In the first part of this article, we looked at several herbs that have been shown to alleviate some of the unpleasant side effects of the menstrual cycle. Natural remedies may also play a major role in helping with symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS.
At the WholeHealthMD website, they list several herbs as well as vitamins and minerals that may be especially useful for PMS symptoms. For example, they suggest a basic daily combination of the mineral magnesium, vitamin B6, and the herb borage oil. This should help balance levels of estrogen and progesterone and while results won’t happen overnight, within a couple/few cycles many women notice relief from the symptoms of PMS.
If this hat trick of nutrients isn’t quite enough to battle your PMS, you may wish to add in chasteberry throughout your cycle. It has been sown to be pretty darn effective at helping with PMS and if you combine it with another herb called dong quai, it may work even better. Both of these herbs work in the pituitary gland to help balance estrogen and progesterone.
If you feel especially gloomy during PMS, WholeHealth MD suggested that St. John’s Wort might help you feel better. Again, you often have to wait at least two cycles to see relief. Herbal remedies can be really helpful for a variety of health issues, but it’s important to remember that they are not like traditional drugs and they don’t tend to show results right away. You have to be patient and allow them to build up in your system for at least a few weeks.
A lot of women feel extra tense and nervous during PMS; if this is the case, you may wish to try the herb theanine. This is one remedy that tends to be pretty fast-acting, which is a bonus if you are feeling anxious. And finally, if PMS knocks you for a loop and makes you want to snooze more, Siberian ginseng in the dose of 100-200 mg a day may help give you more energy. It has a direct effect on the adrenal glands and the immune system, and may increase your stamina and endurance while keeping you healthy at the same time.
Now the disclaimer: these are all natural remedies and/or vitamins and minerals, but this does not mean they are totally innocuous in the body. Some supplements can interfere with certain medicines or tend to not get along well with specific health conditions. So if you want to give some of these herbs a try, please run it past your physician first. The last thing you want is to fall ill from a supplement that is meant to make you feel better. Having said that, most people seem to tolerate these remedies quite well.
Have you tried any of these natural remedies for PMS or menstrual issues? If so, please share which ones and if they worked for you. Do you have any other suggestions to help alleviate the symptoms of PMS and menstruation? If so, I would love to read them—please use the comment section below to add your thoughts.
References:
http://chetday.com/herbsfemaleproblems.htm
http://www.wholehealthmd.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=289953EC31774581A350521638E25DDF&nm=Healing+Centers&type=AWHN_HealingCenters&mod=Home&tier=4&id=EBDA5A522FE942C2A2E34A56B95938E4