The Health Journey: PMS - friend or foe?

Ladies, ladies, ladies!  Most of you probably read this article title and guffawed at the audacity I had for questioning if  PMS could even be considered a "friend"! For most women "that time" of the month is riddled with pain, discomfort, fatigue, mood swings, hot flashes and uncontrollable crying or laughing.  That's what we tenderly (or angrily) call: Pre Menstrual Syndrome (PMS).  I've suffered from PMS since my cycle started when I was a wee age of ten.  I've never had bad cramps, but since I was 22 years old, I've suffered from the dreaded night sweats.  Years ago at an annual check up, my doctor asked me to explain my PMS symptoms.  I spoke of my crazy mood swings and she gave me some pink pills that would "help" me.  I've never been a fan of pill taking, but I took the sample anyway.  I never used the mood altering pills, and never actively sought a remedy for my PMS woes. I just dealt with the hand I was given month after month.   After I entered motherhood my body CHANGED!  My breasts didn't get as tender anymore and my energy levels were pretty stable but the night sweats came back and the mood swings I used to have turned into small anxiety attacks which currently scare the daylights out of me!

So what can I do??? Well I started researching PMS and natural remedies to manage my night sweats and increased anxiety. 

Here's what I found:

1. There are over 150 symptoms linked to PMS.  In addition to what I listed above there are: headaches, acne, swollen feet, depression, joint pain, insomnia, impatience, dizziness, constipation, hemorrhoids.  I'm sure you can think of 20 more!
2. PMS can occur 1-2 weeks before menstruation occurs.
3. Bearing children or being married can increase the likelihood of suffering from PMS and it can be a major cause of divorce.
4. Hormonal imbalance is the main cause of PMS.  Estradiol is a type of estrogen that builds up in the body if not eliminated.  When there is too much estrogen and not enough progesterone in your body fluid gets retained which affects circulation and impedes oxygen and nutrient flow to the brain and female organs. 
5. Diet is key to managing/minimizing PMS.  Women who eat a lot of refined sugar, fat, dairy, and salt suffer more severe symptoms.
6. During the premenstrual period the body wants more sugar for fuel.  When you over overindulge because of the craving  blood sugar levels shoot up then plunge which can trigger fatigue, mental fog, and emotional imbalance.
7. If you are regularly constipated, your liver cannot get rid of excess estradiol effectively.
8. Women who consume a lot of caffeine are more likely to have severe PMS.
9. Most of our meat and diary products contain hormones.  Since PMS is all about hormonal imbalance the more hormones you ingest, the more severe your symptoms will be.  Food treated with hormones lack progesterone and have excessive estrogen.
10. Vegetarian women eliminate 2 - 3 more times estrogen in their feces than non-vegetarians.  Which makes sense, because the meat containing hormones is not consumed.

Wowzers!!!!!! Last month my night sweats were unbearable and my anxiety and mood swings were on another level!!!!   I was under a ton of stress and was feeding the frenzy with junk food.  No wonder I had bad night sweats. I felt like I was LOOSING MY MIND! Can I get a witness???  This month I started early with my stress relief practices, eliminated junk and started drinking my herbal Hormone tea.  My night sweats were BETTER!

7 ways to cope with PMS the natural way:

1. CHANGE YOUR DIET! If you are eating a lot of fat, sugar, salt, caffeine and diary products, then stop it.  Try it for two months and see what happens.
2. You must start making changes early in the month.  Don't wait until the week of your period to make changes.  Start 2 weeks prior. 
3. Eliminate meat and other hormone laden foods.  Don't put the extra estrogen in your body.
4. Eat more fiber and drink lots of water so you can keep your system going....and going....and going.  Gotta help your liver get rid of the excess estrogen.
5. Exercise regularly.  Walking, running, playing sports or dancing is a great way to increase your oxygen intake which aids nutrient absorption and the elimination of toxins.
6. Get out in the sun.  Sunlight boosts melatonin and serotonin which help you sleep.
7. Start using herbs for relief.  You can used herbal remedies in so many format such as ointments for aches and pains, teas, slaves or aromatherapy.

