Part-time Witches: YOUR guide to PMS and PMDD

Part-time Witches: YOUR guide to PMS and PMDD

This book is for women who suffer from premenstrual symptoms, for those close to them, and for those trying to help them. Most women have some symptoms in the days leading up to their periods. These are severe enough to amount to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in 25% of women. For them, the symptoms can be much more than a minor inconvenience. The most severe form is premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and it affects 5% of women. These women can completely change character in the premenstrual days – they can become part-time witches ! Their work, their study, their relationships, and indeed their whole lives can be turned upside down. The latest scientific evidence is examined and explained in a language that’s easy to understand. The book explains the changes that take place in a woman’s body as her period approaches. You’ll learn about the imbalances in hormones and brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that cause PMS/PMDD. The emphasis isn’t on medical treatments, important though they are. This book will help you understand how you can make the monthly misery more bearable. What’s the best approach to diet? What about exercise, sleep and other lifestyle factors? What nutritional supplements help? Premenstrual syndromes don’t just happen. We know a lot about factors that put a woman at risk. Some you can deal with yourself. For others, you might need some help. Risk factors include traumatic life events, periods starting early, mental health problems and lower quality diet. The effects of PMS/PMDD on a woman’s physical and mental health can go way beyond those few premenstrual days. PMS and PMDD can lead to weight gain and to future risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. There’s no specific diet. However, the book sets out some general dietary principles. It explores the link between PMS/PMDD and gut health and tells you how to keep your neurotransmitters in balance. The impact of some common diets and eating patterns is explained. Dietary supplements really can help. You’ll learn how to feel better with calcium, vitamin D and magnesium. You’ll learn about other supplements including vitamin B6 and Vitex. Supplements can help to lessen anxiety, and to control inflammation and pain. Diet and supplements can go a long way to controlling symptoms, but other lifestyle factors are also important. The book discusses the role of exercise and good quality sleep. It also covers complementary and alternative therapies that most doctors wouldn’t even consider. Many women with PMS or PMDD need medical advice, and many need medication. The two front line treatments are antidepressants and combined oral contraceptive pills (COCPs). The decision to start an antidepressant is never easy. Once started, they can be difficult to stop. This book will help you decide if you need medication and, if so, how to minimise the side effects. There’s a bewildering choice of COCPs. This book will help you decide what’s best for you. It will also explain the pros and cons of other contraceptive methods for women with PMS/PMDD. Finally, you’ll learn about compounded medicines such as bioidentical hormones, melatonin and low-dose naltrexone (LDN). You won’t find this information in any other book and your doctor probably won’t know anything about it. By the end of the year 2022, there will be more than 2 billion women in the world between the ages of 12 and 52. Most of them have a menstrual cycle and most have at least some premenstrual symptoms. The cost and impact of these symptoms isn’t only borne by the woman herself but also by society as a whole. PMS and PMDD are costly in terms of healthcare provision and in lost time from work and decreased productivity. This is the definitive guide to premenstrual syndromes. The book is a must for those who suffer from, or because of, the hormonal changes that take place in the later part of the menstrual cycle.