PMS making you bitchy? Eat Dandelion!

When you’re flying that red flag… Do you feel like you need to avoid human contact for fear of punching someone in the face? Are you sick of crying during  every heartwarming commercial on TV? Or even the not-at-all-heartwarming commercials? (I once cried during a kitty litter commercial when the lady was nuzzling her happy cat). Ridiculous.

I can go into sooo many things when it comes to PMS… like how cleaning up your diet and taking better care of your body will do wonders… but let’s assume you know all that. Let’s assume you are looking for one single herb to help with your monthly moodiness. But first, a little background info:

What do your moods look like when they’re in your body?

Short answer: hormones. You got your happy hormones, sad hormones, angry hormones… you can literally feel those emotions throughout your entire body. That’s because they are flowing throughout your body… literally.

What happens to these hormones?

Your liver regulates your hormones. So.. your emotional hormones go to your liver to be broken down, turned into bile, and pooped out. Unfortunately, many of us have less than perfectly healthy livers. So then those hormones could be re-cycled throughout your body OR stay stored in your liver to be eliminated when it gets the chance.

What happens with your elevated estrogen levels when you’re on the rag?

Well.. your body, being as smart as it is, knows that excess estrogen in the body can cause some pretty rough shit: breast cancer, uterine cancer, blood clotting… so the liver steps in to make sure it gets cleared out ASAP.

And here’s the clincher…

In order for your liver to properly get rid of that excess estrogen, it’s gotta release those emotional hormones that it’s been unable to get to processing. So it releases them. All. At. Once. And then your liver is better able to get the excess estrogen out of your body.

How can you get those emotional hormones out before hand?

Cleanse your liver! The best way to do that is with bitter herbs. And the easiest, most readily available of them all, is DANDELION.  You can pick it fresh from your yard (so long as it hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals or peed on by your neighbor’s dog.. or your dog.. or anyone.) Most health food stores are selling it in their produce areas these days, too.

Just start using it regularly (not just during your period) to see the best results.

PS. If you have problems with water retention during your cycle, dandelion is a diuretic and can certainly help with that, too 🙂

REFERENCES:

Christopher, David, MH. “PMS & Hormones.” Women’s Health. Utah, Springville. Lecture.

“Role of the Liver in Hormone Metabolism and in the Regulation of Their Content in the Blood.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1977. Web. 24 July 2013. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/334126&gt;.

“Dandelion.” University of Maryland Medical Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2013. <http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/dandelion&gt;.

How to Get Rid of Ovarian (Uterine) Cysts

Ovarian, or uterine, cysts are quite common in women, especially during ovulation. They can come and go unnoticed. Larger cysts, however, can be pretty painful and can have several symptoms including: painful periods, pain during sex, pelvic pain, dull lower back ache, abnormal bleeding, and a bloated lower belly.

What causes ovarian cysts?

Excess hormones! This is why ovarian cysts tend to lessen in postmenopausal women… and why cysts are most common during ovulation when hormone levels peak.

How to get rid of ovarian cysts?

Regulating your hormones better will help to lessen or get rid of painful ovarian cysts. The best way to do this is by helping out your liver.

Your liver regulates the hormones in your body. Your liver takes your excess hormones, breaks them down, turns them into bile, and eliminates them from your system through the bowels. So by maintaining a healthy liver, you can help your body to function in a way that serves you best!

How to maintain a healthy liver?

The National Institutes of Health says that taking dandelion is a safe liver tonic. The American Liver Foundation recommends limiting alcohol intake. Both of these are very effective in maintaining healthy liver.

Dr. Christopher with the School of Natural Healing suggests cleansing your liver in conjunction with your bowels, urinary tract, and blood. This way, your liver isn’t the one doing all the work to eliminate the excess hormones completely from your body. You can go to the School’s herb shop (www.drchristophersherbshop.com) to purchase those specific formulas. However, it is advised that you consult with your Master Herbalist before taking these powerful herbs.

It is also recommended to eat a diet consisting of “fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and a small amount of fresh fish or chemical free chicken” while avoiding “salt, eggs, all refined sugars, meat, all milk products, flours and flour products” as described in Dr. Christophers’ “Mucusless Diet”. This will help your body cleanse more gently and function optimally.

Potassium deficiency has also been noted as a cause of cysts. And so it is also recommended that women increase their potassium intake (through food, not supplements). Both Elderberry and Black Walnut tinctures are high in potassium. Coconut water is also high in potassium and has been becoming more and more available at local grocery stores and gas stations. And guess what? Dandelion is high in potassium, too!

In summary, if you have a problem with painful ovarian cysts, it’s time to give your liver a bit of T.L.C.!

REFERENCES:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/334126

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/ovarian_cysts/hic_ovarian_cysts.aspx

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/dandelion

http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/alcohol/

http://www.herballegacy.com/Cysts.html

http://www.herballegacy.com/Mucusless_Diet.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/506996-herbal-remedies-for-getting-rid-of-cysts/

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/truth-about-coconut-water