What Holistic Treatments Can Help Alleviate PMS Symptoms?

Many women grow up believing that PMS is simply part of being a woman.
And because these symptoms are so common, they’ve been widely normalized.

But one of the things I teach the women I support is this:

While PMS symptoms are common, they are not normal.

PMS is actually the body communicating that it needs support.

And the encouraging news is that when women begin supporting their hormones, PMS symptoms can often improve significantly or even disappear entirely.

PMS Looks Different for Every Woman

When women come to me for support with their hormones, PMS symptoms are one of the most common concerns I hear about. I frequently see symptoms like:

✓ painful cramps
✓ mood swings or irritability
✓ breast tenderness
✓ bloating
✓ fatigue
✓ sugar cravings
✓ heavy periods

But what many women don’t realize is that more than 150 PMS symptoms have been reported.

That means your experience might look different.

Some women notice headaches or migraines.
Others experience anxiety or irritability before their period.
Some feel intense food cravings or a noticeable drop in energy.

So I’m curious… which symptoms show up for you each month?

Your body may be giving you important information.

The Missing Piece: Understanding Your Cyclical Nature

One of the biggest shifts I see in women happens when they begin to understand something most of us were never taught:

Women are cyclical human beings.

While women have some hormones that operate on a 24-hour circadian rhythm (like cortisol and melatonin), they also experience an infradian rhythm, which typically lasts about 28 days.

Interestingly, this rhythm closely mirrors the cycle of the moon.

A woman’s hormones rise and fall at different times during her menstrual cycle.

Throughout the menstrual cycle, hormones naturally rise and fall. These hormonal shifts influence:

✓ energy levels
✓ mood
✓ appetite
✓ sleep
✓ exercise capacity
✓ stress resilience

The challenge is that many women are trying to live as if they should feel, perform, and function the same way every single day.

They push through exhaustion, ignore signals from their body, and hold themselves to unrealistic expectations.

Over time, this constant pushing can create a tremendous stress load on the body, which can contribute to hormonal symptoms like PMS.

But when women begin to understand and honor their hormonal rhythm, something powerful happens.

They start working with their bodies instead of against them.

My Own Experience With PMS

For many years, I experienced PMS symptoms like:

✓ breast tenderness
✓ painful cramps
✓ lower back soreness
✓ fatigue

At the time, I assumed this was simply something women had to live with, so I’d load up on Midol PMS every month.

It wasn’t until my late 30’s, when I began learning about the menstrual cycle and the body’s natural rhythms, that everything started to change, including how I showed up for myself in the world.

I realized that even just becoming aware of my infradian rhythm was helpful on its own.

And that awareness began to influence how I supported my body day to day.

I started paying more attention to:

✓ how I was nourishing myself
✓ how I was moving and exercising
✓ how much sleep I was getting
✓ how I was responding to stress

These shifts began to change how I experienced my cycle.

What I’ve Seen With the Women I Support

Over the years, I’ve witnessed some incredible shifts in the women I work with.

I’ve seen women come off hormonal birth control and reconnect with their natural rhythm.

I’ve seen cycles that were once heavy, painful, or irregular gradually become more stable and predictable.

I’ve seen women who hadn’t had a menstrual cycle for months, or even up to a year, begin cycling again.

I’ve seen women actually look forward to getting their period because it is no longer painful, and they understand it as their fifth vital sign.

And I’ve seen many women experience significant reductions in PMS symptoms as they began supporting their bodies through nutrition, stress reduction, and lifestyle changes.

These shifts don’t happen overnight, but they remind us of something powerful:

The body has an incredible ability to rebalance when it is supported.

Holistic Approaches That Can Help Alleviate PMS Symptoms

There is no single solution that works for every woman.

However, there are several holistic approaches that consistently help support hormone health and reduce PMS symptoms.

There are several holistic approaches that can help support hormone health and reduce PMS symptoms such as supporting blood sugar balance, supporting estrogen metabolism, reducing the body’s stress load, increasing magnesium and honouring your cyclical nature.

