What Is Naturopathy for PMDD? A Gentle Guide to Natural Healing for Body, Mind, and Hormones
When Conventional Treatments Don’t Feel Right
When I was 19, I developed arthritis and not much later, I was also living with severe depression and anxiety. The conventional route offered me medications: antidepressants, and beta-blockers. I tried them because I was desperate for relief, but the side effects were brutal. I gained weight quickly, felt constantly exhausted, and often fell asleep during the day. The medications left me feeling even more disconnected from myself.
Deep down, I had this sense that my body wasn’t broken — it was trying to tell me something. I didn’t want to silence it with pills. That’s when I discovered naturopathy.
As Hippocrates once said: “The natural healing force within each of us is the greatest force in getting well.” That became my guiding principle — and it completely changed my approach to PMDD.
What Is Naturopathy — and How Can It Help PMDD?
Naturopathy is a system of healing that works with your body’s natural ability to restore balance. Instead of simply managing PMDD symptoms with medication, it looks at the root causes of why your body is reacting so strongly to hormonal changes.
For women with PMDD, that root cause often isn’t “too many hormones,” but a sensitivity to normal hormonal fluctuations and the way these interact with your nervous system, brain chemistry (serotonin and GABA), and underlying stress load.
Through natural therapies — including plant-based nutrition, herbal medicine, nervous system regulation, and trauma healing — naturopathy creates the right environment for your body to heal, rather than simply numbing the symptoms.
The Six Core Principles of Naturopathy (Applied to PMDD)
The Healing Power of Nature – Your body already knows how to heal. Naturopathy helps create the right conditions for balance.
Identify & Treat the Root Cause – Instead of saying “your hormones are the problem,” we explore why your system is so sensitive to them.
First, Do No Harm – We use gentle, natural approaches, supporting your body without suppressing it
Treat the Whole Person – PMDD isn’t just physical. It’s emotional, mental, and spiritual too
Doctor as Teacher – You deserve to understand your body and feel empowered, not confused or dismissed.
Prevention is the Best Cure – By building resilience in your nervous system, gut, and hormones, you can reduce the intensity of PMDD cycles long-term.
PMDD & the Healing Journey: Why It’s Not Linear
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that healing from PMDD isn’t a straight road. It unfolds in layers, much like peeling an onion:
Symptom Relief (Outer Layer): The first changes might be better energy, improved digestion, or slightly steadier moods.
Detoxification (Middle Layer): As your body strengthens, it starts releasing toxins and old symptoms can briefly resurface. This can feel scary but is often a sign of deeper repair.
Emotional & Ancestral Healing (Inner Layer): PMDD is often amplified by unresolved trauma, stress, and inherited family patterns. Addressing these deeper roots through Family Constellations, Rapid Core Healing, breathwork, or meditation can create lasting change
This is where Hering’s Law of Cure is so helpful: healing happens from the inside out, from the top down, and often in reverse order of how symptoms first appeared
The Emotional & Spiritual Side of PMDD
If you’ve ever felt like your emotions “take over” before your period, you’re not alone. PMDD isn’t just about hormones — it’s also about how your nervous system and emotional body respond to those changes.
Unprocessed trauma, chronic stress, and even family patterns can make your system more sensitive, keeping you stuck in survival mode. This doesn’t mean you’re broken; it means your body is trying to protect you in the only way it knows how.
For me, it wasn’t until I integrated deeper practices like Family Constellations and Rapid Core Healing that I began to see lasting changes in my PMDD. These tools helped me release old trauma, rebuild nervous system resilience, and find emotional stability in a way that diet alone couldn’t provide.
Why Naturopathy Works Long-Term for PMDD
The beauty of naturopathy is that it doesn’t just chase symptoms — it builds long-term resilience. For PMDD, this means:
Nutrition as a foundation: Anti-inflammatory, plant-rich foods and key nutrients (like B6, magnesium, and Ahiflower oil for omega-3s and omega-6 GLA) to support hormonal balance.
Nervous system regulation: Breathwork, Yoga Nidra, TRE, and grounding to reduce the stress response that amplifies PMDD.
Emotional healing: Safe methods to release trauma and rewire old patterns that intensify premenstrual struggles.
Lifestyle support: Sleep, circadian rhythm, movement, and creating a calm environment all matter for stable cycles.
This isn’t about a magic pill — it’s about creating conditions where your body and mind feel safe, nourished, and supported to heal.
Healing Is Possible
Living with PMDD can feel overwhelming. I know what it’s like to feel hijacked by your own body each month, and to be told that the only options are medication or surgery. But there is another way.
Naturopathy, when combined with emotional healing and lifestyle support, offers a path back to balance. It doesn’t promise overnight fixes — but with patience and consistency, it can bring profound, lasting relief.
💚 If you’re ready to explore how naturopathy could support your PMDD healing journey, I’d love to walk alongside you. Together, we can address the root causes and help you find freedom, stability, and peace.
About Camilla Brinkworth
Camilla Brinkworth is a naturopath, clinical nutritionist, and trauma-informed practitioner specialising in plant-based health, gut restoration, and emotional well-being. With a focus on conditions like SIBO, IBS, and PMDD, Camilla helps clients uncover root causes and create practical, personalised strategies for lasting digestive and hormonal balance. She works globally online so that you can receive the support you need from the comfort of your own home.
Learn more about Camilla’s naturopathy consultations and gut health programmes at www.camillaclare.com.