PMS - surving the curse

Many women call their monthly period ‘the curse’. The men in their lives may use that name for the time period leading up to the monthly flow. It is enough to make both of them long for the day ‘the change’ happens.

Pre Menstrual Syndrome or PMS has long been linked to the ebb and flow of hormones common to the menstrual cycle. Not every woman experiences it, and those that do don’t always experience it in the same way. Some women get very emotional, think bi-polar on steroids. They alternate between screaming and crying over the least little thing. Some women endure weight gain and bloating, that subsides as the flow begins. Others may not have any warning other than a vague discomfort that resolves to real cramping as things get started. No matter what the symptoms it is all lumped under the heading PMS if it occurs any time up to ten days before the period begins.

There have been a few things that have been shown to help. A lot of them can be considered lifestyle choices that improve overall health, while others are targeted directly to the symptoms.

1.  Eat a good quality protein. Up to a half a gram of protein per pound of body weight is what is recommended. Make sure it is good quality. Conventionally grown animal proteins contain hormones that can make matters worse. 
2. Avoid soy. All un-fermented soy contains phytoestrogens which it was thought would replace or push out the natural estrogen. In fact the phytoestrogens mimic real estrogen, making the symptoms worse.
3. Detox. The only way to remove unwanted toxins and hormones from the body is to naturally detoxify the body. A week before each period is the perfect time to do a monthly detox.
4. Avoid aluminum. This can be found in cooking utensils and storage as well as in antiperspirants. Not only does this increase the effect of estrogen on the system, but has also been strongly linked to Alzheimer’s.
5. Load up on B Vitamins.
6. Make sure you are taking a good probiotic and eating fermented foods. This does not include sweetened yogurt. The sugar overrides the benefits of the good bacteria.
7. Supplement with Magnesium. Oral magnesium supplements can cause cramping and bowel problems, so this time of month reach for the topical magnesium supplements.
8. Get some sunshine, or at least supplement with Vitamin D.
9. Get some Omega 3 fatty acids.
10. Cut out vegetable oils. Instead reach for a healthy dose of coconut oil.
11. Get some all natural gelatin. Gelatin (not jello) is full of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, these help balance the hormones.
12. Avoid toxins found in plastics, household cleaners, and pesticides. These disrupt the hormone levels.
13. Cut back on caffeine.
14. Get the right amount of sleep. Sleep deprivation can cause symptoms similar to PMS.
15. Get some exercise, it doesn’t have to be strenuous.
16. Avoid foods like high fructose corn syrup, simple carbs (white bread, white rice, white sugar), and high quantities of grains. These cause leptin resistance which leads to snacking and weight gain.
17. Try some herbs. Some that have been found to be helpful are evening primrose oil, Chinese angelica, also known as dang quai or dong quai, and chasteberry.

PMS is a common occurrence among women. It is not something to be feared. It is something that indicates there is something out of balance in the body. You do not have to endure it. There are ways to make it better.

Sources:

http://www.naturalnews.com/046316_PMS_herbs_bloating.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/046932_PMS_menstruation_diet.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/047005_vitamin_B6_PMS_B_deficiency.html

http://www.naturallivingideas.com/10-ways-to-balance-hormones-naturally/

http://www.naturalnews.com/047270_PMS_menstruation_candida.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/047228_PMS_menstruation_natural_remedies.html

http://www.livingthenourishedlife.com/2013/08/too-much-estrogen-pms

 

Antiobiotics Not Helpful

If you sneeze in a doctor’s office you are likely to be handed a prescription for an antibiotic. What is ironic is that colds, the common cause of sneezing is a virus and antibiotics don’t do a thing for viruses. Many times they will acknowledge this but say the antibiotic is to prevent ‘opportunistic bacterial infections’ that might attack while your immune system is busy fighting the virus. Sounds good in theory, but does it really work that way? Are antibiotics all they are cracked up to be?

As more and more people use antibiotics more of it ends up in our water supply. That means we are all taking small doses on a daily basis. Add that to the antibiotics given to our meat and dairy animals and we are getting some pretty good size doses. Is it any wonder that ‘superbugs’ are developing? These are bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, and they are becoming a health care nightmare.

Once you recover from an illness does it seem like you catch every other illness that comes along? Some people claim that it takes a while for your immune system to build back up. That may be, but the antibiotic you took remains in your system and depresses your immune system even further. You then become your doctor’s cash cow patient. Studies show you are even more prone to fungal and candida overgrowths.

You become more susceptible to many viruses, including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and eve AIDS.

The people that take the most antibiotics are the ones with the highest rate of cancer. One study showed that as little as six prescriptions had a 1.5 percent greater risk of cancer.

Antibiotic use is linked to an increase in mercury in the body. It is thought to be because antibiotics interfere with the body’s elimination of mercury. Increased mercury is linked to autism, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, neurodevelopmental diseases, nephrotoxicity, and cancer.

Antibiotic use has been linked with an increase in obesity among children. Many scientists believe this is because they alter the gut flora, changing the way these children metabolize food. This may also contribute to the increase in childhood allergies and asthma. There is even a link to autism.

There is a relatively new group of antibiotics that are even more harmful than the older ones. They are called Fluoroquinolones because they contain fluoride. The fluoride helps the antibiotic get deeper into the cells, but fluoride is a neurotoxin. It kills brain cells. Unfortunately they are the most widely prescribed antibiotics. The side effects of these drugs are not for the faint of heart and do not always go away when you stop taking them. They can cause permanent damage to the human body. They are found under the names  

Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)	Levofloxacin (Levaquin)
Gemifloxacin (Factive)	Moxifloxacin (Avelox)
Norfloxacin (Noroxin)	Ofloxacin (Floxin)

We don’t need antibiotics most of the time. There are a lot of natural substances that kill bacteria. Many of them kill viruses, fungus and parasites as well. Some of the better known are Colloidal Silver, Tea Tree Oil, Oregano Essential Oil and intravenous Vitamin C.

Our biggest threat comes from the agricultural industry that uses antibiotics indiscriminately and is filling our food supply with these chemicals. The only way to avoid them is to purchase meat from animals that have been raised without them. 

Sources:

http://www.naturalnews.com/046652_antibiotics_obesity_infants.html

http://www.anh-usa.org/do-antibiotics-contribute-to-mercury-poisoning/

http://www.naturalnews.com/046990_antibiotics_Big_Pharma_immune_system.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/047351_antibiotics_obesity_children.html

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/11/01/fluoroquinolone-antibiotic-side-effects.aspx?e_cid=20141101Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20141101Z1&et_cid=DM58891&et_rid=713939811