Do you struggle with pre period mood swings? If you have PMDD, this is going to be especially helpful. But even if it's not PMDD and you just find yourself feeling moody and cranky before your period, then this is for you.

So let’s just clarify a few things first before we dive in.

Although PMDD is not caused by low progesterone, it has been correlated with lower levels of a-Pregnanediol. A and b-Pregnanediol, are the metabolites of progesterone. So if you were going to run a DUTCH test, for example, (something we do inside the Hormone Reset Premium Access Program) you aren't actually measuring progesterone, you're measuring the metabolites - a and b-Pregnanediol. From those, you get an average of what the progesterone actually is, as opposed to a blood test that would be measuring the progesterone itself in the blood serum.

It's important to know the difference. It's one of those things where it's very similar to estrogen pathways of detoxification and breast cancer and all that's not necessarily saying one causes the other, but they do seem to be correlated.

So does that mean you should go on a progesterone supplement if you are having pre period mood swings? Does that mean you have PMDD?

No, not necessarily. But there does seem to be a correlation and a driver so when we dig deeper, we can figure out what is going on in your body that’s causing the lower progesterone.

Progesterone can be low because of the actual levels, or it can be low because estrogen is too high in relation to progesterone, or it's possible that your progesterone is just not staying up high enough, for long enough. These progesterone levels are really determined by the quality of your egg, the strength of that corpus luteum, which is something you can actually affect.

So let’s talk about some things that you can do here to really help support this and resolve those period mood swings! After getting their hormones under control, so many women I’ve worked with report that their marriages or relationships are so much better because their moods are stabilized. So if you struggle with this, I highly encourage you to keep reading!

Gut health is going to be very important here. You want to make sure that you are supporting your gut health. So let’s talk about some very actionable things you can walk away with today if you are having these symptoms or struggling with PMDD before your period.

Naturally Relieve Period Mood Swings

Seed Cycling

A great place to start is seed cycling. This is a great way to fit in some different nutrients and it’s one of the simplest things you can add to your life. Just eat one tablespoon each of pumpkin and flax seeds from day one of your period through ovulation and then switch to one tablespoon each of sesame and sunflower seeds from ovulation until you start your period.

To make it even easier and get them delivered right to your door, try out Funk it Wellness. You can use discount code LEAH15 to save 15% on your order!

You’ll want to purchase organic, whole seeds, then grind them right before you eat them. That's why you’ll love Funk it Wellness because they grind them right before they ship them to you. So you don't have the hassle of grinding them yourself AND you don't have to worry about them being rancid!

Zinc

In addition to seed cycling, there are a few things you can do to help your egg quality.

To get a stronger corpus luteum, consume zinc-rich foods. I wouldn’t supplement with zinc here. Zinc is a tricky supplement and you don’t want to just randomly have bursts of lots of zinc, you want to get it regularly through your food. Foods high in zinc include oysters, chicken thighs (the thighs are higher in zinc than the breasts), and beef.

B Vitamins

B vitamins have also been shown to be really helpful with mood swings before your period. Beef is a great option for this too. And here’s a great place to take it a step further. If we're ready to really step up our life, I would recommend grass-fed beef liver. It’s very cost-effective and you can mix it into things like hamburgers if you aren’t ready to eat straight-up liver just yet.

And if you're just like, “Yeah, Leah, you will catch me dead before you catch me eating beef live!” Then you could try a pill form, which is just encapsulated beef liver. Ancestral Supplements is a good one. Perfect Supplements brand has great options as well.

Potassium

Next, I would focus on potassium-rich foods. Potassium is your stress mineral so the more stressed we are, the more depleted we are. And the more depleted we are, the more stressed we get - it’s a horrible circle. We need potassium to help absorb our magnesium as well. So even if you’ve been taking a magnesium supplement to help with period mood swings and other PMS symptoms, you also need potassium to help absorb that. So potassium-rich foods are really important here - stinging nettle tea, coconut water, and sweet potatoes are all great options.

Sweet potatoes are going to be your best friend during this time. They’re really high in potassium and they have B vitamins. I'm telling you - if you have mood swings - eat a sweet potato every day from ovulation to your period. You will thank me forever.

Also, your blood sugar levels are generally a lot more unstable during your luteal phase because you’re not as sensitive to insulin. This means you’ll react to blood sugar spikes more aggressively than you would in your follicular phase. So that's where paying closer attention to your blood sugar levels is going to help prevent those blood sugar spikes.

This is where the sweet potato comes in. When sweet potatoes are freshly cooked, they have a lower glycemic index than other potatoes so they won’t spike your blood sugar as much. Add some cinnamon, which also stabilizes your blood sugar, and that’s like 10 birds with one stone there.

And there are so many ways to eat sweet potatoes! I love to have a baked sweet potato with some butter, a bit of cinnamon, and some salt - my favorite is Redmond’s sea salt (use code LEAH15 for 15% off!). Please don't use the pink salt from the store - it's higher in heavy metals). Baked sweet potato fries are another great option or you could just cube it up and bake it too.

Fat

Another important thing to balance your blood sugar levels - make sure you're adding more fat to your life. So start your breakfast off with a little bit more fat. And you actually need a little bit more protein during your luteal phase. So really make sure you're stacking those breakfasts and try to get 30 to 40 grams of protein at breakfast, especially in that luteal phase, with some fat.

And then really just support that as you go through the rest of your meals as well. Don't forget about the rest of the day. You don't want to have the perfect breakfast and then completely forget about lunch.

Algae

And then the last thing I would do that I find to be really helpful is algae. You guys, you have to try ENERGYbits! ENERGYbits is a company that sells algae tablets and they have a spirulina and chlorella that's processed without lead. The spirulina is really, really high in B vitamins. And even better, it’s very readily absorbed into your system right away.

Some people use it for energy because you take it and then you're like I'm energized and I'm ready to go and I feel great. I take about 10 of those at a time. The serving size is 30 but I just do ten and that is the perfect amount for me. It’s a great energy boost and you’re getting your B vitamins in. Those have been really, really useful to me and many of my clients.

You can use discount code LEAHB for 20% off.

So these are all really great places to start with nutrition to get you on the right track and relieve those pre period mood swings and PMDD symptoms! There are of course ways to dive in deeper with mineral testing (check out the Hormone Reset Premium Access Program if you’re interested in this!) but these are some easy, actionable ways to start making a difference today.

If you feel like period mood swings are controlling your life - start with sweet potatoes, focus on the blood sugar balance, try seed cycling, fit in some grass-fed beef liver, find foods high in zinc to improve egg quality, and try some ENERGYbits!

Work on all of these things throughout your whole menstrual cycle and you’ll really start to feel a difference!

The recommendations presented in this blog are not a substitute for medical advice from a qualified doctor. Before making any changes to your diet and lifestyle, please consult with your health care provider.

Some of these links contain affiliate links.