Supporting Blood Sugar Balance

Blood sugar stability is one of the most important foundations of hormone health.

When blood sugar fluctuates throughout the day, it can increase stress hormones like cortisol and interfere with hormone signaling.

One of the simplest ways to support stable blood sugar is by building meals that include:

✓ protein
✓ fiber
✓ healthy fats
✓ whole-food carbohydrates

These types of balanced meals help create steady energy throughout the day and reduce the sharp blood sugar swings that can worsen PMS symptoms.

Supporting Estrogen Metabolism

Some PMS symptoms, such as breast tenderness, headaches, anxiety, and heavy periods, can be influenced by how the body processes and eliminates estrogen.

Supporting the body’s natural detoxification pathways can help maintain healthy hormone balance.

Foods that support estrogen metabolism include:

✓ cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower
✓ leafy greens
✓ fiber-rich foods
✓ flaxseeds

These foods help support the liver and digestive system, both of which play an important role in hormone metabolism.

Reducing the Body’s Stress Load

When I talk about stress, I’m not just referring to emotional stress.

The body also experiences stress from factors like:

✓ blood sugar instability
✓ poor sleep
✓ overtraining
✓ environmental toxins
✓ constant rushing and multitasking

When the body is under chronic stress, cortisol can interfere with healthy hormone signaling and worsen PMS symptoms.

Reducing the overall stress load on the body is often a key part of improving hormone health.

Increasing Magnesium Intake

Magnesium is an important mineral that supports:

✓ nervous system regulation
✓ muscle relaxation
✓ stress response
✓ hormone function

Many women benefit from increasing magnesium-rich foods such as:

✓ pumpkin seeds
✓ almonds
✓ dark leafy greens
✓ avocados
✓ dark chocolate

I generally take a food-first approach whenever possible, however, in some cases, magnesium supplements like magnesium glycinate can also be helpful.

Learning to Work With Your Cycle

One of the most powerful changes women can make is learning to understand how their hormones fluctuate throughout the month.

When women see a hormone chart for the first time and understand how hormones rise and fall, it often creates a moment of clarity.

Instead of feeling frustrated with their bodies, they begin to realize:

My body is communicating with me.

And that awareness often leads to more supportive choices around nutrition, movement, rest, and stress management.

PMS Symptoms Are Your Body Communicating With You

One of the most important things I want women to understand is this:

PMS symptoms may be common, but that does not mean they should be ignored.

Your body is constantly communicating with you.

Symptoms like cramps, breast tenderness, fatigue, or irritability are often signals that your body needs support.

When we begin listening to those signals and supporting the body with nourishment, rest, and lifestyle changes, many women experience meaningful improvements in how they feel throughout their cycle.

And often, it starts with something simple:

Understanding that you are a cyclical human being.

Once you begin honoring that rhythm, everything can begin to change.

Your Next Step for Supporting Your Hormones

If this article resonated with you and you’re starting to see your PMS symptoms in a new light, the next step is learning how to support your hormones in a practical, sustainable way.

If you’ve been told your PMS is something you just have to live with, I want you to know that support is available.

Inside the Happy Hormone Collective, I’ve created a free workshop called Hormone Foundations, where I walk you through some of the key elements that influence hormone health, including stress, blood sugar, and your body’s natural rhythms.

This is often where things begin to click for women.

Because once you understand why your body is experiencing certain symptoms, you can begin to support it in a more intentional and nourishing way.

Inside the Collective, you’ll also find:

✓ hormone education
✓ monthly hormone support practices
✓ a community of women learning how to reconnect with their bodies

You can learn more and join the Collective here: kristalgodin.com/jointhecollective

Because when women have the right knowledge and support, everything can begin to shift.

It’s time to RISE into your most vibrant mind, body & spirit.

The Happy Hormone Collective is made up of women who are mostly in their 30’s and 40’s navigating hormonal changes related to perimenopause, PCOS, Hashimotos, endometriosis, fertility, and more.

A Gentle Reminder

Your body is always speaking to you.
Real self-care is learning how to listen.

I am honoring you, wherever you are on your journey.

With love,
Kristal