If you have PMS you may also have a thyroid or blood sugar problem. About 26 % of women are diagnosed with hypothyroidism during the peri-menopause and menopausal years. Often some low thyroid problems are hard to detect. Hypothyroid, or low thyroid, is one of the most widespread conditions for women. This condition remains undetected in over 40 percent of women. You may have a thyroid problem and not even know it. Hypothyroidism means the thyroid gland is producing smaller than normal amounts of thyroid hormone. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid is under active. There are various symptoms of low thyroid function with the most common being:

Dry skin
Weight gain
Fatigue
Cold hands and feet
And low basal temperature

In his book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause, Dr. John Lee states that among his women patients the taking of thyroid supplements was especially common in those with estrogen dominance. When estrogen is not counterbalanced with progesterone, a predominance of estrogen can actually block the action of thyroid hormone at the cell level.

Dr. Broda Barnes of Littleton, Colorado speculates there is also a connection between hypothyroidism and low blood sugar. He says the liver is unable to release glycogen (the stored form of sugar) and produce glucose if your thyroid is underactive. This causes a low blood-sugar condition.

Dr. Barnes found a simple test to pinpoint hypothyroidism. Take your basal body temperature before getting out of bed each morning, as you do for detecting ovulation. A subnormal basal temperature of 97.8 degrees or lower indicates your thyroid may be sluggish. Repeat this test again during your period.

Dr. Peat says healthy thyroid function is essential for your body to use progesterone—either naturally occurring in your body or as a supplement. He sees a direct correlation between women who have breast cancer and the incidence of hypothyroidism and low progesterone. He believes the same women suffering from PMS will be most likely to suffer from menopausal symptoms, age related diabetes, and even breast cancer.

A healthy thyroid needs many nutrients to function properly like vitamin A, selenium, zinc and iodine. Iodized salt is our most important source of iodine originally introduced to prevent cases of goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid often due to iodine deficiency. However, since then high iodine in salt and other foods has created almost the opposite problem.

Over the years, iodine consumption has increased dramatically through iodates (added to bakery products), FD&C Red Dye No. 3, some produce, contaminated dairy foods (from iodophor-disinfected pipes and containers, and iodine fed to cows as a foot rot prevention), fish and seaweed (we are eating more seafood), and nutritional supplements. When totaled up, Americans eat two to five times the RDA for iodine.

A health practitioner may take a complete history, thorough physical examination, and lab tests to rule out other medical imbalances. Treatment for hypoadrenalism may include diet, nutrition, education, and biologically identical hormone therapy, like natural progesterone cream.

Many natural health care physicians also recommend a natural drug medication
Health care professionals have used natural progesterone cream since 1950’s to help relieve the symptoms of menopause, hormone balance, bone support and PMS. It is a natural solution for women and an alternative to synthetic hormone replacement therapy, (HRT).

Please note that there can be other causes. This is for education only. It is not intended to treat, prevent or cure a medical disease. If you have a medical condition, please consult a health care professional.