Herbs for PMS (I know there are many more):

• Wild yam
• Angelica
• Chasteberry - can balance hormones
• Skullcap - can relieve nervous tension and irritability
• Raspberry - good for the uterus
• Ginger - can be a substitute for chocolate
• Dong quai
• Fennel seed
• Black cohosh
• Sarsaparilla
• Squaw vine
• Blessed thistle

My herbal Hormone tea (Original Herbal Remedies) is composed of the following herbs: Black cohosh, Sarsaparilla, Ginseng, Licorice root, Blessed Thistle, Alfalfa, Red Clover, Dong quai, Black Haw bark, Fo-ti. 

I'm a firm believer that NATURE HAS ALL THE ANSWERS!

Have you found natural ways of dealing with PMS?

Men - please share this with the lovely ladies in your life! Remember...we love you in spite of what come out of our mouths....It's the hormones talking! :)

Peace and love!

 

 

Reference: Natural Remedies Encyclopedia - Vance Ferrell and Harold Cherne, M.D.

Confessions of a Naturalista: Emotional Eating

I never considered myself an emotional eater until after I completed the Daniel Fast.  I've been in denial and truth be told I felt a bit superior to people who accepted that title.  What I've learned about myself is that I don't eat very much when I'm depressed,  and I do eat junk food when I'm stressed or feeling inadequate. Why junk food and not fruit, vegetables and nuts??? Because junk food = comfort food.  Comfort food makes you feel good because it tastes good and is familiar. The problem with eating junk food to ease stress is that it's not good for you, adds unnecessary fat, calories, sugar and salt to your diet and promotes weight gain. Both situations  (not eating and eating junk food) shine light on unhealthy coping skills.

Since 2014 started my stress levels have been through the roof! I think I bit off more than I can chew.  I feel it in my body and I SEE it when I look in the mirror.  Since I've admitted my emotional eater status, I've been making calculated moves to NOT indulge in junk food and look for alternatives.  I bathed in essential oils and salts three times in one week - it was awesome!  I'm also sharing an article (more for me than you) I wrote last year on ways to relieve stress.  I came up with 11 natural and low cost ways to eliminate stress.  I'll definitely be trying all of these out AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Stress is a killer and I need to get rid of this emotional eating baggage!

11 Natural Ways to Eliminate Stress:

1.     Eliminate the effect of foolishness on your mind.  You cannot control people, but you can control how they affect you. Turn the volume down on the outside "noise" or mute it altogether.  (free)

2.      Pray/meditate. (free)

3.     Find ways to RELAX: bubble baths, massage therapy, aroma therapy. My favorite essential oils for relaxation are: lavender, chamomile and sage.

4.    Have fun! Watch funny TV shows or movies, go to comedy shows, and hang out with amazingly positive people who are invested in your well-being.  This means there will be no drama or sharing of conversations with anyone who has no right to be in your business (!!!).  (mostly free)

Amazing friends work wonders for eliminating stress

5.     Get involved in things outside yourself: volunteer for a cause.  Make sure you are helping somebody with something EVERYDAY. (could be free)

6.     Re-awaken the hobbies or activities you REALLY ENJOY.  Reading, crafts, travel, etc.

7.      Get in the gym or on the track, trail, tennis court, kick ball field, or roller skating rink…. and work it out!  Allow your body to release endorphins that will put some pep in your step and calm your nerves. 



Cricket???



