Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom (34 page)

The birth of a child or the termination of a pregnancy

Pregnancies complicated by toxemia

Tubal ligation, especially when done in such a way that the major blood supply to the tube is interrupted

Unusual trauma, such as a death in the family

Decreased light associated with autumn and winter and also lack of exposure to natural, full-spectrum light

A variety of nutritional factors contribute to PMS. Studies have shown that women with PMS tend to have the following nutritional and physiological characteristics.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO PMS

High consumption of dairy products.
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Excessive consumption of caffeine, in the form of soft drinks, coffee, or chocolate.
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Excessive consumption of foods that raise blood sugar too quickly, resulting in elevated insulin levels and subsequent cellular inflammation.

A relatively high blood level of estrogen, resulting either from overproduction from dietary and body fat or from the decreased breakdown of estrogen in the liver. High estrogen levels are associated with deficiencies of the vitamin B complex, especially B6 and B12. The liver requires these vita mins in order to break down and inactivate estrogen.
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A relatively low blood level of progesterone, the hormone that works to balance excess estrogen. This decreased level is felt to be secondary either to lack of production or to excessive breakdown of this hormone in the body.
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Studies in this area are inconsistent.

A diet that leads to increased levels of the hormone prosta glandin F2 alpha and also contributes to high levels of estrogen in con junction with low levels of progesterone.
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Vegetarians with a whole food, high-fiber diet are known to excrete two to three times more estrogen in their feces than nonvegetarians. They also have 50 percent lower blood plasma levels of unconjugated estrogens (a type of metabolized estrogen) than women who eat the standard American diet, and as a result they have a decreased incidence of PMS.
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(It has been my experience that vegetarians tend to eat more fruits and vegetables and fewer trans fatty acids than do nonvegetarians. Evidence is mounting that meat is not the culprit we once thought it was as long as it is consumed in moderate amounts and accompanied by an abundant intake of green leafy vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and other whole foods—and as long as one’s diet doesn’t contain excessive amounts of high-glycemic-index foods or those that contain trans fatty acids.)

Excessive body weight, which increases the chances of excessive levels of estrogen and PMS.
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Body fat manufactures estrone (one of the estrogens) and is also associated with an increase in inflammatory chemicals.