Over the years, I have gone out of my way to study and read as much as time would allow on this varied topic of Health & Disease, kind of like which came first the chicken or the egg. I find that so many folks don’t seem to appreciate feeling healthy until they have struggled with some sort of illness or disease. Instead of making “health” and “healthy lifestyle” the 1st priority.
When I ran across Dr. Bieler’s book” Food is Your Best Medicine”, it just solidified what I already knew and believed in my own heart. Dr. Bieler states that the body has 3 lines of defense against sickness. PMS symptoms, menstrual problems and menopausal symptoms are signs that all t3 lines of defense have become stressed, which means that all 3 have to be repaired before health can be rebuilt.
1ST LINE OF DEFENSE:
We start with the gastrointestinal tract. The job of the gastrointestinal tract is to digest the food that gets consumed and it has to prepare the nutrients for absorption and use in the body. It also blocks the damaging substances from being absorbed when its working as it should.
Unfortunately, since childhood, most of us have been fid foods that are highly irritating or out digestive system. These foods cause the lining of the intestines to become irritated or inflamed. This not only causes poor digestion and absorption, it also inhibits movement in the gastro tract, which then causes waste to be retained too long. Most of us ignore this part but “constipation” is a real bad guy when it comes to our health.
When there is intestinal inflammation happening, this allows irritating substances to enter the bloodstream that normally would be barred, so by passing this first line of defense the body now activates defense system #2, which is the liver. The liver has to filter the blood coming from the intestines. When the liver also becomes over worked and under paid, it is unable to act as a proper filter. When this occurs this affects the body as a “whole”.
This triggers defense line #3 which is the endocrine system. By altering hormonal production, the endocrine system stimulates certain tissues to become avenues of elimination. This hormonal response is the origin of PMS symptoms. In PMS, the uterus is used as an organ of elimination for toxins that need to be removed from the blood. According to Dr. Bieler, this is the cause of ALL the symptoms of PMS.
PMS and MENOPAUSE:
What does PMS look like for those who may have never experienced it? Cramps, bloating and water retention, headache, irritability, emotional tend to run like a rollercoaster, painful breasts. All these symptoms are the result of accumulating toxins in the pelvic region prior to menses. Edema is created by the inability of the kidneys to handle the dump of toxins being sent for removal. Pain and headaches are due to the irritating effects these have in the body. Finally, heavy menstrual flow, which results in weakness, anxiety and anemia, is caused by the body trying to toss out as much garbage as possible during your monthly cycle. The body will use whatever door appears to be opening for trash removal and each month that now becomes your uterus.
Thus, all PMS symptoms are related to a breakdown of the 1st two lines of defense and a general toxicity of the blood. So over time, these same toxins irritate the female organs sufficiently to cause cysts, fibroids and other chronic reproductive issues.
Taking this same explanation and now applying it to menopause symptoms we can better understand that when the monthly period stops, the body loses this “extra Channel” of elimination. At that point, the toxic condition of the body now taxes the adrenal glands, this creates the “Hot-flashes”and other menopausal symptoms. So by turning up the inner thermostat the body is trying to “cook” the bad guy to render him harmless.
Dr. Bieler’s model makes sense to me, especially in the light of my own observations over the years. For example, I have notices that women who have a biliary eye patter (in iridology) tend to have some of the worst problems with PMS. The biliary eye pattern is a sign of a genetic tendency to poor digestion and liver toxicity.
So what is next? Might I suggest some Chinese Herbal Formulas for PMS:
This is why the Chinese herbal formulas that deal with the “wood” element are often helpful for ladies with PMS. Chinese Liver Balance : aids the detox process of the liver and colon, especially when used in the Tiao He Cleanse Kit. You will find these particularly helpful when your PMS involves irritability, bouts of anger and anxiety.
When there is anemia and heavy blood loss, Chinese Blood Stimulator can be very helpful. Many of the herbs in this formulation are standard in Chinese herbal formulas designed to help ladies have healthy periods throughout their childbearing years.
Finally, Chinese Mood Elevator assists when one may find themselves struggling with sad, heavy feelings and even monthly depression accompanied by their cycle. This formula is very supportive of the liver and gastrointestinal tract.
When it comes to menopause, these above formulas can also be helpful, however, I personally lean and rely on the Natural Changes kit
- Supports the female glandular system.
Helps the mature female body balance hormones.
Strengthens the body by providing nutrients for the structural system.
Aids the body under stress.
One needs to also be willing to start removing all the lifestyle elements that are contributing to false hormone collection within the body causing an estrogen overload. Plastics, chemicals, cleaning products, perfumes, laundry products all can contribute to xenoestrogen overload which minics estrogen in the body. I will do another post specifically around what these endocrine disruptors are. But for now I do hope the information I have shared can begin to point you in a direction that you can begin to support your body to start to achieve some balance and relief.
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Healthfully yours,
Jodi Barnett N.D.
Harvested Health LLC.
Harvested Health LLC. 