When I asked my newly 18 year old daughter which topic would be important to write about, without a moment’s hesitation she answered, “PMS.” “Write about PMS. Women have to know.” “That is so true,” I thought. Back in the day when I was 16 or 18 years old  I  actually had to plan my life keeping in mind my crazy  hormonal schedule.  The first week of the month I will be dying from cramps and profuse heavy bleeding, almost bed-ridden with a heat pack, weak and sleepy.  Then the next two weeks I would be optimistic, happy and energetic, would stick to my exercise and work routines, and try to accomplish as much as possible because I knew that during the last week the world would change colors over the night and my mood would suddenly drop to immense sadness. Extreme irritability would alternate with spells of crying, and a nagging headache would end up being an excruciating migraine attack. I would have to change into my PMS clothes and underwear, everything a size bigger, so I would not start to freak out that I gained six pounds, munching on cookies and chocolate. My normally even skin would break out which would only lead to more stress, and therefore more sweets. My mom had the same problem all her life so I think my dad’s hidden prayer was that we wouldn’t have our period at the same time. Being around two women with PMS is not an easy task even for a man such as my father. 

Almost every woman I knew had had some of those symptoms; it was part of life and all the blame went directly to Eve.  

Later, in my late 20s, when I worshiped Western medicine and the power of pharmaceuticals, I tried all possible medications, including NSAAD’s, hormone therapy and even antidepressants. The result was some relief and I used them until that awful day when I almost died from anaphylactic shock to seemingly harmless medication. My faith in drugs was gone forever and PMS was back.

Estimates of the percentage of women affected by PMS vary widely. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), at least 85 percent of menstruating women have at least one PMS symptom as part of their monthly cycle. Most of these women have symptoms that are fairly mild and do not need treatment. Some women (about three to eight percent of menstruating women) have a more severe form of PMS, called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). The main symptoms, which can be disabling, include:

• feelings of sadness or despair, or possibly suicidal thoughts
• feelings of tension or anxiety
• panic attacks
• mood swings
• crying
• lasting irritability or anger that affects other people
• disinterest in daily activities and relationships
• troubled thinking or focusing on negative things
• fatigue or low energy
• food cravings or binge eating
• trouble sleeping
• feeling out of control
• physical symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness/swelling, headaches, and joint or muscle pain, nausea, sore throat, menstrual irregularity and dysmenorrhea.

There is strong evidence that serotonin, a brain chemical, plays a serious role in developing PMDD. 

So, are there any alternatives to drugs in order to handle PMS or do you “just have to live with it?”  By the way, I consider that awful day as a blessing also. I was forced to find the alternative to chemically induced “health” and needless to say that very soon the perfect Law of Attraction brought Chinese medicine in to my life.

Even though it is virtually impossible to explain all the principals and theories of this old medical system within the frame of a short article, I’ll try to give you an idea so you can begin to discover life without chemicals and drugs for yourself. 

At the beginning of any, and I stress ANY disease, always lies energetic misbalance. Bio-chemical, cellular, organic, and systematic malfunctions are secondary to energetic. If the movement of energy (QI) which is tied closely with the movement of blood and the function of nervous system is interrupted, then eventually what we will call symptom or a disease will occur. 

In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) each organ has assigned specific duties. For example, the Liver is responsible for maintaining smooth and unobstructed flow of QI. This free flow implies that the right energy arrives at the right place at the right time. This implies proper function. So anything which harms the Liver may cause an obstruction on the flow of QI in the body at large. Likewise, anything which obstructs the flow of QI may in turn, damage the Liver. In women, Liver QI Stagnation usually manifests as interrupted flow in any of the following three areas in the body.  Although the ancient Chinese knew the precise location of the physical liver, they relegated its function to the lower abdomen. The Liver stores the blood. The uterus is the Chamber of Blood.  To some extent, they perform the same function of storing blood. Congestion in the liver can cause stagnation of QI in the lower abdomen, causing flatulence, bloating, menstrual irregularity, cramps, and later on  can lead to the formation of neoplasms in the pelvis such as myomas, fibromas, and ovarian cysts as well as endometriosis and chronic pelvis inflammatory disease. 

The second area of the body where Liver QI Congestion can be manifested is the chest.  This may feel like sensation of tightness or pressure, but in women often presents itself as breast swelling, pain, or lumpiness.   

The third site is the throat, where it can manifests as a sore throat or dysfunction of the thyroid. Frequent sighing is one diagnostic sign of Liver QI Stagnation.

