Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)Prat II - Causes and Symptoms

Premenstrual syndrome effects over 70% to 90% of women before menopause in the US and less for women in Southeast Asia because of their difference in living style and social structure. It is defined as faulty function of the ovaries related to the women's menstrual cycle, it effects a women's physical and emotional state, and sometimes interferes with daily activities as a result of hormone fluctuation. The syndrome occurs one to two weeks before menstruation and then declines when the period starts.

A. Causes
1. Unhealthy diet
Over consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, artificial, caffeine, etc and under consumption of fiber, vital vitamins and minerals are typical diet in our country resulting in over production of bad estrogen leading to weakened the liver function in carbohydrate synthesis and fat and protein metabolism causing PMS.

2. Digestive system
Strong digestive system is important to provide vital nutrients for our body in regulating its normal function. Unfortunately, it is unknown that women with PMS are found to have digestive disorder before menstruation resulting in symptoms of PMS.

3. Vitamins and Minerals deficiency
Vitamins and minerals are important for regulating the hormone production in our body, especially for women during menstrual cycle. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals causes nervous disorder, liver malfunction and hormone imbalance resulting in symptoms of PMS.

4. Sluggish liver
For what ever reason, women with PMS are found to have a sluggish liver before menstruation. Since liver is vital in regulating the levels of estrogen through production of cholesterol and fat and protein metabolism, sluggish liver causes nervous tension and hormone imbalance.

5. Hormonal imbalance
Over production or under production of certain hormones before menstruation as resulting of thyroid malfunction, pituitary gland abnormality function, liver inability in metabolism, abnormal function of adrenal gland etc. cause hormonal imbalance resulting in symptoms of PMS such as depression, stress, insomnia, fatigue, tiredness, menstrual cramps, etc.

B. Symptoms
1. Emotional symptoms
a) Unhealthy diet
Since we all know that our diet contains high amount of saturated and trans fat, unbalance of levels of essential fatty acids causes inability of liver in secreting bile into the digestive system and in fat and protein metabolism that causes nervous tension resulting in increasing the emotional symptoms of PMS such as stress, anxiety, tiredness, insomnia, etc.

b) Vitamins and minerals deficiency
It is unknown why women with PMS are found to have low levels of vitamin B complex and magnesium. These may be caused by low levels of stomach acid or inability of digestive system in absorbing vital nutrients before period resulting in increasing nervous tension and emotional and physical symptoms.

c) Hormone imbalance
Researchers found that women with PMS always have unbalance of levels of estrogen and progesterone before menstruation. It may be caused abnormal function of some glands in the body including the pituitary, thyroid gland.
Remember over or under production of certain hormones such as serotonin, estrogen, progesterone, prolactin, adrenaline increases the nervous disorder resulting in symptoms of PMS.

d) Thyroid gland
Women with PMS are found to have low thyroid function resulting in increasing the risk of depression, stress, fatigue, tiredness, insomnia, etc.

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2. Physical symptoms
a) Foods and sugar craving
Strong liver is important for women with PMS. Unfortunately, most women with PMS are found to have sluggish liver function before menstruation caused by abnormal function of liver in carbohydrate synthesis and insulin regulating resulting in foods and sugar craving.

b) Breast tenderness and water retention
For what ever reasons, researchers show that some women with PMS are found to have high levels of prolactin and low levels of potassium as resulting in abnormal function of pituitary gland and lymphatic function resulting in breast tenderness and water retention accordingly.

c) Palpitation
Some women with PMS might experience heart palpitation, it is caused by malfunction of thyroid gland, unbalance of estrogen and progesterone and inability of liver in secreting bile into digestive system.

d) Nervous tension
Our nervous system needs the strong liver in fat and protein metabolism to function normally and the right levels of estrogen and progesterone to transmit information between cells. Sluggish liver and unbalance of estrogen and progesterone cause nervous tension resulting in symptoms of PMS.

c) Menstrual cramps
Some women may experience menstrual cramps which will disappear as soon as period start. It may be caused by irregular function of ovaries or essential fatty acids deficiency resulting in estrogen and progesterone imbalance and over production of certain hormone in the prostaglandins family.

Since PMS is treatable and manageable by natural remedies and a self help course, if you have PMS, please look on the bright side. FOR EMOTIONAL STRESS RELIEF SELF HELP COURSE

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