Weight Loss Sabotaged

For a lot of women PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) seems to be a big stumbling block to permanent weight-loss and health gain. All good intentions and even some well established healthy weight loss routines go out the window when their period is due. It is extremely frustrating.

You may be one of these women who suffer one or multiple symptoms. A few days before a period is due, you become bloated, get even more fluid retention, irritable, tired and anxious turning to foods full of processed fats, and/or refined carbohydrates like sugar, cookies, chocolate, or lots of bread, only to feel even more miserable as blood sugar levels yo-yo. Then the guilt and frustration sets in!

Generally, during this time women choose to eat more drug-like foods, the very foods that make things worse. The foods they have little problem avoiding the rest of the month.

Here are 5 of the most common symptoms suffered before and during a period.

1) Anxiety can be due to imbalances between estrogen and progesterone, which become more pronounced during this time, resulting in increased anxiety which can encourage, encouraging comfort eating.

2) Depression can be due to a lower thyroid function during this time or an excess of metals like lead, chlorine, arsenic, aluminum, fluoride and others, become more evident during this time. You need to consider of natural detoxification program to eliminate them from your diet and body.

3) Cravings are so common at this time for some women, due to low blood sugar levels plus low levels of magnesium, chromium and so many other nutrients. For so many people 'low blood sugar levels' is a really big problem. Before and during a period the problem is magnified and all good intentions are sabotaged. Due to years of poor food choices your blood sugar levels keep you a prisoner. When your blood sugar levels are low it is so tempting to reach for foods that will have an "instant fix" but the effect is short lived and once again the body craves for more.

4) A lot of women retain a lot more fluid retention at this time, this can be due to high sodium, low potassium and magnesium levels in the diet in general this is a common problem. Also low levels of amino acids or a toxic over-load can contribute to this problem. If you eat a lot of foods that are processed they will contain much higher levels of salt (sodium) and extremely low levels of potassium and magnesium.

What do I mean by manufactured foods? Biscuits, cookies, cakes, bread, cheese, crisps (chips), the average chocolate, canned products, roasted peanuts, bacon, deli meats, sauces, ready-made meals sports bars, or breakfast cereals, regardless of the calorie content.

Consider taking magnesium, B complex, zinc, and some herbs like chase berry (Agnes Castus) to balance hormones. Cut down drastically on all the processed foods throughout the month. Give up caffeine or drastically cut down the amount you consume as it interferes with your blood sugar levels encouraging the wrong food choices and interferes with your hormone levels.

5) Increased hunger and thirst confusion. Make sure you are always well hydrated with water it will help to flush out toxins every day, reduce fluid retention, and turn off the confusion the brain has between hunger and thirst. Research has proven over and over again many people are dehydrated to some extent and the brain get confused between hunger and thirst, people more often than not eat when they should be drinking water. A diet soda will no hydrate your body and more often than not contains caffeine. If you are boarder-line dehydrated this confusion seems to be exaggerated before, during and after a period.