PMS is not a mental disorder or disease!  It has become a commonly accepted syndrome, so we accept it as 'normal', but its symptoms are actually the body's way of signaling that something is wrong and that we are out of balance.

During our monthly moon cycle, we are more sensitive, more intuitive. Demand your right to sacred space and allow yourself to take a retreat during your cycle, even for 1 day. Sit and take time to reflect.  Don't deny that we are more sensitive, more powerful and have an open psyche during our cycle. Native American Women traditionally went into a "Moon Hut" when they were on their cycle to reflect, share their insights and wisdom, and not let the outside world interfere with receiving guidance. Perhaps the first few days, create your own inner "Moon Hut". Go on a journey and find a large special, smooth rock. Heat it till gently warm. Place the warm rock on your abdomen while lying down to relieve cramps. (Hot water bottles work great too.) Have some herb teas, massages, light a candle, take a bath, meditate, listen to your inner psyche (it is wide open right now). Take time to Tune In! Enjoy it! It is a sacred and honored time.

Prepare yourself for a little time off (take 1-2 days off). Allow all inessential things to go. Delegate responsibility! Have some meals prepared ahead of time (keep something in the freezer). Clean your house before it starts. Nourish yourself. Honor yourself! Let your family know that you're taking some time for yourself. Spend time with a close woman-friend or sister. Consider this your "special time" each month.

PMS symptoms are not normal, but common. They are your body's way of saying "pay attention, something's not right." Use dietary care, a good attitude, and herbs to nourish yourself. If your hormones are out of balance, remember it takes three full cycles for herbals to create balance within your body.

1. Normalize estrogen and progesterone (to prevent hormone imbalance).

VITEX - From the day of ovulation to bleeding time. Brings balance to your estrogen and progesterone levels. Normalizes pituitary function.

BLACK COHOSH -Normalizes menstruation and hormone balance. Anti-spasmodic, eases menstrual cramps, smoothes the muscles. Use with Vitex to balance hormones. Has Estrogenic effect.

RASPBERRY LEAVES - and SQUAW VINE - in teas are great uterine tonics! Good for painful periods.

WILD YAM - Balances your progesterone! Also anti-spasmodic, relieves dysmenorrhea, uterine pains.

DONG QUAI - regulates and normalizes hormone production. Estrogenic. For menstrual irregularities.

FALSE UNICORN ROOT -Excellent Uterine tonic that also normalizes and balances hormones.

2. Nervine Tonics (to ease tension and irritability)

MOTHERWORT - Specific for PMS mood changes (and Menopausal), anxiety or tension. You can use 5 drops every 10 minutes till things are better. Excellent heart tonic to relieve palpitations!

SKULLCAP - Use throughout the month, or larger doses from ovulation throughout bleeding time. Both relaxing and toning, eases pre-menstrual tension.

VALERIAN - Relieves anxiety and tension, both mentally and physically. Use for cramps, headaches.

3. Diuretics (for water retention, bloating)

DANDELION LEAF - Safe and effective diuretic. Does not deplete the body of potassium like drug store diuretics, in fact it is high in potassium. Great for the kidneys!

YARROW - Strengthens the reproductive tract as a tonic, as it relieves fluid. As a bitter it is good for the liver to break down excess hormones. Use as extract or teas. Helps reduce excessive bleeding!

4. Anti-Spasmodics - (to ease painful cramping) - (Alternate- hot water bottle, then ice pack)

CRAMPBARK - Remarkably effective uterine nervine to relax uterine muscles, relieves cramping and pain. (Helps to prevent threatened miscarriage)  As an astringent, it helps treating excessive blood loss!

BLACK HAW - Cousin to Crampbark, very similar.A powerfulful uterine relaxant, has pain reducing and anti-inflammatory effects, relaxes the female reproductive organs.

WILD YAM - Excellent uterine tonic! As an anti-spasmodic, it goes directly to the bottom of the problem. It gives the uterine strength and tone over time, relieves pain. Adaptogen.

5. Excessive Bleeding- To strengthen the liver and endocrine glands use Vitex, Yellow Dock, Burdock, etc.  Use Lady’s Mantle, Shepards Purse, or Yarrow before and during cycle reduces bleeding.

6. Exercise and Relaxation.  Keep yourself strong and flexible! Learn to relax and relieve any stresses.

Do Yoga and stretching all month. All exercise makes your next cycle better. Include lots of sex, it increases blood flow, and gives you warmth and love! Use relaxation exercises like meditating, yoga, Tai Chi, using tapes, sounds of nature, visualizations, walks in nature, dancing. Massages are great in the pelvic region. Helps relieve congestion. Give yourself Baths, Massages, Gifts, Walks, Meditation, Friends, Facials, Love, and Time!

7. Nourish Your Body - Adjust Your Diet!

Reduce and eliminate ALL Caffeine! (Coffee, Chocolate, aspirin, tea) It worsens and stimulates calcium loss, as well as B2 and B12. Take cat-naps, meditate, or exercise to get more energy! Remove all salt 10 days before your period. It makes you retain water and makes you anxious. Dairy and cheese has lots of salt, fats, and protein. For calcium use calcium citrate, drink Nettles, Raspberry leaf, Dandelion leaf and Oatstraw tea, and eat sea-vegetables like kelp, dulse, hijiki, or nori. Eliminate all animal fats. Have a whole food and varied diet. Enjoy a feast of different nutrients, easily digested proteins, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds (sprouts are great), and whole grains.
 

