Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
What is Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)?
With between 75- and 85-percent of all women suffering from it, PMS is a very common affliction. PMS is a condition where the sufferer experiences a wide range of both physical and emotional symptoms that consistently appear in relation to her menstrual cycle. Diagnosis of PMS requires the symptoms to take place up to ten days before the woman’s menstrual period begins, to end with the onset of her menstruation, and to have a noteworthy impact on her life.
Physical symptoms of PMS include headaches, back pain, bloating, breast tenderness and pain, abdominal cramps and pain, weight gain, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, menstrual pain, decreased libido, lethargy, and fatigue. Emotional symptoms of PMS include depression, anxiety, irritability, aggression, forgetfulness, and paranoia. PMS is known to affect women in their late thirties and early forties more than other ages within the range of child-bearing years.
Western medicine makes no specific claim as to the cause of PMS, and it doesn’t claim the ability to prevent the condition. Western treatment of PMS centers on providing the sufferer with relief of the symptoms, and this happens through exercise, diet therapy, dietary supplements (like vitamins and minerals), and recording patterns in the incidence of symptoms with the intention of making lifestyle modifications accordingly. There are also a wide range of medications administered to provide symptom relief, including pain medication like aspirin and ibuprofen, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, contraceptive medication, and diuretics.
How Does Ayurveda View PMS?
As with headaches, coughs, menopause, and other conditions that manifest in the body in different ways, Ayurveda assigns significance to PMS through the nature of the sufferer’s symptoms and which dosha(s) are associated with them.
Symptoms that relate to dryness in the body and frenetic emotions are based on a fundamental imbalance of the Vata dosha.
*Ayurveda considers all conditions associated with the female reproductive tract to be related to a Vata imbalance to some degree, and sensitivity to the issues of Vata (dryness, excessive movement, problems with elimination) must be given significant consideration.
*Vata-based PMS will cause the woman to experience physical symptoms like insomnia, constipation, dry skin, cramping, dizziness, and headaches.
*Emotional symptoms of Vata-based PMS include anxiety, depression, and fast and significant changes in mood.
Symptoms that relate to heat in the body and fiery emotions are based on a fundamental imbalance of the Pitta dosha.
*Pitta-based PMS will cause the woman to experience physical symptoms like warmth, sweating, acne, skin rashes, diarrhea, and excessive menstrual flow.
*Emotional symptoms of Pitta-based PMS include anger and irritability.
Symptoms that relate to moisture in the body and heavy emotions are based on a fundamental imbalance of the Kapha dosha.
*Kapha-based PMS will cause the woman to experience physical symptoms like nausea, bloating and water retention, obesity, fatigue, a cold or flu, and an abundance of mucus.
*Emotional symptoms of Kapha-based PMS include a sense of heaviness, forlornness, and crying.
If the sufferer experiences more than one category of doshic symptoms, then they will likely require treatment of whichever doshas appear to be out of balance. Various lifestyle choices including work, activities, and entertainment will also lead to either more or less pain during the menstrual cycle. Modifying the lifestyle to include less movement, no vigorous exercise but light stretching, eating lightly, sleeping early, avoiding stimulants and loud noises, speaking less, and reading spiritual material to calm the mind will all lead to a more peaceful, pleasant experience and a less heavy blood discharge.
How Does Ayurveda TreatPMS?
Once the doshic nature of the PMS sufferer’s symptoms have been determined, she must then take action to balance whichever dosha(s) is triggering the condition. The sufferer must eat a dosha-balancing diet, take dosha-balancing herbs, and utilize other remedies as outlined below to lessen her aggravations.
If someone is experiencing Vata-based PMS, her treatment will include the use of oils, relaxation therapies, and Vata-reducing foods to help resolve the symptoms.
If someone is experiencing Pitta-based PMS, her treatment will include the use of herbs and other substances that will purge the body and cleanse the blood, and utilize the Pitta-reducing foods mentioned to help resolve the symptoms.
If someone is experiencing Kapha-based PMS, her treatment will include the use of strong purgation therapies and Kapha-reducing foods and herbs to help resolve the symptoms.
Lifestyle Changes for PMS
When we neglect to establish the root cause of one illness, it can turn into another, stronger illness in the future. The first step in resolving a specific ailment or disease in the body is to assess the nature of our lifestyle and make general modifications. Living our day-to-day life with a deliberate intention to improve our health will help us to both resolve the disease we are suffering from and prevent further incidence of it and other diseases in the future. Creating positive lifestyle changes will lessen the stress and hormonal imbalance associated with PMS, and certain changes depend on the doshic nature of the symptoms the sufferer experiences.
General:
- Practice a daily breathing routine, as outlined below. This will help to calm the nervous system and reduce the incidence of emotional symptoms like anxiety, anger, and heaviness.
