MENSTRUAL DYSFUNCTIONS (premenstrual
syndromes, post-menstrual syndromes, cramps)
by Lawrence Wilson, MD
© October 2011, The Center For Development
For
millions of young women, symptoms associated with the menstrual period are
annoying and, at times, debilitating.
Many women resort to taking pain killers or worse, birth control pills,
to feel better. The birth control
pill is one of the most dangerous drugs on the market. Instead of this suffering, most
menstrual difficulties can be resolved easily using a nutritional balancing
program and, if necessary, modifying it at certain times of the monthly cycle.
This article discusses the cause of most menstrual
difficulties and how to correct them without needing drugs of any kind. The article divides symptoms not so
much by when they occur, as by the sodium/potassium ratio and often this
correlates with high estrogen or low estrogen, as follows;
HIGH ESTROGEN SYMPTOMS
In terms of physiology, these symptoms correlate with an elevated
sodium/potassium ratio on a hair mineral chart, and a higher
available copper level.
Symptoms. Typical
symptoms may include anger, irritability, breast swelling and
tenderness, acne or other skin eruptions, copper headaches (usually one-sided
and perhaps around the eyes), and perhaps some anxiety and feeling very
emotional. Less common are very severe symptoms including crying
spells, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, violent outbursts or more severe
sleep difficulties.
When symptoms occur. A few or perhaps more of these symptoms usually occur about
seven
to ten days prior to when menstrual bleeding begins. They often become worse until the
period comes, or close to it.
Sometimes they can last a day into the menstrual bleeding time. Then
they go away until near the end of the cycle again – around day 24 to 26
or so, and the cycle repeats itself.
Sometimes one monthÕs symptoms are mild, while the next
monthÕs are more acute, and this pattern alternates. This is because one ovary is producing more hormones than
the other.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT HIGH ESTROGEN SYMPTOMS
A complete nutritional balancing program will eventually
reduce and usually completely stop these pre-menstrual symptoms. However, this can take a few years on a
program to completely rebalance the hormones and eliminate toxic metals. In the meantime, here are changes to
the typical nutritional balancing program that usually work to minimize the
pre-menstrual symptoms:
1. Add zinc to your program, up to
about 40 mg three times daily. Zinc taken away from meals may cause nausea. If this occurs, use zinc lozenges
instead of tablets or capsules, as this might work better. Zinc works by helping to lower the
sodium level and the sodium/potassium ratio.
2. Increase your intake of vitamin B6
or a variant of vitamin B6 called P5P or pyridoxyl-5 phosphate. You can take up to 400 mg of either one
three times daily. (This is a lot! Do not take for more than 10 days at a
time). Vitamin B6 may help with
symptoms by various means, reducing edema and inflammation and lowering copper as
well.
3. Stop taking all high-potency
B-complex vitamins.
This includes multi-vitamins that contain any appreciable amount of
B-complex vitamins. These tend to
raise the sodium level. If you are
taking Megapan 2-2-2, you may need to reduce the
amount you are taking, as this product contains B-complex vitamins.
4. Stop taking adrenal, thyroid,
pituitary or ovarian glandular products. Also perhaps reduce or avoid all kelp
at this time of the month. These
products can also raise the sodium/potassium ratio.
5. Stop taking extra vitamin C or E. These also raise the sodium/potassium ratio.
6. Stop taking Limcomin,
a product we use often during nutritional balancing programs. It raises the
sodium/potassium ratio.
7. Liver support in the form of Russian
black radish, milk thistle or dandelion root may also be helpful. This can be
done all month long if the dosages are small.
8. Return to your regular nutritional
balancing program a day or two after you get your period when symptoms subside.
Do not continue on this PMS regimen the whole month. If you need the PMS program all month,
then your nutritional balancing program is incorrect and needs changing.
LOW ESTROGEN SYMPTOMS
Less
commonly, young women experience the symptoms of low estrogen. This may correlate with a low
sodium/potassium ratio on a hair mineral analysis. It is also associated with what is
called biounavailable
copper in the body.
When during the month the symptoms occur.
