Do menstrual pain and PMS symptoms wreak havoc on your life every month? Do you believe that these symptoms are just a normal part of menstruation? No they are not! Mild symptoms can be expected, however if your symptoms are affecting your life, work and relationships then it's worth investigating this further with a holistic health professional.
A healthy menstrual cycle lasts anywhere from, 21-35 days, with around 50 mLs of blood loss (about 3 tablespoons), and no large clots.
Terms to describe menstrual irregularities include:
Menorrhagia = Heavy menstrual bleeding >80mls per period. This can be seen with endometriosis, fibroids, and oestrogen excess.
Dysmenorrhoea = Painful uterine cramping. One study of females aged 16-25 years found that 88% experienced dysmenorrhea, with 34% needing to see a GP due to their pain (Garland et al., 2016).
> Primary dysmenorrhoea: Cramping caused by prostaglandin release before of during a period,
> Secondary dysmenorrhoea: Cramping and pain due to underlying conditions,
like in endometriosis, adenomyosis or fibroids.
Oligomenorrhoea = Infrequent menstrual periods (less that 6-8 periods per year). Common in PCOS, adolescence and perimenopause.
Amenorrhoea = Absence of menstrual periods. Can be seen in PCOS, thyroid dysfunction, hypothalamic amenorrhoea, menopause, post-pill amenorrhoea/ PCOS.
Some of the possible causes of menstrual issues include:
High or low oestrogen
Low progesterone
Elevated androgens (as seen in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)
Inflammatory conditions (endometriosis, adenomyosis)
Stress (nutritional stress eg from under-eating, stress from over-exercising, high emotional stress)
Perimenopause
Poor liver detoxification (this can affect clearance of hormones from the body)
Environmental toxins (can exert oestrogenic activity in the body).
Nutrient deficiency
Thyroid dysfunction
Adrenal insufficiency
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
How to balance your hormones?
1) Identify which hormones are out of balance
It's important not to play guesswork. Identifying which particular hormones are out of balance is essential to guide the best treatment plan.
Diagnostic tests can be utilised to investigate your hormones further including:
> Salivary hormone profile
> Blood tests
> DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones)
> Other useful tests include pelvic ultrasound.
2) Reduce eating processed foods and sugar, and increase fibre, nutrient-dense and anti-inflammatory foods in the diet. Diet has a huge impact on our hormones, and its important to eat foods that support our hormones, balanced sugar levels, gut health, and liver detoxification pathways.
3) Stress management
Stress negatively impacts the menstrual cycle by disruption of hormonal signalling in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. Stress management through breathing techniques and meditation can be helpful.
4) Cycle tracking
Tracking your menstrual cycle is an empowering way of gaining awareness of the cyclic changes that are occur throughout the month. This includes monitoring cervical mucous changes, and basal body temperature.
5) Support optimal ovarian function through diet, lifestyle and supplemental interventions.
A qualified natural health practitioner can work with you to provide personalised solutions to balance your hormones, promote ovulation, reduce inflammation and support fertility. Magnesium, Zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E and fish oils have shown benefits in reducing menstrual pain.
If you would like help to balance your hormones, reach out to me for a FREE discovery chat. I'd love to help you feel your best and most vibrant self : )
References
> Garland, S., Hoppo, Y., Jayasinghe, Y. L., Gorelik, A., Subasinghe, J. A., & Wa, J. D. (2016). Prevalence and severity of dysmenorrhoea, and management options reported by young Australian women. Australian Family Physician, 45(11). PMID: 27806454
> Briden, L. (2017). Period repair manual (2nd ed.).