Why Does PMS Happen?

We can look at this through two complementary lenses – both Western Functional Medicine and Chinese Medicine offer rich insights – and when combined, they tell a fuller story.

The Functional Medicine View

PMS symptoms are often rooted a mix of metabolic, hormone and stress-related imbalances:

• Hormone imbalances – especially low progesterone and/or Oestrogen dominance in the luteal phase (Read hormones 101: understanding progesterone edition here)
• Neurotransmitter fluctuations – serotonin and GABA drop with hormone shifts, impacting mood and sleep
• Blood sugar instability – especially when stress and diet go off track
• Inflammation – driven by poor gut health, stress, food choices, or toxins
• Liver congestion – slowing detox pathways for excess oestrogen
• Chronic stress – can affect progesterone levels as cortisol (aka stress hormone) has the same precursor as progesterone

When these systems are out of sync, the luteal phase can become a struggle – instead of a supported, winding down part of your cycle.

The Chinese Medicine Perspective

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), PMS isn’t just a hormonal issue – it’s a sign of deeper disharmony in the body’s internal landscape.

Rather treating symptoms in isolation, TCM looks at patterns of imbalance, especially across the Liver, Spleen, and Kidney systems – energetic networks that govern emotions, digestion, blood flow, and reproductive health.

The most common patterns I see in clinic include:

• Liver Qi stagnation

  Mood swings, irritability, breast tenderness, frustration, headaches

  → The Liver governs the smooth flow of Qi (your body’s vital energy). When stress builds or emotions are suppressed, Qi stagnates – leading to physical and emotional tension.

• Heat in Blood 

  Feeling hot or restless, anxiety, insomnia, thirsty, acne or itch skin, heavy or early periods.

  → This heat often stems from long-term emotional stress or sudden emotional upset, overconsumption of spicy and hot food or alcohol or literally overheating – and creates inner agitation. .

• Blood stasis

  Clotty, painful periods, stabbing cramps, darker flow

  → Think of this like a traffic jam in your pelvic region – when Qi is stuck, blood can’t move freely.

• Spleen deficiency with Dampness

  Bloating, fatigue, water retention, digestive upset

  → The Spleen transforms food into usable energy. When it’s depleted – from poor diet, overthinking, irregular meals, or lack of rest – Dampness accumulates and everything feels heavy, puffy, sluggish, and out of sync.

In TCM, your menstrual cycle reflects your whole inner landscape – not just your hormones, but how you’re moving, nourishing yourself, resting, processing emotions and adapting to life. If you missed  the last edition on inner autumn, metal element you can read it here.

So What Does This Mean?

Let’s walk through the functional, food-based, and lifestyle support I recommend most often in clinic – before we even reach for supplements or testing.

Because when your body is struggling, it’s rarely random. It’s asking for foundational support.

1. Balance Blood Sugar

Your hormones thrive on stability – especially progesterone.

In the luteal phase, your metabolic rate increases, and you become more sensitive to blood sugar drops. That means:

• Don’t skip meals
• Eat balanced: protein + fat + fibre at every meal
• Limit caffeine on an empty stomach
• Add magnesium-rich foods: dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, leafy greens

📌 Even this one shift can ease mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, and sugar cravings.

2. Support Ovulation

No ovulation = no progesterone.

If you’re not ovulating regularly, PMS tends to hit harder. To support ovulation naturally:

• Vitamin B6 – chickpeas, bananas, sweet potatoes
• Zinc – pumpkin seeds, beef, oysters
• Magnesium – dark leafy greens, cacao, avocado
• Vitamin C – kiwi, citrus, bell peppers

🌀 Not sure if you’re ovulating? Start BBT charting to understand your cycle better.

Stay tuned – a full BBT 101 guide is coming soon.

3. Reduce Inflammation & Oestrogen Excess

Too much oestrogen (especially without enough progesterone) is behind many PMS symptoms: → Breast tenderness, mood swings, bloating, heavy periods.

Help your body detox excess oestrogen by focusing on:

• Cruciferous veg – broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage
• Daily fibre – ground flax, carrots, chia, oats
• Liver-loving foods – lemon water, beets, dandelion tea, castor oil packs

🩸 These reduce bloating, fluid retention, and hormonal acne, too.

4. Nourish the Nervous System

Chronic stress depletes progesterone. Cortisol and progesterone share the same precursor – and under stress, your body prioritises survival over reproduction.

Support your nervous system with:

• 20–30 mins gentle movement: walking, yoga, Pilates
• Magnesium glycinate or Epsom salt baths
• Mindful screen time reduction (especially in your luteal phase)
• Sleep hygiene: aim for 7.5–9 hrs consistently

💆 Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are also powerful – especially if you feel “wired but tired,” emotionally reactive, or flatlined.

5. Support Liver Function & Detoxification

Your liver is your hormone-clearing powerhouse. When it’s overwhelmed, oestrogen recirculates – worsening PMS symptoms like bloating, mood swings, breast tenderness, and fatigue. From both a Chinese Medicine and functional lens, the liver plays a central role in PMS:

• In TCM, Liver Qi stagnation is associated with irritability, emotional buildup, and stuck cycles.
• In Functional Medicine, poor detox pathways = oestrogen dominance.

Daily detox support:

• Hydration – Start your day with lemon water or dandelion tea
• Cruciferous veg – broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower
• Bitter herbs – dandelion root, milk thistle, turmeric, artichoke
• Fibre – flaxseed, carrots, oats, chia (binds toxins + excess estrogen)
• Reduce xenoestrogens – swap plastics, commercial candles, and synthetic personal care for cleaner alternatives

💡 These aren’t fads – they’re functional. Simple daily rituals that lighten the load on your liver and help regulate both mood + cycle.

🧘 In Chinese Medicine, the liver not only stores blood and governs Qi – it stores emotions. So when you support your liver, you also support the emotional release your cycle is asking for.

✨ That’s why acupuncture, castor oil packs, journaling, and gentle movement are so effective in supporting PMS symptoms..

Test, Don’t Guess (If PMS Is Persistent)

If your symptoms are intense, cycle tracking and lifestyle shifts may not be enough.

That doesn’t mean you’re broken – it means it’s time to get clearer answers.

You might benefit from:

• DUTCH Test – for sex and stress hormones
• GI MAP – to assess gut health, bacteria, inflammation
•  HTMA – mineral and heavy metal balance, stress load

 These are available via my Functional Labs Package.

Need Personalised Support?

If you know you need deeper guidance (and someone in your corner to help you get there), I’m currently welcoming new clients for November and December – in both my acupuncture clinic and virtual Hormone and Fertile Harmony coaching practice.

We’ll start with your foundations and build a plan that works with your cycle – not against it. Book a free discovery callor simply reply to this email.

🍂 Final Thought – What I wish every woman knew…

Sometimes PMS is your body’s loud cry for rebalancing. And sometimes it’s your body quietly saying,

“Hey, I need something different this month.”

The goal isn’t perfection – it’s attunement.

That’s where the healing begins.

That’s how we restore rhythm, resilience, and real hormonal balance.

What’s one 1% shift you can make in your luteal phase – your inner autumn – this month?

Something small, doable, and meaningful.

• Maybe it’s eating within an hour of waking…
• Or taking a walk instead of pushing through emails…
• Or swapping your evening scroll for a bath and early night.

Small hinges swing big doors.

And even a 1% shift can ripple into real change when done consistently.

So – what’s yours? I’d love to know.

Warmly,