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and other chemical stimulants that make the blood toxic.
- Craft a regular sleeping routine, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Favor an earlier bedtime (10pm) and wake-up time (6am).
- Discuss the potential side-effects of any medications you might be taking with your doctor as artificial chemicals are hazardous to the system. This is especially the case when they are mixed together.
- When sitting in silence, see what thoughts run through the mind and repeat themselves. Through the practice of yoga, you will learn to control these thoughts and change them for more beneficial ones.
- It is not advised to have sex during this cycle, as it disturbs the flow of Vata and forces it upwards and in the opposite direction. This increases the Pitta energy in the blood.
Vata - Favor cooked, warm foods and warm beverages as well.
- Massage the head with heated sesame or almond oil.
- Avoid suppressing the natural urge to move bowels, sneeze, cough, and other functions of the body.
- Avoid rapid movements and sit quietly for some time throughout the day.
- Avoid long conversations.
- Stay out of the wind and the very hot sun.
Pitta
- Avoid overexertion in physical activities such as exercise and manual labor.
- Avoid emotional, heated, and passionate conversations.
- Avoid hot foods and favor colder foods and drinks (but not frozen or served with ice).
- Favor sweet and bitter foods instead of sour and spicy foods.
- Avoid the high, hot sun, especially when it’s directed on the head. Avoid extreme heat on the soles of the feet (e.g. when walking on hot sand).
- Avoid people or events that will cause anger or frustration.
- Avoid taking hot baths, going to the sauna, and going to the steam room.
Kapha
- When appropriate, work with yoga postures and herbs to resolve respiratory ailments such as a cold, the flu, and other ailments associated with Kapha symptoms.
- Exercise to move the more stagnant aspects of Kapha energy through activities like stretching and yoga.
- Wash out the nostrils with salty water to drain any stagnant mucus blocking the passages.
- Favor lighter foods and avoid eating too much after lunchtime.
- Avoid late eating. This is not healthy in general, but it is especially unhealthy for the Kapha element.
- Avoid lying in bed or on the sofa for too long.
Better Foods For PMS
Ayurveda teaches us that disease and sickness are derived from poor digestion and inappropriate food choices. We then have the opportunity to make deliberate and more conscious decisions as to what foods we do and do not put in our body which increases the chance of resolving the body’s imbalance.
Food needs to be in season, in moderate combinations of one or two food groups, not too hot or cold, in a modest enough quantity to allow for room in the stomach later, consumed without too much liquid which hinders digestive power, and should be fresh and not left over for more than a few hours. When addressing PMS, it is important to eat a dosha-balancing diet in relation to whatever doshas are associated with the sufferer’s symptoms.
Ghee
Milk
Berries
Apricots
Figs(Fresh)
Peaches
Plums
Carrots
Beets
Zucchini
Sweet potatoes
Asparagus
Whole wheat (unbleached)
Rice (white basmati)
Mung beans
Avoid raw and cold foods
Ghee
Milk
Berries
Apricots
Figs(Fresh)
Peaches
Plums
Carrots
Beets
Zucchini
Sweet potatoes
Asparagus
Whole wheat (unbleached)
Rice (white basmati)
Mung beans
Avoid raw and cold foods
Ghee
Milk
Berries
Apricots
Figs(Fresh)
Peaches
Plums
Carrots
Beets
Zucchini
Sweet potatoes
Asparagus
Whole wheat (unbleached)
Rice (white basmati)
Mung beans
Avoid raw and cold foods
Foods To AVOID In Response To PMS
While some foods can help to balance an aggravated dosha, other foods can cause further imbalance. Dry and cold foods as well as pungent, bitter and astringent tastes will dry out the body and aggravate the Vata dosha.Sour, salty and pungent tastes as well as spicy foods will add more heat to the body and aggravate the Pitta dosha. Sweet, sour and salty tasting foods will add heaviness to the body and aggravate the Kapha dosha. The following foods are best avoided in relation to whichever dosha is associated with the PMS symptoms:
Apples
Pears
Watermelon
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Celery
Eggplant
Corn
Oats (dry)
Barley
Most legumes including green lentils and garbanzo beans
Raw and cold foods
Grapefruit
Bananas
Cherries
Pineapple
Tomatoes
Garlic
Carrots
Spinach
Rice (brown)
Corn
Nuts
Lentils
Corn oil
Almond oil
Spicy foods
Sour foods (like yogurt, sour cream, and pickles)
Salt
Meat
Bananas
Melons
Papayas
Avocado
Plums
Sweet potatoes
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Wheat
Rice
Nuts
Seeds
Sweets and candies
Allergy-causing foods
Dairy products (except goat milk, in moderation)
Unnatural sugar
Cold foods
Beverages For PMS
Generally, Ayurveda discourages the consumption of too many cold beverages, as doing so hinders the strength of the body’s digestive fire. Instead, favors room temperature or hot beverages to encourage the strength of the digestive fire.
