Painless Periods 101 (& What Digestive Health Has To Do With It!)
By: Selin Bilgin, B.A, C.H.N
Many of us have been convinced that PMS is a normal part of being a woman.
The evidence especially seems very real when we first hand experience the fatigue, bloating, cramps, mood swings, acne, cravings (and more!) that can come with having a period. Movies, commercials and (funny!) memes also highlight the “curse” that is a normal part of being a woman… or is it normal?
My hope is that you will be delighted at how simple it can be bring your body back to balance with today’s article, and relieve any and every challenging PMS symptom you may be experiencing.
We will be addressing gut health, liver health and xenoestrogens in this blogpost.
Let’s dive right in. The research indicates that an imbalanced gut microbiome (known as dysbiosis, where the “bad” bacteria take over the gut) can be directly linked to hormonal imbalances (Maturitas et al., 2017), as our gut bacteria helps to metabolize estrogen. However, to then make this a perfect vicious cycle, hormonal imbalances such excess amounts of oestrogen (which is what we have if there are PMS symptoms), can then negatively affect our gut, causing bloating, fluid retention and slower digestion (Maturitas et al., 2017).
Now that I’ve told you the “bad” news (it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?) let’s get right into good news. Together we will go over the practical steps you can take today in order to balance not only your hormones, but your gut bacteria as well!
Key Solutions For PMS (and Gut Bacterial Balance!)
Love Your Liver
Estrogen is one of our primary female hormones, and when in balance - we feel in balance! That looks like sound sleep, clear skin, a healthy body weight, a stable mood, and regular periods. If estrogen however does not get cleared properly from our system (through bowel movements, the microbiome and the liver), then this where we start to see challenges such as bloating, weepiness, unexplained weight gain, headaches, acne and more.
The liver is responsible for metabolizing (using) and eliminating your hormones, namely in phases 1 and 2 of estrogen detoxication (Arkh Patol. 1977) When your liver isn’t able to metabolize and eliminate your hormones effectively, this is when you may begin to experience PMS symptoms. Thankfully, you can eat your way to better liver health!
6 foods to eat for your liver
Goji Berries
They have bioactive compounds known to have beneficial effects on liver health, likely as a result of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as prebiotic properties. The Light Cellar has beautiful tinctures, or you can munch on these!
Oatmeal
Consuming oatmeal is an easy way to add fiber to the diet, and fibre is going to be a key player for gut health. Oats and oatmeal are high in compounds called beta-glucans, and a study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences reports that beta-glucans help to modulate the immune system and fight against inflammation, and help reduce the amount of fat stored in the liver in mice, which could also help protect the liver (Bashir, K., & Choi, J. S. (2017). Opt for steel cut oat meal topped with walnuts, cinnamon and berries for example, in place of packaged and high sugar instant oats whenever possible.
Grapefruit
The World Journal of Gastroenterology study also mentions grapefruit as a helpful food. Grapefruit contains two primary antioxidants: naringin and naringenin. These may help protect the liver from injury by reducing inflammation and protecting the liver cells.
Dandelion Root
The polysaccharides in dandelion can help to reduce stress on the liver and support its ability to produce bile (bile flow and gallbladder health is also incredibly for PMS!) The Light Cellar carries dandelion or liver support tinctures, or you can steep dandelion roots as a detoxifying and delicious tea.
Berries
Dark berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries, contain antioxidants called polyphenols, which may help protect the liver from damage. You can add berries to a smoothie, oatmeal, yogurt, or simply on their own with a handful of nuts!
Potassium Rich Foods
Potassium-rich foods help to lower systolic blood pressure, lower cholesterol and support a healthy cardiovascular system, in addition to helping cleanse your liver. Sweet potatoes, tomato sauce, spinach, black strap molasses, and yes, bananas, are all great sources of potassium.
2. Movement
We may know that exercise feels great, but what impact could it possibly have on your hormones and gut health?
A fascinating study found that physical activity generated a unique microbiome in the guts of the mice, independent of the animals’ diet, that the inactive mice did not have. The mice that exercised hosted Faecalibacterium, Clostridium, and Allobaculum, while the sedentary mice did not. We do know that an increase of microbiome diversity is linked to health, as decreased diversity, has been linked to different chronic conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.
While we do not yet know if a specific type of exercise benefits us the most, most resources say to get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. This could be any form of movement - and make it fun! Belly dancing, pickle ball, snow shoeing, surfing all count!