Typically, symptoms are worse when the young woman gets her period, and for a
few days afterwards. The symptoms
may begin a day or two before the menstrual period begins, however, in some
cases. Symptoms may also occur
just after ovulation, around day 16 to 18 of the menstrual cycle, and they only
last a few days.
Combinations. Some women can alternate between high estrogen and low
estrogen symptoms during the month as well, although this is rare. In most cases, these women are very
malnourished, or have suffered a trauma that upsets their hormones. This usually improves within six months
on a nutritional balancing program.
The
following excellent description of low estrogen menstrual difficulties was
written by Debbie Criddle and explains it better than
I can:
A
Low Estrogen Menstrual Cycle
A menstrual cycle for
a woman that has predominately low estrogen has several significant hormones
changes in the monthly cycle. The
overall tone of low estrogen is characterized by symptoms of relentless
depression, low physical energy, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, tearfulness,
rapid heart rate, easily angered, edgy, hypersensitivity, sense of
hopelessness, low self-confidence and self-esteem.
Some of these
symptoms can be the same as high estrogen but there is more of a higher energy
behind the symptoms, almost like a fire raging out of control when it is high
estrogen.
The difference
between a low estrogen cycle and a high estrogen cycle is that high estrogen
predominates in second half of the cycle, the luteal
phase and PMS can last as little as 2 days up to 14 days until the cycle starts
or 2 days before the cycle starts is when estrogen begins to drop
significantly. If you were using a
PMS protocol you would be able to stop it 1-2 days before the cycle or as soon
as the cycle starts.
The low estrogen
woman has many of these symptoms listed above throughout the month and then
worsens significantly at ovulation and on
the cycle. This is the major difference between high and low estrogen. On the cycle itself hormones are the
very lowest so women with low estrogen are going to feel worse on the cycle as
opposed to before. The low
estrogen continues for the entire time bleeding is occurring.
There is a drop at
the end of the bleeding cycle where estrogen drops again. This could occur for 1-2 days then
estrogen slowly starts climbing up.
The next significant drop happens right after ovulation and this can
start anywhere from 12 to 24 hours after ovulation occurs. Estrogen drops significantly and low
estrogen symptoms can be very intense at this time. This may be felt for 24 to 48 hours.
Then it begins
climbing again. If a womanÕs
estrogen is so low she may not even have enough hormone to have a true PMS
(high estrogen) or she may go into high estrogen for only a few days sometimes
longer. From here the next estrogen
drop happens 2-4 days before the cycle actually starts, then again throughout
the bleeding. What makes a low
estrogen cycle so challenging is that when there is not much estrogen to begin
with and then the drops occur which is about 4 times in the month for varying
lengths of time, supplements need to be adjusted for the low estrogen times to
ensure these levels do not drop further.
Low estrogen dramatically effects physiology throughout the month and therefore has a profound influence on the
emotions and emotional stability.
The
following questions can help to identify the low estrogen menstrual cycle:
Do you feel
significantly worse ON your cycle?
At mid month-
ovulation time do you experience an intensification of symptoms for several
days?
Do you experience a
major decrease in energy a few days before
your cycle starts?
Do you seem to feel
your best right before ovulation?
WHAT TO DO ABOUT LOW ESTROGEN SYMPTOMS
Here
are suggestions to modify a nutritional balancing program if you have low
estrogen symptoms:
1. Diet: Be sure to eat lean red meat at least twice weekly. Also, be sure to have animal protein on
a daily basis, and maybe twice daily.
Strictly avoid all fruit, all juices, all raw salads, and all sweets of
any kind, as these weaken the glands.
Reducing fat in the diet, such as that found in dairy products, may help
a little as well.
2. Add Limcomin from Endomet Labs in
Phoenix, Arizona. You may vary the
dose from 3-12 per day. If you are
already taking this product, which tends to raise the sodium/potassium ratio,
double or even triple your dose for a few days and see if you feel better.
3. Also,
take additional adrenal, thyroid and/or ovarian glandular products such as
Endo-dren, Thyro-complex or
Ova-adren from Endomet
Laboratories.
4. Some
women may need extra B-complex vitamins at this time, or about 400 iu of extra vitamin E. In rare cases, extra copper is helpful. Save this remedy for last, however, as
most women are slow oxidizers and have too much copper in their tissues.
