Redefining PMS: Why menstrual discomfort Isn’t just part of being a woman
- Becky Balmer
- Jan 23
- 7 min read
Menstruation has long been shrouded in misunderstanding and stigma, with countless myths perpetuating misinformation about women’s health. Alisa Vitti, a leading expert in women’s hormonal health and author of “In the Flo” has dedicated her career to demystifying these misconceptions. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the most common period myths that have persisted over time, drawing on Vitti’s research and insights. From the idea that periods are supposed to be painful, that PMS and other hormonal imbalances are simply something we have to endure, to challenging these narratives and empowering you with new knowledge that will help you begin your journey to painless, PMS free periods.
What we believe
From an early age, we are taught to hide ‘our time of the month’. Something that is so fundamental to life, our biology, our reproductive cycle, our menstrual health, it’s just not talked about or even understood. We have been conditioned to ignore our hormone health until we start getting problems with it. And these problems can and often do occur at an early age. But then we believe that because this has always been OUR normal, it is normal and there is nothing we can do about it.
We often operate out of harmony with our distinct female brain and body chemistry; our eating habits rarely support a pro-hormonal approach, which provides our endocrine system ( a network of glands in your body that produce and release hormones) with the essential building blocks required to maintain hormone balance. Being out of alignment with our female physiology weakens our health in so many ways; our thyroid health, our adrenal system, our immune health, our gut health and of course, our reproductive health.
Challenging our beliefs
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that the menstrual cycle should be used as the 5th vital sign of health and recognising abnormal symptoms should be taken as seriously as abnormal blood pressure, heart rate or respiratory rate. Using The Menstrual Cycle as a Vital Sign
Understanding your cycle will help you understand yourself better; you can then use that knowledge to support yourself through hormonal level changes. It is widely accepted that PMS, menstrual cramps, skin break outs, bloating, and many other cycle symptoms are a normal feature of ‘being a woman’. Believing this myth can be really damaging to female health because if you trust that this is common place and just ‘one of those things’, it doesn’t encourage you to do something about it.
According to the National Institute of Health’s BioCycle Study, the longer PMS goes untreated, the greater the risk of the four biggest diseases of inflammation, post menopause - these diseases being diabetes, heart disease, cancer and dementia.Biocycle Study
The reality is that scientific research indicates PMS symptoms occur only when there is an imbalance between oestrogen and progesterone in the luteal phase. This imbalance can be influenced by dietary choices, including coffee, sugar, dairy, restrictive diets, juice fasts, and low-fat trends.
When women align their lifestyles with their menstrual cycle, consume appropriate foods, and embrace their feminine energy, PMS symptoms often vanish. Instead of being a time of irritability, feeling low, frustration, anger, whatever emotional symptoms come up for you, the premenstrual phase instead can transform into a time of insight, clarity, and guidance.
Painful Periods
Additionally, menstrual cramps shouldn’t be painful, yet more than half of women of reproductive age report that they experience pain of discomfort for 2 days or more per month. The truth is that your body produces Prostaglandins, which are tiny chemicals in the body that help control important processes like pain, inflammation and fever.
One type of Prostaglandin that your body produces causes uterine contractions, and in excess can lead to cramps. However, your body also produces two additional types of prostaglandins that are anti-spasmodic in nature and can counteract the effect of the other type of prostaglandin. The good news is that by choosing the right foods for your cycle, you supply your body with the essential components necessary to boost the production of beneficial prostaglandins that alleviate period discomfort.
Cycle Phases
Our cycle consists of four distinct phases: Menstruation, Follicular, Ovulatory, and Luteal. During the menstruation phase, the levels of reproductive hormones in the body are at their lowest. This creates the greatest communication between the two hemispheres of the brain—the logical left side and the intuitive right side. As a result, you are in an optimal position to reflect on and understand your emotions regarding various situations.