8. Blood Sugar Regulation - Start at the Liver! Yarrow, Motherwort, and Dandelion Root are all bitters. (Bitters stimulate the liver.) Even out your activities. Exercise more. When you are tired, if you exercise and have something bitter, it gets things moving. Rest if you need to. Endives, escarole, chicory, and dandelion leaves are all bitter dark greens. Avoid sugars! Enjoy a sweet carrot. Life is bitter and sweet. Learn to enjoy bitter tastes. Use Milk Thistle seed to nourish a taxed or damaged liver.

9. Calcium - Eat sesame seeds, tahini, raw nuts, cashews, almonds, dark leafy green veggies. Seaweeds and kelp are extremely high in calcium! Use Nettles, Oatstraw, Horsetail, and Alfalfa in your daily teas. Coffee, Salt, and carbonated beverages (even seltzer water) make you excrete calcium - avoid! Can use Calcium Citrate.

10. Backaches & Headaches

Valerian and Wild Yam (internally) will relax muscle tension. Stretch and exercise daily to strengthen the muscles throughout the month. Vervain, Willow Bark, Meadowsweet are all good for relieving pain and inflammation (they act like natural aspirin). Violet leaves and flowers are also rich in salicylic acid. Massage with St. Johnswort Oil for Backaches. Lavender and Rosemary Essential Oil massaged on the temples will help relieve pain (or use them in a bath!). Feverfew helps relieve and prevent migraines!

11. Iron Deficiency

Causes Fatigue and low energy. Inorganic supplements may cause many health problems (get your iron from plant sources!) Constipation and upset stomach usually result. Dandelion, Nettles, Yellow Dock, Barberry, Licorice Root are all very high in Iron. Dark Leafy green and dark red veggies, Blackstrap Molasses (70% iron), figs, dried prunes, apricots, seaweed and kelp, wheat germ and brewers yeast, egg yolks, seeds and nuts are also very high. Use cast iron pots for cooking soups and stews.

6 Categories of PMS Symptoms -
all can co-exist

Type A - ANXIETY - Irritability, Mood swings, nervous tension. Magnesium deficiency. Women usually eat 5 times more dairy than they should! Reduce animal fats. Use Vitex. Decrease refined sugar. B6 (50-100Mg.) daily reduces excess estrogen, increases low progesterone. Decrease coffee, hot spices. Cleanse the liver with Yellow Dock! Valerian or Skullcap will help.

Type C - CRAVINGS - High appetite for refined carbohydrates, hypoglycemic fatigue, low magnesium. Avoid chocolates and sweets - they make the blood sugar level drop faster, requiring more sweets. Use Bitters (Dandelion, Yarrow, Chicory). Evening Primrose Oil (1000 Mg a day) starting 3 days before signs until menses can be helpful. Have more magnesium than calcium.

Type D -DEPRESSION - Emotional lows, confusion, accident-prone, weepy. Can co-exist with anxiety and rage. This is a symptom of hormone imbalance! These women usually have too much progesterone with too little estrogen. Strengthen the liver, which regulates your hormones! Use Dandelion root, Burdock, or Yellow Dock. Increase B Complex, Take Nervine Herbs (Skullcap, Valerian, St. Johnswort) Use Oats or Oatstraw and edible seaweeds. Chromium helps.

Type R - RETENTION - Edema, secondary stress, high estrogen. B6 helps, Vit. E reduces breast tenderness, swelling. Decrease nicotine, caffeine, sugar, and salt. Use Herbal diuretics -Dandelion and Yarrow, not over the counter ones! B-Complex, Zinc, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and bitters.

Type P - PAIN - Decreased pain threshold and aching. Increase Magnesium and calcium. Use more nervine herbs (Chamomile, Valerian, Skullcap) See headaches above.

Type S - SKIN - Acne from high levels of androgens during stress. Made worse by animal fats and dairy. Reduce calcium supplements and use whole food diet based on greens, fruits, complex carbohydrates, vegetable proteins. Useful herbs -Yellow Dock, Burdock, Dandelion, Motherwort, Raspberry.

Recommended Reading:

• Herbal Healing for Women By Rosemary Gladstar-Fireside Pub.
• Hygieia: A Woman's Herbal by Jeanine Parvati. Freestone press.
• The Roots of Healing by Deb Soule, Citadel Press.
• The Wise Woman Herbals by Susun Weed, Ashtree publ.
• The New Our Bodies, Ourselves: Updated and Expanded for the 90's By the Boston Womens Health Book Collective, Simon & Schuster.
• Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Dr. Christiane Northrup

 © Kristy Haley, Crystal Gardens, Bethel, VT. ~  USA 2001
Website Design and Hosting Provided by
World Wide Web Designs
Email Webmaster

Secure Online Ordering  - or Call Direct -
802-234-5947 - Office Line / Fax Line
888-531-8483 - Toll Free Order Desk

Kristy Haley
504 Masterson Rd ~ Bethel, VT  05032
email us at: kristy@CrystalGardenHerbs.com