Jean Morgan asked:


In a woman’s body, the hormones estrogen and progesterone work together in what could be called a sort of “ying” and “yang” relationship. There is a delicate balance that exists between these two in the body of a healthy woman.

In the months making up a woman’s reproductive years, estrogen is produced in higher levels during the first 14 days of her 28-day menstrual cycle (Note: Not every woman’s cycle is exactly 28 days). Its job is to cause the thickening of the lining of the uterus and a change in the cervical mucus in preparation for a pregnancy.

In the second 14 days of the menstrual cycle, progesterone is secreted from within the womb itself, causing the endometrium (surface of the lining of the uterus) to be thick with mucous. If pregnancy does not occur, progesterone further causes the unfertilized egg and thickened lining to be sloughed off in the menstrual period.

If either estrogen or progesterone becomes imbalanced within their relationship to one another, the timing of the entire menstrual cycle can be thrown off or completely disrupted. In addition to that, a number of other problems or symptoms occur including weight gain, water retention, anxiety and depression, mood swings, unclear thinking, low blood sugar levels, fatigue, sleeplessness, night sweats, headaches and more.

The amount of estrogen and progesterone produced in the body fluctuates from month to month and is affected by various factors including overall health, differing stress levels, environmental factors which can cause “estrogen dominance”, diet and physical activity. The goal for enjoying optimum health is to maintain the bodies hormonal balance through attention to diet and exercise, diminishing sources of stress and anxiety, and protection from harmful environmental circumstance so that the body’s systems, including the production of hormones estrogen and progesterone operate harmoniously.



Angel
Jean Morgan asked:


Achieving balance between estrogen and progesterone helps to restore the body’s natural hormonal state and lessen the occurrence of severe PMS symptoms.

Premenstrual syndrome or PMS is the onset of various symptoms both physical and emotional that occur in an estimated 75 - 90% of women of child-bearing age, between 2 and 14 days prior to the onset of the menstrual period. The symptoms related to PMS are numerous (over 100), and occur most often in women from their late 20’s into their 40’s. Some of these include abdominal cramps, water retention, weight gain, moodiness, fatigue, lower back pain, breast tenderness, headache, irritability, depression, and food cravings.

A definitive cause of PMS is not known. For a number of years, PMS was considered a psychological condition, a view which completely ignored the hormonal, nutritional and biochemical characteristics related to the syndrome. Today it is widely thought that PMS is the result of women’s sensitivity to hormonal shifts during the course of the reproductive cycle.

About 10% of women who experience PMS have severe symptoms causing a disruption in their lifestyle. While stress can aggravate or amplify the symptoms of PMS, it is not a direct cause of the condition. PMS symptoms usually diminish or disappear altogether once the menstrual period (bleeding) starts.

PMS is usually diagnosed based on the collection of symptoms a woman may experience. Relief can be found through a number of remedies including taking magnesium or calcium supplements, regular exercise, and avoiding stress. Medical treatment is available for relief from severe symptoms.

The symptoms of PMS are related to the normal levels of estrogen in the presence of low progesterone, or elevated estrogen and the condition of estrogen dominance. In this condition, PMS symptoms are evident and can be amplified. When balance exists between estrogen and progesterone, the symptoms of PMS are lessened, giving a woman suffering those symptoms much desired relief.



Raul