 8.    Don’t let your undies get in a bunch and don’t sweat the small stuff.  If your undies are always bunched up or you find yourself sweating too much….evaluate how you are reacting to people and situations around you.  I consider myself a “reactor”.  I react in some way shape or form (internally or externally to EVERYTHING).  I am learning to TRULY pick my battles and to be less reactive. Thank you Lord!  It’s so much easier this way.  I feel more balanced.  You will still have to address pertinent issues…but the situations will be more controlled. (free)

 

9.  Eliminate/Manage stress factors:  You know what the stress factors are in your life.  I know what mine are, and I have to manage them in order to be sane. (free) Some examples include:

•  Crazy drama filled friends – who needs the extra drama? Just watch SCANDAL J
• Pressure from work - set boundaries so you don’t lose your mind or over commit.
• Hyper children - do not feed them any sugar, make sure they have a well-balanced diet and are in bed as early as possible.  That leaves more down time for you and provides an opportunity to get other things done.

10.   EAT GOOD, NOURISHING FOOD.  This tip is in capital letters because we don’t realize how important our diet is to our emotional and mental health.  We overlook what we put in our mouths and focus on the external stress factors.  Eating well will help.  Stress is an emotional reaction and can manifest in the physical and mental arenas of our lives.

An apple a day keeps the stress away (Robert Couse-Baker)

 

Too much refined sugar, caffeine, salt and dead food puts us on a mood swing roller coaster and does not provide the nourishment our minds and bodies need to be strong, quick and sharp.

11.    Get plenty of rest.  This is something I am still struggling with.  When I do sleep well I can tell the difference! (free)


 

Detoxification: 3 Ways to Cleanse your MIND!

Hi Folks -

This summer I've been experiencing physical detoxification.  I first started out by  dry brushing my skin and that led to the 30 day raw food challenge.  Both forms of detoxification pulled toxins out of my body, gave me more energy, provided a break for my digestive system and changed my overall appearance (my skin cleared up, I lost some jiggle and water weight and toned up my muscles).

Both challenges increased my will power and resolve to "close the deal" no matter how tough it got (Raw Food Land....not a Happy Place to be) , gave me confidence, and a sense of achievement. Our bodies are not the only part of us that need cleansing.  Our minds are a powerful part of our beings.  We need it to make decisions and function properly.  But just like our bodies, when our minds are clogged with junk we cannot think straight, perform mental tasks optimally, and achieve inner peace.

Some people struggle with stress, depression, anxiety, negative thoughts, and paranoia.  All are forms of mental toxicity.  In order to be WHOLE and FREE we must detoxify our MINDS.  Here are 3 ways to do it:

1. Be POSITIVE.  Instead of always noticing the negative things first, re-wire your brain  to think of the positive.   Instead of saying: "I'm tired of my job...it's too much work for not enough money".....remember: many people do not have jobs.  Be THANKFUL that you have a job, and find ways to make the day better.  NEGATIVE words and thoughts are TOXIC!

2. Stay away from things that IMPLANT negative vibes into your mind.  This includes movies, music, t.v. programs and people.  I am a Christian and filling my mind with lessons from the Bible has helped me ENORMOUSLY over the years - especially most recently.  Fill your mind with GOOD things, then the toxins won't have anywhere to go but out.

3. RELEASE the past.  The past is the past....You cannot re-wind the clock and change anything.  Stop dwelling on former mistakes, issues, bad situations or hurt feelings.  Release all of it, and resolve to have a better present and future.

I'm still in the process of detoxifying my mind.  I mainly struggle with choosing positivity first and releasing the past.  I will overcome both with God's grace!

Can you think of other ways to detoxify your MIND?  Please share!


Peace and blessings!

Ready....Set.....GO!

Have you ever been running and twisted your ankle?  I have! More than once.  This one particular time it wasn't bad so I kept running.  Then I fell...I twisted my other ankle and I fell.  I stayed on the ground for a while...my ankle was throbbing.  I began to have flash backs of when I sprained my ankle years ago and couldn't walk for a while.  My running partner asked me: "Does it hurt? Can you move it?"  I tried to move it and I could....I was helped up and began to walk....then I began to run...the pain subsided...it wasn't as bad as expected.  After the run as we were walking, the question was raised: "How's your ankle"?  I replied: "It's fine...if it can be moved, I need to move it.  It should be moved...."

