Menstruation is the cyclical process that continuously prepares the uterus for pregnancy; it starts at puberty and continues through menopause. Menstruation occurs on an average of every 28 days except during pregnancy and lactation. It is characterized by a passing of the blood-rich uterine lining lasting approximately four or five days. However, individuals may differ in time between periods and duration of menstrual flow. Most women will go though their monthly time with no problem; for others, that monthly time can be pure HELL! Abdominal cramping and bloating, breast tenderness, legs cramps, acne and weight gain one week before that dreadful day, month after month, can be enough to made a women go crazy. But what most women don't know is that their is natural help for these symptom.  The loss of blood which occurs during menstruation causes a loss of iron. The diet should be adequate in iron especially when blood flow is excessive to replace the loss. Iron deficiency may actually be a cause of excessive menstrual blood loss (menorehagia). Good sources of iron comes from: molasses, liver, fish, wheat germ, leafy green vegetable, red meats, poultry and dried fruits. If you not getting a least three portions of these important foods a day, you may want to add a iron supplement (18 to 20 mg. a day) to your daily intake. Cramping may be relieved with an additional intake of calcium ( 1000 mg. a day), magnesium (500 mg. a day), and niacinamide (100 mcg. a day). Add extra B-6 (200 mg. a day) can help with the bloating and tenderness of the breasts. Avoid salts, salty foods. Women don't realize that foods with a high salt content can contribute to water retention. Most canned, snacks, fast foods, and processed foods are high in salt and should be avoid especially during that time of the month.

    The premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is an often disabling condition consisting of an array of symptoms that usually develop during the seven to fourteen days prior to your menstruation. PMS occurs because the levels of estrogen and progesterone are out of balance. Typically, estrogen dominates the system, causing mood swings and excessive irritability, making women feel fragile, volatile and blue. The medical industry is finally recognizing PMS as a disease and not "in our minds." Many women that have and are going through PMS, know the nightmare it can be. I went through six long years of having PMS before it was diagnosed. I also went through the never - ending cycle of valium, psychiatrists and the feeling that I was living in hell right here on earth. I was like two different people, with an uncontrollable angry rage. I used to lock myself away during these times because I was afraid that I would one day hurt my kids. The symptom got worse and worse until I felt I would explode. Reports of many suicides, deaths and murders by women occur during menstruation. If you have PMS please get help, PMS will not go away by itself. Typical symptoms of PMS include decreased energy, tension, irritability, depression, head-ache, thoughts of suicide, and crying spells. It is estimated that at least 50 percent of the adult female population have mild to severe form of PMS.

 

DEFINING WHAT PMS IS

    There's lots of disagreement among experts about how PMS should be defined, but most agree that for a women to officially have PMS, her symptoms must reoccur every two to three menstrual cycles. And the period of premenstrual symptoms must be followed by a symptom-free period. I used to be relieve after a bad episode of PMS because that would mean that I would be normal for several months. PMS is the result of hormonal imbalance - specifically, a drop in the ratio of progesterone to estrogen. Progesterone is believed to have a tranquilizing effect. So the belief is that if the ratio of progesterone to estrogen is too low, increased tension, anxiety and irritability may result. PMS tends to appear often in women in their late twenties and early thirties. One of the primary reasons is that they have any number of situations which affects the hormonal balance and severity of PMS such as pregnancy, miscarriage, and/or going on or off birth - control pills.

Menopause is the period in a women's life marked by glandular changes that denote the end of her menstrual cycle and reproductive years. Menopause usually results from a decreased production of the female sex hormones when a women is between the ages of forty-two-and fifty-two. Poor diet, lack of exercise, and emotional stress may exaggerate the symptoms and discomfort of menopause. Some women experience severe nervous symptoms and become irritable, over excitable, irritability, emotional vulnerability, or depressed. They may have headaches, abdominal pains, rushes of blood to the face and upper body known as "hot flashes," backaches, leg cramps, nosebleeds, frequent bruises, varicose veins, and even ulcers. Some women find themselves extremely fatigued or experiencing insomnia, loss of concentration and memory, decrease in energy, palpitations/irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and increased yeast and urinary tract infections.  Usually within a period of months or a year or even two, the body re-adjusts and the symptoms disappear. Although the menstrual periods cease, a women's normal sexual needs remain or even increase during and after menopause.  Not only will menopause show signs in our bodies, but on our beauty as well. Decreased elasticity and moistness of skin, thinning  nails, thinning or loss of hair on head and auxiliary hair, increased facial hair,  joint and muscle aches and pains.

