For those of us who struggle with PMS every month, it is helpful to know that there is an underlying benefit of having our hormones go wild - weight loss. That's right ladies, research has shown that pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), a nuisance for many, can actually help you to lose weight faster at that time of the month than at any other time.

Pre-menstrual symptoms have provided the material for many a comedy routine and joke, such as the woman’s bumper sticker that reads “Back off - I have PMS and a gun”. But they are far from funny ‘ha ha’ to the three out of four women who suffer from the symptoms of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) on a regular monthly basis nor is it for the people around them (just ask my husband ). PMS symptoms increase in severity with age until the onset of menopause, and the common indicators are: abdominal cramps, bloating (including hands and feet), sore and tender breasts, irritability, fatigue, headache, back pain, depression, crying spells, and difficulty sleeping.

PMS is a 28 day pattern of recurring moods, behaviors and physical symptoms that occur between ovulation and the end of the menstrual period. PMS is the result of cycle changes in ovarian hormones. This was proven because PMS disappears during pregnancy and menopause.

So with all the unpleasantness of PMS, it is a welcome relief to learn that it can also help with weight loss. During PMS, hormones are released by our body's cells and one of the ways they affect the body is by increasing metabolism. Metabolism is the rate at which our bodies convert food into energy. Two weeks prior to commencing the menstrual period, women’s production of estrogen and progesterone hormones step up to their highest levels, which speeds up metabolism and results in burning more fat. An Australian clinical trial showed that up to 30% more fat is burned off during this monthly period than the rest of the time. Just how much your metabolism rises or the...

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