 

Later on that day I was thinking about those words..."if it can be moved, I need to move it"....I related this experience to life's hardships.  We twist our ankles and sometimes even fall in the course of life.  Pain ensues.  Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot....so what do we do?  Do we move, then get up, then walk, then start running again?  What that day showed me was sometimes our bodies (mind, hearts, souls) are more resilient and stronger than we think.  Because my ankle could move, I moved it...which allowed me to get back to my run....and to the Journey.

If your heart is broken but still beats... it can heal, grow and be given away again.  If your  mind is tired and drained with all kinds of thoughts (good and bad) but you can still think...then think of a better way, challenge yourself to think of improvements to make.  If your soul is scarred but can still breathe....then breathe into a new soul stirring experience.

We must take our twists, sprains and falls and determine what still works, moves and lives.  We have to capitalize on what still works, moves, and lives so that we can re-direct ourselves from the mis -  management of  roadblocks that come in the form of trials, pain and discomfort.  When we don't use the proper tools to overcome these roadblocks the realization of how strong we really are never occurs.

 

If it can move, move it...keep it moving away from selfishness, digression, self -doubt, little faith, insecurity, low self esteem, pride, denial, anger, away from the crowd and ultimate self destruction....see things for what they really are.  Open up and accept life's path and God's purpose for you.  Activate the tools to get you through...to enable you to keep moving.

Ready.....set......GO!  Sky is the limit!

Sky is the limit!!!

Peace and blessings!

The Health Journey - Theraputic Behavior

Whew! I need some type of therapy! This week has started with a bang.  I need something to help me stay focused.  I'm thinking that a real good massage would do the trick, help me relax and put my nerves at ease. Time to break out the lavender oil (11 Natural Ways to Eliminate Stress).  What is therapy really good for though?

When something is considered therapeutic it carries a benefit for the person partaking in the act.  It's helpful for your body and/or mind in some way shape or form.  Hydrotherapy is used when you have sprained muscles or a cold or to relax relate and release (Calgon! Take me away!).  Counseling is a form of therapy for a troubled mind.  A good belly aching laugh is therapy for a frustrated spirit or a heavy heart.  And one of my favorites (have mercy!) is retail therapy....there is aroma therapy and massage therapy and a host of others.

Mud run therapy!

Therapy can relieve pressure, stress, pain (of all kinds) and helps the mind and body come into a balanced peaceful state.  Therapy provides relief for whatever may be ailing you. Just as a particular therapy can help our personal beings...We can act as a type of therapy for others by exhibiting certain behaviors.  How can I provide relief to my neighbor? My husband? My children?  What behaviors do I need to display so that I am beacon of  light to a  heavy heart? Or a ray of sunshine for a cloudy situation?

Here is a suggestion: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths but only what is helpful for building others up ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS (not yours!!).  Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, slander and every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to each other.  Forgiving each other as Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:29-31

Today think of other ways to exhibit therapeutic behavior to ALL those you cross paths with.  Not some or the just the people you like or the people that like you.  Challenge your self to overcome those barriers and make someone else's day free of pressure, stress and pain.  Choose to relieve someone of his or her ailments. 

This challenge can only result in success (for you and the person you are led to bless).

How can you help make someone's day brighter, more safe, and full of love?

Peace, love and blessings!

The Health Journey: 11 Natural Ways to Eliminate Stress

If you are like me, there is a lot going on in your life.  Stress can really zap you. I do not find pleasure in taking pills nor do I want to be medicated.  Frankly I am just fed up with feeling crazed!  In this Journey I've discovered some natural ways to remove stress from my life.  Remember, there is always a simple natural alternative. It may be different and take longer to see results, but it’s worth it.  Oh…and did I mention economical? 
 