These changes for either high or low estrogen types of
menstrual difficulties may seem complex.
However, they usually work well and the need for them will diminish as a
young woman becomes healthier.
CAUSES FOR MENSTRUAL DIFFICULTIES
Causes of menstrual problems include stress, nutritional
deficiencies, improper diet,
copper and other toxic metals present in excess, an unhealthy lifestyle,
emotional imbalances and liver toxicity.
Most
young women need to drastically increase the amount of cooked vegetables they
eat to about 70-80% of their diets.
They require cooked vegetables, not salads, at least twice or three
times daily.
Ten to twelve ounces of carrot juice daily, perhaps with a
few greens added, is also excellent.
Do not have more, however, as it will upset the blood sugar and is too
yin. Also, strictly avoid all
smoothies.
Eat red meat twice a week in most cases, have animal protein
daily, and avoid fruit and all sweets.
Also
eliminate all wheat, most pasteurized dairy products and all pig products. Eat animal protein daily, especially if
you are a slow oxidizer. Also,
drink about 3 quarts or 3 liters of spring water or carbon-only filtered tap water
daily to properly hydrate the body.
Avoid all other types of water and most other beverages. Read Water for
Drinking for more on this important topic.
Toxic Chemicals that are hard on your liver and should be avoided include
chemicals such as nail polish, hair sprays, and many body care products. Chlorinated and fluoridated water, and
toxic household cleaners and solvents are also very hard on the body and should
be strictly avoided. Also avoid
toxic paints, pesticides, hair dyes, most cosmetics and skin lotions, along
with other toxic products in common use.
Use only natural cosmetics in small amounts, if needed.
Inadequate rest will make PMS worse for most women.
Excessive exercise exhausts the adrenals, and may lead to complete cessation
of the menstrual period. This is
very unhealthy for young women. Some gentle exercise daily, such as walking, is fine however.
Emotional imbalances in many women include hidden anger and resentments. While these can be understandable and
explained, they are not helpful at all.
They are a very important contributor to many cases of menstrual
difficulties. The emotions can
affect the liver and all glandular activity. They tend to affect the adrenals as well. The adrenal glands
regulate copper metabolism and produce female hormones. Methods such as relaxation techniques,
spiritual reading, prayer, and the Roy Masters
meditation exercise can go a long way toward helping one to release hidden
anger and resentment.
Anything that affects the adrenal
glands negatively is likely to raise the copper level. Fatigue is
probably the single most common factor in adrenal underactivity. Worry or other emotional imbalances is
second most important in most cases.
Lack of self-acceptance as a woman. Some young women today are anger at themselves for having
periods and even for being a woman.
This lack of self-acceptance as a woman tends to worsen menstrual
symptoms even more. It is
important to understand that all is in divine order concerning the body and
ones gender.
Extra detoxification procedures are most helpful for anyone with PMS. The two main ones are coffee enemas and Near Infrared Lamp Sauna
Therapy. Both are excellent
and described in separate articles on this site.
Most women with PMS are slow oxidizers. This means their adrenal and thyroid
glands tend to be underactive or sluggish. This may not be revealed on blood, urine or saliva
tests. A complete nutritional
balancing program will help balance the oxidation rate and the major
ratios. Adding sauna therapy, in
particular, assists their bodies to eliminate toxins much faster and more
comfortably. The sauna need not be
costly or fancy. Free plans are
available on this website by clicking here.
Herbs
to assist liver detoxification include milk thistle, dandelion, black radish
and dehydrocholic acid. If liver toxicity is extreme, coffee enemas and a
liver-gallbladder flush once or twice a year may also be helpful. However, an integrated program based on
a properly performed hair tissue mineral analysis is always best. This is to keep the body balanced
throughout the detoxification process.
TECHNICAL ASPECTS – PHYSIOLOGY OF THE
MENSTRUAL CYCLE
Here
is a look at the basic hormonal cycle that occurs each month. When bleeding starts at the beginning
of the period, estrogen, progesterone and copper are at their lowest levels of
the month. The levels of estrogen
and progesterone remain relatively low while menstrual bleeding occurs. At the end of the bleeding phase,
estrogen begins to rise. It
continues to rise until ovulation, about half way through the cycle.