Disruption in the flow of liver QI strongly affects other organs such as the “Spleen” (here I mean Chinese term for the system, and not the organ per se.) In this case it is said that “the Liver invades the Spleen,” deranging its function.  The Liver becomes full and the Spleen becomes empty. Spleen Emptiness then manifests itself as diarrhea and loose stools or constipation. Since the Flavor which stimulates the Spleen is Sweet, patients will often crave sweets, but too much Sweet will only further weaken the Spleen. Spleen is also in charge of transformation and Transportation of Water, so when these functions are impaired, there will be water retention and swelling of the hands and feet. Further weakening of its function will lead to Blood deficiency patterns causing fatigue, anemia, insomnia and headaches.  

In TCM each organ also is associated with psycho-spiritual energy and the Liver stores the HUN which is the psyche. If the Liver is congested and energy and blood can’t move freely, then it becomes hot. That heat disturbs the Heart and Mind, causing anger, depression, insomnia, anxiety and mood swings. Liver is a “temperamental” organ and is easily harmed by being emotionally upset and anger. 

It is no surprise that PMS in America and other industrial countries has reached the level of an epidemic. Modern women, being wives, moms, single moms, business women and super-women are in a constant state of trying to “push the river,” often beyond their physical and emotional capacity.  Add to it our modern overmedicated lifestyle, constant noise of some kind, excessive lights, malnourishment from nutrient-deficient or simply poisoning junk food,  polluted air and water, fear of global war/terrorism/warming, AIDS, cancer, bombing, shooting, all a flood of information coming from every plastic box in our techno-world. Most of us don’t even know life without stress.

 So, what can we do to avoid Eve’s punishment?

1.  For those patients already suffering from PMS, Chinese Medicine has excellent results.  I can not overstate the power of acupuncture and traditional herbal formulas which are used for treating a wide variety of female disorders, including PMS. Regular acupuncture treatments, usually about three times a week, for two weeks prior to menstruation, significantly relieve the severity of symptoms. On average, only three or four cycles or treatment are required to eliminate PMS. 

2. Diet.

Again and again we face the simple fact that what we eat is what we will become. Literally. Improper diet is one of the primary causes of numerous diseases in the West, including PMS.  We must eliminating foods which tend to aggravate the Liver, such as alcohol, coffee, fatty red meats, fried, greasy or spicy food, over-consumption of artificial sugar-loaded drinks, preservatives, chemicals, pollutants and drugs of all kind. Everything that you swallow has to be metabolized by the Liver. Stabilizing blood sugar levels by eating small portions of natural, organic, food regularly, every three or four hours helps to prevent mood swings which caused by the rise and fall of insulin. 

3. Exercise.

Excessive, strenuous, or heavy lifting training causes consumption of Blood and is not recommended.  Any type of aerobic activity, which will almost double your heart rate and keep it there for about 20 to 30 minutes, will activate the flow of Blood and therefore Energy, moving Blood out of Liver and relieving Stagnation and excessive Heat , therefore, symptoms.  

4. Relaxation.

 Fifteen minutes of deep breathing with a quiet Mind and a smile on your face, relaxing tapes, or yoga can not only significantly reduce stress and improve sleep, but maintain overall health as well. 

5. Nutritional Supplements.

According to Western science, PMS is mostly due to imbalances in the ratio of estrogen to progesterone in the post-ovulatory or luteal phase of a woman’s cycle. This involves prostaglandin metabolism and use of vital nutrients such as vitamin B1, B6, B12, A, E, magnesium and essential fatty acids. For prevention  of PMS, I recommend the use of Metagenics formulas such as FEM-PMS, which includes Chinese herbs combined with vitamin A, beta carotene, B1,B2,B3, B5,B6, B12, folic acid, choline, bioflavonoids, Vitamin D, E calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, zinc, iron, copper , chromium, iodine and selenium. It is a very balanced formula, designed to correct excessive estrogen.

Also, depending on prevalent symptoms, formulas such Mag Citrate, Lipogen, Inflavanoid, Meta-Epo, Fem-FBS, Fem-Relief, E-400 Selenium as a part of treatment protocol has shown excellent results. 

My daughter doesn’t think that PMS is God’s punishment to women. While searching the shelves for “Mense-Ease,” a natural formula which she calls “Midol minus the liver-damage,” in our herbal pharmacy, she believes that God loves her, and that she is beautifully and wonderfully made. Let’s just hope that pimple goes away by tomorrow night…  

Dr. Ata Kelly received her MD degree from Moscow 1st Medical Academy in 1990, Master Degree in Acupuncture from Minnesota Health Science University and Master of Oriental Medicine from Dongguk Royal University, CA. She has been practicing medical acupuncture for more than 15 years and continues to study extensively with internationally recognized Masters.  

AK-U-puncture Clinic
4418 Vineland Ave, Suite 218 B
N. Hollywood, CA 91602

Tel: 818.763.8229/818.631.5292
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email: drata@akupunctureclinics.com

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