You probably expected January to be a month for fresh starts and getting back on track. But if you’ve been dealing with raging PMS, the last thing you want to do is commit to New Years’ resolutions – you’re too tired and sluggish for all that. And people might tell you that PMS is normal and that what you’re experiencing is just what it means to be a woman. But your terrible PMS symptoms are not normal. Here’s why.

“That time of the month” is usually accompanied with cramping, bloating, moodiness and maybe even acne. But this doesn’t mean you’re “normal”. Instead, these are signs that your hormones are a little out of whack.

How did that happen, you might be asking? Let’s travel back a few months and it will start to become clear.

You see, once the cooler months set in, so does the festive season with all of it’s sweet holiday treats. From Halloween goodies, to Starbucks lattes to Christmas parties, you’ve probably significantly increased your sugar intake over the last few months. Now, it’s catching up with you.

But you’re not alone – it’s a time of year when we all overindulge, get stressed out and change our routines. And doing so can really throw off your body’s delicate hormonal balance, leaving you with some seriously uncomfortable PMS symptoms.

So, what’s a girl to do to nurture her endocrine system and restore hormonal balance? For starters, try to reduce how much sugar you eat on a daily basis. And while you’re cutting back on sugar, start nourishing your body with a nutrient-dense diet.

Not sure what that looks like? Stay tuned for tomorrow’s follow-up post where we explore a nutrient-dense diet for your endocrine system. See you then!