As the cycle continues, the estrogen level dips slightly and
then resumes its rise. The level
of progesterone also begins to rise in the second half of the cycle. The last week or so of the cycle,
estrogen levels are at their highest.
This is usually the time one feels symptoms of premenstrual
tension. However, some women are
more uncomfortable when the period arrives, and other variations are
possible. They can also vary month
to month in some women.
COPPER AND ESTROGEN
Most important from a nutritional standpoint, the copper level parallels the level of estrogen,
increasing as the cycle progresses.
Seven
to ten days before the period, copper is at a relatively high level, along with
estrogen. High copper can give
rise to many of the symptoms women think of as premenstrual syndrome.
This happens especially, though not exclusively, in women
whose metabolism is sluggish and in those whose tissue copper level is already
elevated. These women become
copper toxic, in essence, each month before the period.
It is also possible that in some women copper becomes mainly
biounavailable. This produces a slightly different
set of symptoms in some women.
THE SODIUM/POTASSIUM RATIO AND THE MENSTRUAL
CYCLE
As the menstrual cycle progresses, in most women the hair
tissue sodium/potassium ratio also rises.
It is highest just before the period. This is tied to the rise in copper and estrogen in most
women. The high sodium/potassium
ratio just before the period and a much lower sodium/potassium ratio when the
period arrives can also give rise to menstrual cycle symptoms.
The sodium/potassium ratio is a very crude indicator of the
relationship between estrogen and progesterone in the body. Therefore, as the ratio rises, one may
experience more symptoms of estrogen dominance or just high estrogen. Symptoms may include irritability,
headaches, anger, water retention and breast tenderness.
Symptoms may be worse If the body cannot detoxify estrogen
fast enough. This, in turn, may be
due to or related to copper toxicity, which can affect the liver and is stored
in the liver. Slow oxidation also
will tend to slow all liver detoxification, as will deficiencies of zinc and
selenium, among other nutrients.
A lower sodium/potassium ratio before
the period. While the above situation is by far the
most common, another is possible.
If adrenal activity is very impaired, copper may become less
biologically available before the menstrual period. This can give rise to a decreased
sodium/potassium ratio at this time of the month. This will give rise
to symptoms that emphasize exhaustion and depression.
If the corrective program for a high sodium/potassium ratio
does not work, one can try the program for a low sodium/potassium ratio.
TAKING OTHER PRODUCTS
Some
women use other products to control menstrual symptoms. Most of them are toxic and I do not
recommend them ever. They are
rarely needed if one follows a nutritional balancing program with the
modifications above, when needed.
Here are some common products used for menstrual dysfunctions with my
comments:
Primrose or borage oil. While this may
help some symptoms, it is slightly toxic and best avoided. Every woman needs fish oil or flax seed
oil, about 1000 mg daily, and I much prefer these.
Natural hormone creams, patches or
tablets. Progesterone and possibly estrogen creams
or pills are sometimes used. These
are all toxic, even the bio-identical hormones and they can increase oneÕs risk
of cancer. I would avoid them all. They also do not address the underlying
causes of the problem in most cases.
They are very rarely needed
Herbal remedies such as black cohosh and others. These all tend to be a little toxic as
well, and very rarely are needed.
Of these, black cohosh may be best.
Birth control pills and patches. These are highly toxic and should be avoided completely. They contain synthetic hormones that
severely upset body chemistry and have horrendous side effects such as heart
attacks, strokes, and cancer.
MENSTRUAL CRAMPS
For some women, the main menstrual symptom involves
cramping. Possible causes include biounavailable copper and low female hormone levels. At times, the remedies and program
modifications above are sufficient.
If they are not, one may do the following:
1. Add
more Paramin (calcium/magnesium supplement 250/150 mg
each) at a dosage of 1-1-1 or up to 3-3-3. This may take care of the cramps by relaxing the
muscles. They could be due to biounvailable calcium and magnesium at this time of the
month.
2. Relax
and rest more at this time of the month.
3. Black
cohosh, mentioned above, may also be very helpful for
some women.
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