SYMPTOMS OF PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME AND NATURAL REMEDIES
Vaughan Counselling and Psychotherapy Inc. offer psychotherapy and Naturopathic services at Vaughan and York region cities like Concord, Maple, Woodbridge, Kleinberg, Markham, New Market, Richmond Hill. This blog is about Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), which is one of the many things a Naturopath Doctor, such as our in house naturopath, Dr Newry, can help with.
Many who experience menstruation also experience Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). PMS typically occurs in one's cycle six days before menstruation. These symptoms include mood changes, bloating, food cravings, cramps, soreness, tiredness, and other existing physical and mental illnesses feeling worse. One especially feels the magnitude of the symptoms two days before menstruation. During a menstruation cycle, hormones fluctuate, during PMS there is more progesterone than estrogen.
PMS is significant to look into because many will mention experiencing at least some of the symptoms mentioned above every time during their menstruation cycle. These symptoms affect a good size of people. Moreover, it can affect one's everyday life; for instance, it can affect how they communicate in relationships around them or make it harder to go out, including to work.
Like with many life problems people experience, people may try to fix it with alcohol, which typically makes things worse, along with other solutions such as taking birth control pills or painkillers, which may stop some symptoms of PMS and worsen others.
Naturopaths, such as Dr. Newry, will further expand on what was written in the blog to educate you on why you feel a certain way during PMS. Understanding can help ensure that it is okay/natural, have a better idea of what each month will look like and how to cope. A naturopathic doctor's primary goal is to educate clients so they can make their own educated decisions to improve their quality of life.
Along with educating, Naturopaths will suggest natural remedies. For example, Dr.Newry, Vaughan Counselling and Psychotherapy Inc. naturopathic doctor, will look into clients' lives and make changes that can help lessen the magnitude of PMS.
For instance, Dr. Newry will look into a client's sleeping pattern and explain methods at home to get better sleep, which is vital since tiredness is a symptom of PMS. Dr. Newry may suggest exercising as a way of emotional release. Suggest avoiding junk food containing salt and sugar to avoid worsening the bloating and avoiding caffeine or sugar, worsening anxiety. Instead, a naturopath will suggest food like greens that help relax muscles, or b6 found in nuts or fish, which decrease bloat and moodiness. They will suggest ways to reduce stress which increases the risk of PMS; some methods may include incorporating tea and yoga into one routine and helping clients simplify their routine. For bodily pain, Dr. Newry may suggest a heating pad or acupuncture - Dr. Newry can do acupuncture for her clients.
As mentioned, PMS can affect ones mental health or worsen existing mental illnesses, which therapists at Vaughan Counselling and Psychotherapy Inc. can also help with PMS. In addition, therapists will use different modalities such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to combat thoughts that feed into the anxiety and depression or Mindfulness to help with stress.
The benefit of having Dr. Newry as an in-house Naturopathic doctor at Vaughan Counselling Psychotherapy Inc. is that clients can add both a Naturopathic Doctor and therapists into their circle of care to help better themselves.
If you have more questions about PMS, please reach out as we would love to book an appointment with our naturopathic doctor Dr. Newry.
References
Healthline Editorial Team. (2021, October 05). What Helps Menstrual Cramps: 6 Home Remedies and OTC Options to Manage Pain. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/menstrual-cramp-remedies
How to Manage PMS Naturally. (n.d.). CNM. https://www.naturopathy-uk.com/news/news-cnm-blog/blog/2020/09/21/how-to-manage-pms-naturally/
Higuera, Valencia (2019, May 11). PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/premenstrual-syndrome
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2020, February 07). Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/premenstrual-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20376780
8 Natural Remedies for PMS. (n.d.) Always. https://always.com/en-us/tips-and-advice/your-first-period/8-natural-remedies-for-pms