Are You Allergic To Your Period? (+ One unusual supplement that can help with PMDD)
Hey there beautiful sisters, it's time to talk about something that we all experience (or have experienced) at some point in our lives - PMS. We all know the classic symptoms of PMS - the cramps, bloating, and general feeling of "ugh". But for some of us, it's not just an inconvenience, it's a full-on battle. In fact, for some women, the symptoms of PMS can be next-level intense.
Pre-menstrual dysphoria (PMDD) is a more severe form of PMS that affects up to 5% of menstruating women. PMDD symptoms include intense mood swings, anxiety and depression, and can even cause depersonalization/derealization, which is the feeling of being outside of your own body or in a dream. Often mis-diagnosed as bi-polar disorder, it causes intense mental health symptoms at specific times in the menstrual cycle that can make living a normal life very difficult. PMDD symptoms can happen a week before your period, during ovulation and sometimes even after your period but tend to happen regularly and cyclically (unlike bi-polar disorder).
So what does this have to do with being allergic to your period? Read on!
While PMDD can be debilitating, what a lot of women don't know is that it can be treated holistically and in many cases completely eliminated. Although there are several factors that can influence PMDD, one neurotransmitter called histamine is often found to play a role. Yes, you read that right! The same neurotransmitter that causes allergic reactions can also be linked to PMDD.
Histamine is linked to your period because histamine rises and falls together with estrogen. If you have too much of either one, it can feel overstimulating causing you to get angry and snap or feel isolated due to your mood swings. So, while you can't really be allergic to your period, it sure can feel that way!
The good news is that anti-histamines (either herbal or pharmaceutical) can be an accessible way to discover if histamine is playing a role in your PMDD symptoms. By blocking out histamine levels, anti-histamines can bring some much-needed relief to your symptoms. Claritin is often found to work for PMDD (as a pharmaceutical option) and for my clients I often recommend either quercetin or stinging nettle (as herbal options). Unfortunately doctors usually prescribe anti-depressants or birth control to suppress the symptoms of PMDD, without realizing that anti-histamines are an option.
But that's not all. There are also holistic ways to treat PMDD that don't just manage symptoms the way that anti-histamines do. PMDD can be addressed at the root cause using lifestyle, nutrition and herbal medicine so that mood swings become a thing of the past. The best thing about holistic medicine is that it takes a whole-body approach to healing. Rather than just treating the symptoms of PMDD, it can help balance your body's natural rhythms and promote overall wellness that last long-term.
As always, I'm here to remind you that you can get relief with holistic treatment, and this isn't a condition anyone has to live with long-term. Whether you opt for anti-histamines, other forms of herbal medicine or natural remedies, there are ways to find relief from PMDD and embrace your feminine cycle. If you're looking for support in overcoming your PMDD holistically, please reach out and I'll see if I can help.
