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Food and pms


madcat
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I couple of years ago I read some article about how food affects pms. It had list of symptoms divided into two categories and lists of food for each. All I remember is that soy was one of the foods listed but I don’t remember which category it was supposed to help and which was supposed to avoid it. Has anyone heard about this?

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I couple of years ago I read some article about how food affects pms. It had list of symptoms divided into two categories and lists of food for each. All I remember is that soy was one of the foods listed but I don’t remember which category it was supposed to help and which was supposed to avoid it. Has anyone heard about this?

 

I don't know much about it, but I have a friend who is vegan, but also doesn't have any / very little soy, and she has generally light periods. But ah, that's just one case, and it might be connected to other things. Maybe other things can affect it like smoking / drug use / alcohol? It wouldn't surprise me, but they don't call me Captain Period.

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  • 2 months later...

again, since i'm new, this is a delayed response!

 

I think the deal is that since PMS is usually caused by an excess of estrogen circulating in the body, and that soy and soy isoflavones are plant based estrogens (phytoestrogens), that there has been speculation that soy can EXACERBATE symptoms of PMS. I have tried to reduce my consumption of soy products for various reasons - you know, since there are other alternatives for say, soy milk, I use almond milk instead. But I'm not cutting soy out altogether - just using alternatives when available, mostly as an experiment to see if I notice a hormonal effect.

 

My husband and I looked into this because as fairly new vegans, and because he went "cold tofurkey" (har!) from being omnivore to vegan, we used a lot of fake meats and such that were soy based while he was transitioning. Then we heard about this news about how soy might not be as good for you as previously thought, and possibly even bad for you, blah blah, so he was concerned.

 

A couple of things we came across and to consider: 1. Who funded the study (it appeared that it was funded by the meat/dairy industry - !! - go figure) 2. the amount of soy you would have to consume to have these so called side effects is ...well, crazy. I doubt you eat that much of it for it to have a direct effect on your PMS.

 

I do know one thing: my cycles are much more manageable, even to the point of being able to embrace the process, since I went vegetarian and then vegan. I think the amount of hormones that was in the meat and milk I was consuming before DID have a direct effect on my PMS.

 

So the short answer is, don't worry too much about your soy consumption...if PMS is really bothering you, I have some great herbal suggestions that have worked really well for me!

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I PMS for almost 2 weeks prior and I mean it is bad! I am the biggest witch at this time. Since I own the business I get to handle the problem manufacturers and customers. And trust me on this one, you don't want to speak to me during this time. I really hate the fact that I get irritated so easily, very, very easily. Since I am not good at showing emotion, it turns into a lot of pent up anger and I take it out on the weights, treadmill, etc to feel better.

 

Something to help with PMS would be great.

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I hear you SeaSiren! I sometimes PMS two weeks prior too, but I can usually link it to having consumed too much caffeine, or some other such thing, and usually because I wasn't consistent with these things which have literally worked WONDERS on my PMS:

 

1. Vitex (Chaste Berry) tincture: you know in those dropper bottles

2. Dong Quai tincture: same as above

 

I put about one and a half droppers full of each in a small bit of water and drink it in the morning every day. Some people recommend that you take the Dong Quai during the first half of your cycle alone ( like from the second day of your period to ovulation) and the Vitex during the second part (from ovulation to first day of period) and then repeat, especially if you plan to become pregnant, because Dong Quai is contraindicated during pregnancy. But for now, I just take them both together. I think there are even proprietary blends containing both, but usually in a capsule form which is prob. gelatin so I stick w/ the tinctures.

 

3. PROGESTERONE CREAM - OMG, this has been such a lifesaver. Emerita makes a good one and is largely available at health food stores, online, even at the Vitamin Shoppe. You apply it topically during the second half of your cycle to alleviate PMS symptoms (so for example, if your cycle is 28 days, you would use it from day 14 to day 28 only). They say to give it a couple of months to notice the difference but for me I noticed it right away.

 

Let me know if you try it and if they work! And like I tell my husband, if I seem less tolerant during PMS it's because as a woman, I'm simply more in touch with my truth during this time. So I don't have my "nicey nice" filter on! And I embrace that, because I love being a woman and it's taken me a LONG time to get to that point.

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Excellent, thank-you!

 

My cycle is every 28-40 days, never the same. But luckily 3 days and done. No cramps, do retain tons of water. But the no nicey nice (and comes in handy sometimes) is OK except the printer went into the cement wall several times last cycle. Darn thing started working just after. It reminded me of the Armegedon movie...."this is how we fix thing on Russian Space Station!" If only I had been PMSing earlier in the week. Would have saved many hours working with the darn thing.

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hm...these things might actually help with regulating your cycles, if you decide to give it a try. at least, i hear they're known to. i used to use the cream every day just starting out, so you wouldn't have to keep track. i guess it's a tradeoff ay? your cycles are irregular, but your periods are short and painless. i'm the opposite!

 

funny about the printer...see that's what i mean! when you give over to those...uh...PMS impulses, sometimes it's for the best! ha, no seriously...the times i had the WORST pms was when I wasn't being totally honest with myself (like when I was in a bad relationship, or hated my job, or whatever). that's just me though, and pms is what it is! we all have our moments...hee...at least your darned printer is working!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Excellent, thank-you!the printer went into the cement wall several times last cycle. Darn thing started working just after. It reminded me of the Armegedon movie...."this is how we fix thing on Russian Space Station!"

 

My favorite way to handle a printer is demonstrated on the movie Office Space!

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