11 Natural Ways to Eliminate Stress:

1.     Eliminate the effect of foolishness on your mind.  You cannot control people, but you can control how they affect you. Turn the volume down on the outside "noise" or mute it altogether.  (free)

2.      Pray/meditate. (free)

3.     Find ways to RELAX: bubble baths, massage therapy, aroma therapy. My favorite essential oils for relaxation are: lavender, chamomile and sage.

4.    Have fun! Watch funny TV shows or movies, go to comedy shows, and hang out with amazingly positive people who are invested in your well-being.  This means there will be no drama or sharing of conversations with anyone who has no right to be in your business (!!!).  (mostly free)

Amazing friends work wonders for eliminating stress

5.     Get involved in things outside yourself: volunteer for a cause.  Make sure you are helping somebody with something EVERYDAY. (could be free)

6.     Re-awaken the hobbies or activities you REALLY ENJOY.  Reading, crafts, travel, etc.

7.      Get in the gym or on the track, trail, tennis court, kick ball field, or roller skating rink…. and work it out!  Allow your body to release endorphins that will put some pep in your step and calm your nerves. 



Cricket???



 8.    Don’t let your undies get in a bunch and don’t sweat the small stuff.  If your undies are always bunched up or you find yourself sweating too much….evaluate how you are reacting to people and situations around you.  I consider myself a “reactor”.  I react in some way shape or form (internally or externally to EVERYTHING).  I am learning to TRULY pick my battles and to be less reactive. Thank you Lord!  It’s so much easier this way.  I feel more balanced.  You will still have to address pertinent issues…but the situations will be more controlled. (free)

 

9.  Eliminate/Manage stress factors:  You know what the stress factors are in your life.  I know what mine are, and I have to manage them in order to be sane. (free) Some examples include:

•  Crazy drama filled friends – who needs the extra drama? Just watch SCANDAL J
• Pressure from work - set boundaries so you don’t lose your mind or over commit.
• Hyper children - do not feed them any sugar, make sure they have a well-balanced diet and are in bed as early as possible.  That leaves more down time for you and provides an opportunity to get other things done.

10.   EAT GOOD, NOURISHING FOOD.  This tip is in capital letters because we don’t realize how important our diet is to our emotional and mental health.  We overlook what we put in our mouths and focus on the external stress factors.  Eating well will help.  Stress is an emotional reaction and can manifest in the physical and mental arenas of our lives.

An apple a day keeps the stress away (Robert Couse-Baker)

 

Too much refined sugar, caffeine, salt and dead food puts us on a mood swing roller coaster and does not provide the nourishment our minds and bodies need to be strong, quick and sharp.

11.    Get plenty of rest.  This is something I am still struggling with.  When I do sleep well I can tell the difference! (free)

 

 

Sleep is good for the soul!

 

 

The story behind the 11:

 

I thought I knew what stress was when attending graduate school... I soon realized graduate school was a Ferris wheel ride compared to the world of the working woman.  A few years after starting my career I got married and was pregnant within six weeks. I went back to work after 3.5 months of maternity leave and a year after returning I switched jobs to a more high paced, demanding role!!

 

I was OVERWHELMED!

 

I was also depressed (not really understanding depression) because I was not dealing with the new stress factors in my life very well.  New trying times call for new coping skills...I was using the old coping skills for new situations....It was not working!

 

There were health issues with my son, relationship issues with those surrounding me, and I felt so alone! I began to isolate myself in the name of peace/security but that was in vain and added to my strife, stress and anxiety. 

 

Slowly but surely I began to "wake up".  I began to get involved in church activities again, I started exercising on a regular basis, eating better, I started working smarter on the job, re-awakened my artistic desires and dreams, and best of all started listening to God.  God is awesome and is always there to provide a positive/secure alternative.

 

I’m starting to realize my life's purpose...and that is because of this journey (even the unbearable parts).  Thankfully the stress laden activities have become less impactful.  

 

What tips can you apply to your life??

 

Let me know what your experiences have been with coping with stress.

 

Peace and blessings!