Premenstrual Syndrome and Candida

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is condition that encompasses a wide array of symptoms that many women experience typically a week before their menstrual cycles but can occur up to two weeks before. The symptoms of PMS are so diverse and far reaching that it affects women both physically and emotionally. Symptoms of PMS include but are not limited to headaches, edema, back pain, abdominal cramps, abdominal bloating, abdominal gas, muscle spasms, breast tenderness, acne, food cravings, mood swings, anxiety, brain fog and depression. Although, I have heard many men and women alike joking about PMS it is no laughing matter to those women who are unfortunate enough to experience its debilitating symptoms month after month. Imagine experiencing symptoms for up to 14 days out of the month every single month. This is a miserable way to exist. There is however hope for those with PMS aside from just treating the monthly symptoms with over the counter pain medicines. This hope lies in the link between PMS and Candida.

Candidiasis is a condition in which yeast (Candida) overgrows in the intestinal system. Candida is usually a benign microorganism that contributes to a healthy microflora of the intestinal system. Candida ideally will work hand in hand with “friendly” bacteria within this system to remove waste and toxins from the body. However, due to numerous external factors Candida can become an opportunistic microorganism which releases toxins and causes the body to become unhealthy. Symptoms of candidiasis are as diverse as those of PMS and that is why it often goes unrecognized. It has been found that many women who experience PMS also experience candidiasis related symptoms. Chronic yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, abdominal gas, abdominal bloating, depression and anxiety are not uncommon. The good news is that this linkage provides hope for alleviating PMS symptoms through treatment of the underlying candidiasis.

The Candida Diet is the cornerstone of treatment for candidiasis. The goal of the diet is to cut off the food supply to the Candida, therefore killing them, an eliminating the toxins they produce from the body. The diet is very restrictive eliminating all forms of sugar, processed foods, quick acting carbohydrates and many other foods that have been shown to feed Candida. It is however an extremely effective method of treating this condition. It can be very difficult to adhere to the Candida Diet because of these restrictions and but these dietary changes have been proven to help many women with PMS overcome their monthly misery. The first weeks on the diet are hardest because there actually may be an increase in symptoms due to the die-off period where large amounts of Candida are literally being starved and killed in your body. The body may have a hard time dealing with the toxins that these dead microorganisms produce initially. This is the reason why it often gets worse before it gets better. If you suffer from PMS and are looking for naturally ways to relieve these symptoms look into the Candida Diet.