Directly after your period ends you are established in your follicular phase and specific hormones begin to increase, the main one here we may be aware of is oestrogen. During your reproductive cycle, oestrogen is involved in ovulation and helps thicken the uterine lining in anticipation of pregnancy. However, its influence extends beyond reproduction; oestrogen also plays a crucial role in various biological systems, safeguarding you against dementia, loss of bone density, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
We've got a whole orchestra of hormones that need to work together in our cycle. Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Luteinizing Hormone, Insulin, Cortisol, and Testosterone, just to name a few. But for this article, we’re turning the spotlight on two in particular: oestrogen and progesterone. For more information on some of these hormones, sign up for my free hormone health guide
The shortest phase of the cycle is the ovulatory phase, production of progesterone kicks in here and its main job is to maintain the build up of the uterine lining in preparation for pregnancy. Progesterone also has the job of keeping oestrogen in check, promotes relaxation, improves sleep and enhances mood. The Luteal phase in the cycle is what occurs after ovulation, this is where progesterone is at its highest. As all the hormones drop, just before your period begins, this is where you can experience PMS. However, it is a completely unnecessary part of this phase and can be due to too much oestrogen in relation to progesterone - this is very common but not ‘normal’.
How your cycle effects your brain
Do you sometimes feel like you're not the same person from one day to the next? Have you ever set an intention to embark on a new journey, break a habit you dislike, or commit to exercising more, only to find that it works well for a few weeks before you lose momentum, feel fatigued, or let old habits sneak back in? You're not alone in this experience. As oestrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate throughout your cycle, your brain, energy levels, and commitment to various activities or social events changes.
Neuroscientist Professor Catherine Woolley, found that the female brain can change up to 25% during the monthly cycle, mainly due to oestrogen levels. In the first half of your cycle, you are naturally inclined to start a new project, feel more sociable, start your ‘healthy’ eating plan.
Paying attention to each phase of your cycle in a targeted manner can help prevent hormonal fluctuations from spiraling out of control. If you’re not supporting your cycle with appropriate nutrition and lifestyle changes tailored to each phase, the latter part of your cycle may result in brain fog, low mood, irritability, anger, fatigue, and even depression. Women experiencing PMS symptoms often have hormonal imbalances that mainly affect two regions of the brain, one of which is the emotional centre.
Where to start
If you are struggling with hormonal issues, getting to the root cause is essential for effective healing. It’s important to recognise that these imbalances often stem from multiple factors, rather than a single culprit.
Navigating this journey alone can be challenging, not to mention time consuming and costly. Enlisting the help of a professional can be invaluable. A knowledgable expert can guide you through the process, helping you identify underlying issues and develop a tailored plan for recovery. Prioritising this step is key to achieving lasting hormonal health. Click here to book a discovery call to open a conversation about what is going on for you
Here is a quick start: Seed Cycling
Seed cycling offers a simple yet effective method to support your hormones gently. By following this practice, you can help maintain balanced hormone levels, alleviate PMS symptoms, enhance fertility, and even trigger menstruation if it's lacking. While seed cycling isn't a universal solution, incorporating it consistently, especially alongside other hormone-balancing techniques, can harness the healing properties found in food.
How to use seed cycling to balance hormones
Incorporate 1-2 tbsps of ground pumpkin and flax seeds daily during the first 14 days of your cycle. Then, for the following 14 days, incorporate ground sunflower and sesame seeds daily.
In the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds can enhance oestrogen levels and prevent excess oestrogen. Flax seeds contain lignans that attach to surplus oestrogen while pumpkin seeds, rich in zinc, aid in progesterone production as you transition towards the progesterone surge in the second phase of your cycle.
In the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are beneficial for enhancing progesterone levels. Sesame seeds are rich in zinc, which promotes progesterone production and contains lignans that counterbalance excessive oestrogen as progesterone levels increase. On the other hand, sunflower seeds are abundant in vitamin E and selenium. Vitamin E can elevate progesterone production, while selenium aids in detoxifying the liver from excess oestrogen.
To sum it up
It is an outdated and harmful belief to think that suffering is a natural part of being a woman, that PMS is simply a routine experience, or that fertility challenges are common and thus acceptable. Such thinking can negatively impact both your immediate and long-term health. By embracing specific dietary and lifestyle changes, you can empower yourself to address and overcome hormonal imbalances.
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