Dear Friend,

We've learned a lot about PMS since the term was first used in Europe in the 1940's. So how is it that so many millions of women still suffer needlessly with mood swings, fluid retention, headaches, breast tenderness, cravings, anxiety - the symptoms of cyclical hormonal change? I believe that, as simple as the solution may be for most women, good information about treatment options just isn't getting out to the women who need it - or to their physicians.

That is why we at Women's Health America designated last month, August, as PMS Awareness Month and why we are working with Tammy Baldwin, our Congressional Representative from Wisconsin, to have the President give it national recognition - making each August a focal point for PMS education, commitment to research and awareness.

Championing this cause is nothing new at Women's Health America. It all began in the late 1970's when we were the first in the country to use the hormone progesterone to treat a single woman's PMS symptoms. Until that time, PMS had been widely accepted as just another expression of a woman's "hysterical" nature best treated with tranquilizers. By taking this first woman's PMS symptoms "out of her head" and bringing them "into the pharmacy," Women's Health America began the modern era of treating PMS and menopause as hormone imbalance instead of mental and emotional imbalance. Since then, we have continued our pioneering research into the role played by nutrition, exercise and lifestyle. We now have a wide array of self-care as well as personalized prescriptive options for the 40% of women who suffer from PMS.

Unfortunately, there is still much work to be done on the educational front. It is heart-breaking that in 2007, many women and health practitioners still do not understand PMS and see sedatives, anti-depressants, diurertics and birth control pills as their best options for treatment.

What every woman should know

Over 65% of the women we work with at Women's Health America report they themselves have the power to significantly relieve their PMS symptoms WITHOUT prescription therapy. That means more than half of the women you know who suffer from PMS could significantly change their lives through these very simple self-care steps:

• Charting symptoms
• A healthy diet
• Regular exercise
• Stress reduction, and
• A specially designed nutritional supplement

Charting symptoms. Self-care starts with learning about your unique self. Keeping a Personal Symptom Chart will help you get to know when symptoms appear and what helps them disappear.

Healthy Diet and Exercise. The basics of eating right and avoiding foods high in salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol are especially important for limiting pre-menstrual syndrome. Commitment to a regular program of weight-bearing exercise is also critical (and may help prevent osteoporosis.) This can be as simple as walking for 20 minutes, three or four times a week.

Stress Reduction. Relaxation is not a rare luxury, but a critical component of staying healthy physically, mentally and emotionally. Simplify where you can. Find time to let go.

Supplementation. Studies show a specially formulated nutritional supplement like our Procycle^® vitamins can be a key factor in limiting PMS symptoms. Did you know that increasing B Vitamins and magnesium can significantly decrease the anxiety, nervous tension and irritability associated with PMS? Or increasing chromium can help balance blood sugar and eliminate cravings for sugar, alcohol, and oh yes, chocolate?

What about the other 35%?

For the 35% of PMS sufferers who do not report significant symptom reduction through self-care, relief can usually be found by supplementing the body's natural production of progesterone. Many women choose customized prescription therapy.

It is important that the progesterone is molecularly the sameas human progesterone rather than a synthetic progestin as is used in oral contraceptives and Provera®. While both types of hormones are made in the lab, natural hormones are made from natural substances like soy or wild yam and have the same chemical structure as the hormones found in your body. The chemical structure of synthetic hormones differs only slightly, however, they can produce substantially different effects and side effects.

In the case of prescriptive therapy, I recommend low-dose individualized treatment as the key to successfully alleviating PMS symptoms without side effects. The first step is a simple saliva test to determine current hormone levels. The next is an individualized prescription that is compounded to deliver the specific amount of progesterone needed by a specific woman.

*A word of caution about wild yam progesterone creams. Wild yam does not contain progesterone in and of itself, and your body cannot convert wild yam extract into progesterone on its own. Wild yam can be converted to natural progesterone USP in a lab. Wild yam creams can only be effective if progesterone USP has been added.

What can you do to eliminate PMS?

The most important thing you can do to eliminate PMS is take good care of yourself and urge other women to do the same. If that is not effective for eliminating symptoms, talk with your health practitioner about prescriptive care. If your health practitioner needs information about hormone testing and natural progesterone, contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . We will be happy to provide you with written material to pass on.

Do you need a healthcare provider? We'll be happy to help. Give us a call toll-free at 800-558-7046, email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or submit a request through our online referral resource, RestoreMD.com and one of our Patient Care Coordinators will contact you with suggestions for a healthcare provider who is familiar with hormone and bone loss testing, and low-dose natural hormone therapy.

We'll keep you updated on our progress with National PMS Awareness Month. In the meantime, I would be happy to answer specific questions about PMS or other women's health topics. Just email them to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Yours in good health,

Marla Ahlgrimm

PMS Self Care Options from Women's Health America

PMS Minicourse