- Hot water, especially during meals and first thing in the morning.
- Avoid cold and frozen drinks.
- Avoid sugary or fizzy drinks that blend with the digestive juice and make it weak.
- Avoid alcohol and other stimulants like coffee and black tea.
Herbal teas of turmeric, saffron, cumin, cardamom, and/or fennel.
Herbal teas of turmeric, saffron, spearmint and motherwort.
Herbal teas of turmeric, saffron, spearmint and motherwort.
Herbs For PMS
Herbs are used in the Ayurvedic system much like Western medicine utilizes drugs and vitamins and can be taken like tea 2 to 3 times a day. Herbs aid in the digestion of food, the breakdown and elimination of toxins, and help to strengthen the cellular structure of our system for greater vitality. Herbs become more potent once mixed with other herbs of similar properties. Mix together 2 to 4 different herbs from the below list by adding a quarter to a half teaspoon full of each, for a total of 1 teaspoon. Drink these in half cup of hot water.
General
Turmeric
Saffron
Aloe vera
Cumin
Cardamom
Fennel
Garlic
Triphala
Shatavari
Bala
Pippali
Guduchi
Conduct a vaginal douche with ashwagandha and shatavari
Motherwort
Gotu kola
Musta
Shatavari
Pippali (small dosage of a few pinches)
Cinnamon
Ginger
Black pepper
Myrrh
Pippali
Musta
Yoga Postures For PMS
When applied therapeutically to specific ailments, yoga postures provide an opportunity to strengthen the body, rid it of toxic matter, and restore balance. The postures included in this section can be practiced as part of a more general sequence or can be focused on in short sessions. When first exploring yoga postures, it is best to only practice them for twenty minutes or so per day and buildup from there once the body becomes more flexible.
Camel
Bridge
Plough
Knee to chest
Corpse
Bridge
Shoulder stand
Knee to chest
Fish
Corpse
Boat
Bridge
Plough
Forward bend
Fish
Vata
Pitta
Kapha
Aromatherapy For PMS
Aromatherapy utilizes the fragrances of essential oils when applied to the skin. Essential oils can burn the skin and therefore must be diluted with a base oil such as sesame, coconut, sunflower, canola, or mustard oil. Mix 1 fluid ounce of base oil with about 12 drops of essential oil before applying to skin. You can also just mix 5 drops of base oil to one drop of essential oil if using on one spot.
Vata-like PMS symptoms can be treated with basil, camphor, cedar, eucalyptus, frankincense, ginger, cinnamon, lavender, lily, lotus, musk, myrrh, patchouli, or sandalwood oil.
- Use a sesame oil base.
- Apply oil on the forehead or on the back of the neck.
Pitta-like PMS symptoms can be treated with sandalwood, tea tree, rose, honeysuckle, gardenia, lily, iris, mint, lavender, or lotus oil.
- Use a coconut or sunflower oil base.
- Apply oil in the chest center in front of the heart.
Kapha-like PMS symptoms can be treated with cinnamon, eucalyptus, sage, basil, musk, cedar, frankincense, or myrrh oil.
- Use a canola or mustard oil base.
- Apply oil on the skin between the navel and pubic bone
Mantra Therapy For PMS
Ayurvedic tradition suggests that repeating certain words or sounds can help a person suffering from an ailment to restore subtle balance to nerve tissue and enhance one’s mental clarity. Different sounds are prescribed to either repeat mentally or chant outwardly. These sounds are also used and repeated in the mind for the purpose of spiritual growth.
For Vata-like PMS symptoms, repeat the syllable “Ram” for several minutes a few times a day and build more practice over time.
As a Vata-related disorder, it is helpful to inwardly repeat this syllable for the duration of time it is practiced.
For Pitta-like PMS symptoms, repeat the syllable “Aum” (pronounced ohm) for several minutes a few times a day and build more practice over time.
As a Pitta-related disorder, it is helpful to both outwardly chant and inwardly repeat this syllable for the duration of time it is practiced.
For Kapha-like PMS symptoms, repeat the syllable “Hoom” for several minutes a few times a day and build more practice over time.
As a Kapha-related disorder, it is helpful to outwardly chant this syllable for the duration of time it is practiced.
Breathing Practices For PMS
Controlling the breath is a central practice toward developing peace and stillness in the mind and body. When the breath is under our control, we are no longer at the mercy of the senses that are stimulated by everything and lead to greater fluctuations of the mind. When applied to the context of resolving specific ailments, the breath is used as a tool for developing lung capacity, heating and cooling the body and resolving mental afflictions like anxiety and stress.
All Doshas
Vata
Pitta
Kapha