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PMS and WEIGHT GAIN
- By Rocky Walsborn
- Published 22 September 2011
- Womens Interest
- Unrated
The brain consumes 20% of the body’s total energy, but under stress the brain demands ever more energy. The brain utilizes glucose as the sole source of energy, therefore when under stress women consume far more glucose then normal. Glucose comes from sugar, but insulin is needed to break down sugar and turn it into glucose.
When brain fails to receive glucose, the brain doesn’t detect a lack of insulin, but rather a lack of sugar. Thus the brain will release signals calling for sugar and triggering the so-called “sweet tooth.” This sets off cravings for candy, chocolate, pastries, or anything that is sweet and sticky. Many women report being “obsessed” with a desire for chocolate, which is rich in magnesium. Alcohol, high in sugar, is also consumed more often and in larger amounts when magnesium deficiency is present.
When the brain-under-stress releases signals that trigger the cravings for sweets, few people have the will-power to resist this biological call. Strong cravings result in women eating sugar-laden foods compulsively, or so called “binge eating.”
Refined sugar is absorbed into the blood stream faster than any other food and increases the ability of insulin by a factor of 3 to 11 times. This sudden rise in blood sugar levels triggers insulin release far in excess of what is needed. This in-turn causes a rapid and precipitous drop in blood sugar levels, the so called “sugar-crash.”
Coupled with the sudden drop in blood sugar levels, refined sugar also increases the urinary excretio
n of the body’s magnesium, adding to the magnesium deficiency, exacerbating the problem. This causes the brain to once again signal for more sugar, once again triggering the “sweet-tooth” and thus setting in motion a self-perpetuating cycle of binge-eating of sugar laden foods.
This binge-eating causes a number of unwanted symptoms or side-effects. Sudden increased sugar intake triggers hypoglycemia which results in palpitation and fainting. Rapid drops in blood sugar levels cause headaches and fatigue. These alternating symptoms lead women to feel “out of control.” Researchers have termed this up-and-down sensation the “roller-coaster effect.”
During this period of increased sugar intake weight gains of 5 to 15 pounds is common, weight which is difficult for any woman to lose during the symptom free period of her cycle. Many women become disgusted with themselves and begin to suffer from low self-esteem. Low self-esteem in turn leads to other emotional problems and symptoms such as crying for no reason, anger and irritability.
Women reporting PMS symptoms have consistently been found to have significantly less magnesium in their blood. Without necessary magnesium levels insulin cannot be produced, and without insulin sugar cannot be converted into glucose. Magnesium deficiency is also the primary cause of dysmenorrhea, or cramps, which usually start a day or two prior to, or at the beginning of menstruation.
Binge eating and subsequent weight gain is not a matter of self-control, or lack of. It’s PMS.
Long term weight reduction and control is much more likely to be effected by the management of PMS then dieting.
When brain fails to receive glucose, the brain doesn’t detect a lack of insulin, but rather a lack of sugar. Thus the brain will release signals calling for sugar and triggering the so-called “sweet tooth.” This sets off cravings for candy, chocolate, pastries, or anything that is sweet and sticky. Many women report being “obsessed” with a desire for chocolate, which is rich in magnesium. Alcohol, high in sugar, is also consumed more often and in larger amounts when magnesium deficiency is present.
When the brain-under-stress releases signals that trigger the cravings for sweets, few people have the will-power to resist this biological call. Strong cravings result in women eating sugar-laden foods compulsively, or so called “binge eating.”
Refined sugar is absorbed into the blood stream faster than any other food and increases the ability of insulin by a factor of 3 to 11 times. This sudden rise in blood sugar levels triggers insulin release far in excess of what is needed. This in-turn causes a rapid and precipitous drop in blood sugar levels, the so called “sugar-crash.”
Coupled with the sudden drop in blood sugar levels, refined sugar also increases the urinary excretio
This binge-eating causes a number of unwanted symptoms or side-effects. Sudden increased sugar intake triggers hypoglycemia which results in palpitation and fainting. Rapid drops in blood sugar levels cause headaches and fatigue. These alternating symptoms lead women to feel “out of control.” Researchers have termed this up-and-down sensation the “roller-coaster effect.”
During this period of increased sugar intake weight gains of 5 to 15 pounds is common, weight which is difficult for any woman to lose during the symptom free period of her cycle. Many women become disgusted with themselves and begin to suffer from low self-esteem. Low self-esteem in turn leads to other emotional problems and symptoms such as crying for no reason, anger and irritability.
Women reporting PMS symptoms have consistently been found to have significantly less magnesium in their blood. Without necessary magnesium levels insulin cannot be produced, and without insulin sugar cannot be converted into glucose. Magnesium deficiency is also the primary cause of dysmenorrhea, or cramps, which usually start a day or two prior to, or at the beginning of menstruation.
Binge eating and subsequent weight gain is not a matter of self-control, or lack of. It’s PMS.
Long term weight reduction and control is much more likely to be effected by the management of PMS then dieting.
