PMS affects us all differently, some of us have minor symptoms starting one day before our period and others have more severe symptoms as far as 2 weeks before a period begins! Period pain, emotions running high & headaches are just a few symptoms that we as women have to battle with every single month of our reproductive years!
As more discoveries are made, more and more women are able to successfully manage their symptoms with natural remedies and one the most recent discoveries for PMS is Kelp!
Are kelp and seaweed the same thing? Yes and no - Kelp is a subgroup of seaweed that grows in shallow water along coastal areas around the world.
The Superhero Hormone Balancer: Iodine
Kelp is the best source of Iodine giving it superhero hormone-balancing capabilities. And why is this? Because iodine plays a really important part in managing the metabolism and producing thyroid hormones, a deficiency on the other hand can cause polycystic ovarian disease, autoimmune diseases and even diabetes!
Iodine can help with breast pain & premenstrual mood imbalances. It works by promoting healthy estrogen metabolism and regulating estrogen-sensitive tissue including breasts, uterus, ovaries, and the brain.
Great all-Round Nutrient Booster
Kelp also has a fantastic nutritional composition. It is a great source of vitamin K, folate, magnesium, iron and vitamin A.
Seaweed also contains high levels of polyphenols which is a naturally occurring compound found in plants. Polyphenols help lower inflammation. Period pain is often caused by inflammation (CRP - C-Reactive protein) - This is why we believe that seaweed helps with pms pain and inflammation.
Breast Cancer Preventing Properties
Even though we’re mainly covering the topic of PMS here, it’s important to mention that not only does Kelp have nutritional properties that can help PMS but also breast cancer!
Women in Japan have much lower breast cancer rates than other countries. Scientists think a reason for this is the diet high in seaweed. A study conducted by UC Berkeley found that menstrual cycles when supplementing with kelp became a few days longer too. Studies have linked lower ovarian, breast and endometrial cancer risks with longer menstrual cycles.
Even though PMS and menstruation wasn’t at the top of the agenda for the scientists in that particular study, they did notice that Kelp helped women with their periods too: "The most profound thing I found was that two women with endometriosis and a lot of menstrual irregularities experienced significant improvement in their symptoms after three months of taking seaweed capsules per day," said Skibola.
A Word of Caution
Before you rush out and go to buy kelp to help you, make sure you don’t overdo it and follow the supplements guidelines exactly, more is not better here as excess iodine is not good for you.
The recommended daily intake ranges between 150 and 300 micrograms. Also make sure you opt for an organic seaweed supplement as many often contain high amounts of heavy metals and other toxins. That’s why we developed Fembio Seaweed complex which contains 192 micrograms daily and is 100% organic and vegan. Fembio PMS support also contains kelp as well as other pms supporting botanicals.
