5HTP is useful if you need a little help boosting your serotonin levels. Serotonin is ‘the happy hormone’ you normally synthesise from the amino acid tryptophan in food via a complex chain of chemical reactions. Serotonin has a role in how you feel in yourself, what you want to eat (and how often), and how much you sleep – all of the things which go awry when you have PMS.

PMS can be a complex thing. The term Premenstrual Syndrome includes over 100 varied symptoms ranging from headaches, breast tenderness, fatigue and depression, to angry outbursts and severe mood swings.

It took me a long while to figure out that the root cause of my PMS symptoms was due to blood deficiency. I was a vegetarian for a couple of years and I used to live on tofu, nuts, fruits and vegetables.

I would not normally endorse something that seems rather exotic and comes from a long way away, but there are always exceptions and maca is one of them. Maca is currently little known outside of the world of endurance athletes, hardened travellers, raw foodies and ‘superfood’ enthusiasts. However, it’s been consumed in Peru in a variety of forms since the time of the Incas, working as an energy booster, hormone regulator and aphrodisiac. The Spanish Conquistadors also ate maca (and fed it to their animals), recording how it helped them adapt to the alien conditions of the Andes.  

In the past, I didn’t really pay much attention to my menstruation. I was always glad that it came as it was supposed to, but I often dreaded the pain and discomfort that I had to go through.

The area approximately 4 fingers width below our belly button – the area of the womb – is an important area for our menstrual health, creativity and sexuality.

To so many women, PMS seems like an incurable illness. But because it’s not a life or death condition, most simply learn to tolerate it, suffering through it month after month. Don’t you just wish there was a magic pill that could take all the suffering away?

The spring is here. I’ve been thinking about doing a spring-cleanse with nettle tea all winter. And now the time has finally come. Why have I been so jazzed about it? Because I’ve learned that nettle is not only an excellent spring tonic, but also a wonderful remedy for women’s menstrual problems.

Growing up I was told that it was a bad idea to have sex during your period. The reason my mom offered was that during menstruation, women’s reproductive systems are quite sensitive and vulnerable, and hence more susceptible to infections.

“The uterus is related, energetically, to a woman’s innermost sense of self and her inner world. It is symbolic of her dreams and the selves to which she would like to give birth. Its state of health reflects her inner most reality and her belief in herself at the deepest level.” ~ Christiane Northrup

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), much of the premenstrual syndrome and menstrual problems we experience are caused by the stagnation of liver qi (energy). When there’s a free flow of qi, we are healthy and happy; and when there’s stagnation of qi, we experience pain.

A few months ago I went to see my acupuncturist for PMS symptoms. She recommended Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan (Free & Easy Wanderer Plus) as an herbal remedy to calm my premenstrual tension, irritability and fatigue.

I used to have really bad PMS. Cramps, mood swings, fatigue, you name it. Occasionally I still have those symptoms, but they’ve become totally manageable.

Yesterday I started my period and had some pretty intense cramps. I cuddled up with my heating pad and went to bed at 9:30pm last night. This morning I felt better, but was still a little weak.

"One cannot think well, love well and sleep well, if one has not dined well." I suspect Virginia Woolf, who made that statement, knew one of the biggest secrets to a healthy life: You are what you eat. To create a PMS-free life, you need to start paying attention to what you put into your body.