Is your gut health affecting your PMS symptoms?
The detoxification of oestrogen primarily relies on regular bowel movements, making a healthy gut microbiome crucial for this process.
When the balance of gut bacteria is disrupted, a condition known as dysbiosis can occur. Dysbiosis is when there is an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the gut. This imbalance impairs oestrogen metabolism by producing an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. This enzyme reactivates oestrogen, leading to its reabsorption and increased oestrogen levels. So, how is this associated with premenstrual symptoms such as headaches, bloating, premenstrual insomnia, anxiety, brain fog and period pain?
Oestrogen drives mast cells to release more histamine, elevating histamine levels, while high histamine levels can also boost oestrogen production. Consequently, elevated histamine is responsible for many PMS symptoms.
Therefore, maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is essential for regulating oestrogen to prevent high levels of histamine from causing unwanted PMS symptoms.
My top tips for enhancing gut health:
Start by identifying the underlying causes of dysbiosis through a functional microbiome analysis and thorough pathology testing. This personalised approach sheds light on your unique situation, emphasising that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to health-related issues. By using functional testing, you and your practitioner can tailor treatment to address specific microbiome imbalances effectively.
After testing, consider these helpful gut health strategies:
⁃ Invest in a potty stool, as sitting on a toilet isn’t the best position for our bowel movements. The mechanism of our gut is not designed for sitting on a toilet and doesn’t allow for our complete emptying of the bowels. Squatting is the natural pooing position. Instead of squatting on the toilet, you can achieve a similar effect by using a stool and leaning slightly forward to create the appropriate angles to pass your stool.
⁃ Incorporate PHGG prebiotic fibre supplementation into your daily routine. Consuming PHGG can be effective in the treatment of dysbiosis as it nourishes and supports the growth of beneficial bacteria, including Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, while reducing harmful bacteria levels. Further, PHGG is a prebiotic fibre that promotes daily bowel motion to enhance detoxification.
⁃ Increase your intake of bitter foods. Bitter foods such as rocket, broccoli sprouts, radish, broccoli, radicchio, green tea, and dandelion root tea are wonderful for optimising liver function and detoxification pathways. Bitter foods not only support liver function but also improve digestion as the bitter principles stimulate bile production and enhance the secretion of digestive enzymes such as hydrochloric acid, which denatures proteins and optimises nutrient absorption.
