycle (if you have a regular cycle). During the first half of your cycle estrogen and progesterone will be low triggering your pituitary gland to produce follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) to begin maturing a follicle (egg). The follicle then produces more estrogen to prepare the uterus for pregnancy. Somewhere between day 12-14 of your cycle ovulation occurs and the increased estrogen triggers a rise in your luteinizing hormone (LH) to release the egg and estrogen and progesterone are released to continue to prepare your uterus for pregnancy. And when pregnancy doesn’t occur and your menstruation begins, estrogen and progesterone go back down again.
Now, that’s what should be happening with a healthy menstrual cycle, but sometimes that natural fluctuation becomes disrupted and that’s when things unravel like the rising action in the movie plot and extreme PMS symptoms like irritability and mood swings begin to rear their ugly heads. Say for example following ovulation your body isn’t releasing enough progesterone, also known as the relaxing hormone that works to balance the effects of estrogen, these lower levels of progesterone during the luteal phase are what can cause PMS mood swings or irritability.
And the flip side of that is too much progesterone in relation to the estrogen your body is producing can cause you to experience depression, weight gain and decreased insulin sensitivity. I know most people think of estrogen as the culprit behind their changing moods and while in part that is true, as increased estrogen without the proper balance of progesterone can have your moods reeling, it really is delicate balancing act between your hormones that keeps your menstrual cycle humming along smoothly.
The not so hidden cues you can take from your body
So, what hints at this plot is your body trying to give you that you should be paying attention to when it comes to the climatic downfall of your reproductive health and your fertility? Well, first if you’re having severe mood swings and irritability every month or even sporadically then you know that your hormones are no longer working in your favor. Something has put them out of balance and there are other likely signs along the way that you may not have realized were all pointing to the antagonist(s) winning out.
Extreme PMS symptoms are not typically lone actors in the story, most are accompanied by others including PMS headaches, anxiety, breast tenderness or pain, skin blemishes, fatigue, back pain and food cravings. You’ve even likely noticed these all along assuming they were just part of a normal menstrual cycle, but I’m here to tell you, they are not. PMS is not something you just have to let have its way with you--our research at Conceivable has proven that. And the even better news is you really can take back your reproductive health with a little help from a natural secret weapon.
Why your diet is your secret weapon
While the antagonist in this menstrual story can be any number of things including, poor diet, stress, vitamin and mineral deficiency, sugar instability, or environmental toxins, one of them can actually be turned around into your secret weapon in fighting off the others, your diet. A healthy whole foods fertility diet, what we call a Conceivable diet, designed to improve your reproductive health can actually reduce and even eliminate your PMS symptoms, including irritability and mood swings. And while a pint of Ben and Jerry’s may seem like a mood-boosting food, you know deep down that’s not what I’m talking about.
So, what are the magical sword fighting whole foods that ward off the evils of PMS? Whole foods are plant-based foods or foods in their natural form (not processed) and are more nutrient dense. This may sound complicated, but it’s really not. One tip is to stick to the perimeter of the store for your grocery list where you’ll find all the produce, meats and dairy, plus the aisle with whole grains and legumes. Part of what we do at Conceivable is to help identity the best overall fertility food plan to fit your needs, but I know you’re anxious to get started and there are definitely foods you’ll find on your Conceivable plan that you could start eating now to help fight back the inner demons, including foods rich in folate such as leafy greens, beans, citrus fruits and whole grains that offer bad mood-busting benefits. Dense, healthy carbohydrates like brown rice and oatmeal also trigger the release of serotonin in your brain, which enhances your mood. And for those of you that rely on a morning cup of joe, now may be the time to kick that habit as well, since women who consume caffeine are more likely to have PMS symptoms. Try making the switch to green tea or herbal tea for your morning ritual-it might sound painful, but you do get used to it quickly!
Keep calm – there is an end to this story
I understand that extreme PMS symptoms can be scary, particularly those like severe mood swings and irritability that make it seem like your mind and body are being controlled by some unseen force, but there really can be a better ending to this narrative. We’ve helped more than 7.000 women twist the plot in favor of a healthy reproductive system by following a Conceivable plan that is designed just for them. We put all of the tools and resources right at your fingertips with our online program that will help you track, score and understand what steps you need to take to keep improving your reproductive health and fertility so you can have the happiest ending of all, a new baby.
Schedule a consultation with us today to learn how Conceivable can help you rewrite your fertility story.