3. Xenoestrogens
Xenoestrogens mean “foreign” estrogens, and these are substances that are close enough in molecular structure to estrogen that they can bind to our body’s estrogen receptor sites...which can potentially create hazardous outcomes. When we have more estrogen in the body than we are able to clear, that is when we start to see the challenges like PMS symptoms occur. This is important for all genders to note!
While Xenoestrogens seem foreign, they are in our common and daily lives including plastics, pesticides, conventional makeup and household products, and in our water systems. Not to worry however! The best thing to do is to follow steps 1-2 in the article, and practice tips such as using stainless steel and glass waterbottles in place of plastic, using a water filter like Santevia or Berkey (I love and use both), and slowly aim to use natural products on your body and in your home. There are many amazing companies out there who are providing clean and safe products.
Recommended Products
Nature’s Way
Dandelion Root (100 vegan capsules)
Nature's Way Dandelion Root is used in herbal medicine to help increase bile flow, to help stimulate appetite, to help treat digestive disturbances, as an alternative to help relieve dematological conditions and as a laxative. Nature's Way Dandelion Root is Vegetarian and Non-GMO Project Verified.
Available at all our locations.
Prairie Naturals
Organic Red Superfoods (210g)
A convenient, ready-to-use superfood powder concentrate made with: Beet Roots, Pomegranates, Goji Berries, Grapeseeds, Carrots, Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries & Cranberries. Natural food-source antioxidants protect, heal, energize and restore. This instant, ready-to-use powder is the perfect addition to smoothies, salad dressings, sauces and homemade energy bars! Experience the energizing, healing and restorative power of Prairie Naturals certified organic, gluten-free & non-GMO Red Superfoods.
Available at all our locations except 130th Ave.
References
Baker JM, Al-Nakkash L, Herbst-Kralovetz MM. Estrogen-gut microbiome axis: Physiological and clinical implications. Maturitas. 2017 Sep;103:45-53. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.06.025. Epub 2017 Jun 23. PMID: 28778332.
Genes S. G. (1977). Rol' pecheni v obmene gormonov i v reguliatsii ikh soderzhaniia v krovi [Role of the liver in hormone metabolism and in the regulation of their content in the blood]. Arkhiv patologii, 39(6), 74–80.
Bashir, K., & Choi, J. S. (2017). Clinical and Physiological Perspectives of β-Glucans: The Past, Present, and Future. International journal of molecular sciences, 18(9), 1906. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18091906
Pandey, K. B. & Rizvi, S. I. (2009, November – December). Plant polyphenols as dietary antioxidants in human health and disease. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2(5), 270-278. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2835915/
Madrigal-Santillán, E., Madrigal-Bujaidar, E., Álvarez-González, I., Sumaya-Martínez, M. T., Gutiérrez-Salinas, J., Bautista, M., Morales-González, Á., García-Luna y González-Rubio, M., Aguilar-Faisal, J. L., & Morales-González, J. A. (2014). Review of natural products with hepatoprotective effects. World journal of gastroenterology, 20(40), 14787–14804. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v20.i40.14787
Decaux G, Soupart A, Cauchie P, Delwiche F. Potassium homeostasis in liver cirrhosis. Arch Intern Med. 1988 Mar;148(3):547-8. PMID: 3277570.
Guo, L. (n.d.). Dietary Goji Shapes the Gut Microbiota to Prevent the Liver Injury Induced by Acute Alcohol Intake. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.929776/full#:~:text=Dietary%20Goji%20berry%20and%20its,properties%20(17%E2%80%9319).
Campbell SC, Wisniewski PJ, Noji M, McGuinness LR, Häggblom MM, Lightfoot SA, Joseph LB, Kerkhof LJ. The Effect of Diet and Exercise on Intestinal Integrity and Microbial Diversity in Mice. PLoS One. 2016 Mar 8;11(3):e0150502. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150502. PMID: 26954359; PMCID: PMC4783017.
Deng, F., Li, Y., & Zhao, J. (2019). The gut microbiome of healthy long-living people. Aging, 11(2), 289–290. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.101771
Paterni I, Granchi C, Minutolo F. Risks and benefits related to alimentary exposure to xenoestrogens. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017 Nov 2;57(16):3384-3404. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2015.1126547. PMID: 26744831; PMCID: PMC6104637.
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I hope you enjoyed this article! Stay tuned for Part 2!