    I can remember the first hot flash I have the pleasure to experience. I was standing up talking at a sales meeting, when all of sudden my face became very hot. At first I through the room must be getting hotter, but when I looked at everyone else, they all looked cool and clam. I was the only one with sweat on my forehead and upper lip. Then I realized, I must be having a hot flash because I am usually always cold. I began feeling anxious because I did not know what to expect next. How do you explain to a room full of men that your face is bright red and sweating as if you have just run a marathon race? I thought to myself," This cannot be happening to me: I am to young for menopause." As soon as that meeting was over I ran to the nearest book store and read everything I could on menopause. I learned that hot flashes are the first signs of menopause, and that they can go on for years before menopause actually begins. As soon as I read this I cannot tell you the relief I felt. Now all I have to do is plan ahead and take care of some of the symptoms, such as hot flashes.

More physical symptoms of PMS and Menopause included: decreased libido, and loss of orgasmic capacity (without decreased libido), decreased vaginal lubrication, thinning and consequent irritation/abrasion of genital tissue, increased susceptibility to yeast infections and urinary tract infections. During the menopause and PMS time, your body is more complex and emotional. Herbal remedies for treating various problems associated with the female reproductive system have been used for centuries. These natural products can increase energy, endurance, stamina, sexual functions and desires.

I encourage women with signs of vaginal dryness to add 1-2 tablespoon of flaxseed oil and 400 IU vitamin E to their daily diet to help maintain a healthy balance of essential fatty acids and to reduce symptoms of dryness. Besides vaginal dryness, flaxseed and vitamin E can help relieve breast pain.   In one study, women got relief from vaginal dryness and breast pain within 1-4 months after taking these two supplements. According to many experts, vitamin E and flaxseed oil is effective because at the cellular level, they have a molecular structure similar to estrogen. This allows them to function as a "natural hormone replacement." Itchy skin, a susceptibility to infections, and varicose veins are also signs of low vitamin E and essential fatty acid flaxseed oil.  

If you use PREMARIN or PROVERA - Instead, try BLACK COHOSH, SOY ISOFLAVONES or PROGESTERONE.  Premarin, the best selling drug in the world, racked up more than $1 billion in sales last year for its maker, Wyeth-Averst. This estrogen-replacement drug, made from horse urine, is prescribed to relieve menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes. But most women suffer such severe gastrointestinal side effects from Premarin that they stop taking it after less than a year. Take back your body Naturally! Studies show that BLACK COHOSH can relieve hot flashes, depression, anxiety, and night sweats. Research shows that for more than 80 percent of the hundreds of women studied, two tables of black cohosh extract taken twice daily over 4-12 weeks has eliminated or improved menopausal symptoms with no side effects. ISOFLAVONES are type of antioxidant flavonoid that has mild estrogen-like effect in the body. For this reason, it is hypothesized that it help reduce menopausal symptoms by fooling the body into thinking it still has estrogen and thereby thwarting the usual estrogen withdrawal symptoms. This same masquerade helps defeat osteoporosis. The prevention of breast cancer and other hormone-related cancers. Over-the-counter progesterone has become extremely popular with women. Women use PROGESTERONE for PMS, perimenopausal, menopausal and osteoporosis, among other reasons. Progesterone can help take the edge off these changes women can and will go thought. Anxiety, irritability, headaches, mood swings, and memory lapses have proven with the used of Progesterone. Vitamin B-complex is needed in helping the nervous system. A number of clinical studies have observed an apparent relationship between vitamin B-complex deficiency and PMS. Patients with one or more symptoms of PMS also had signs of B vitamin deficiency. A  B-complex of 25 mg  a day was very effective in treating PMS symptoms. Potassium (99 mg, 3 times a day) and B-6 (200 mg. a day) can help one week before menstruation with bloating and water retention. Vitamin E: Although vitamin E research concerning PMS has focused on breast tenderness, other symptoms (nervous tension, headaches, fatigue, and depression) have also been reduced. Below shown a list of natural alternatives for: Menopause, PMS and other female problems.       

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