What Your PMS Says About Your Hormones

I used to joke that PMS turned me into a different person. One week before my period? I became a mood swing in human form. Angry. Anxious. Crying at dog food commercials. Then craving chocolate like it was oxygen.

At first, I blamed stress. Or sleep. Or maybe I was just "too emotional."

But after 30, something shifted. PMS wasn't just frustrating—it was louder, messier, harder to ignore. My body wasn't just reacting—it was screaming.

I didn't realize it then, but PMS wasn't the problem. It was the signal.

1. PMS Isn't Random—It's a Hormone Decoder

No one ever told me this, but PMS is your body's way of sending messages—in its own language.

That rollercoaster of emotions, cravings, and energy crashes? They're not flaws. They're your hormones waving a flag, whispering: "Something's off. Please notice."

Each symptom isn't just an annoyance. It's a pattern. And patterns can be decoded.

When estrogen surges, you might feel irritable or wired. When progesterone dips, you might cry over nothing. When both are off-balance, PMS turns into a storm you can't predict.

Your cycle is a conversation. PMS is your turn to listen.

2. 5 PMS Signals Your Hormones Are Sending (That I Missed for Years)

Once I stopped brushing off PMS as "just hormones," I started noticing patterns—real, repeatable signals. Here are five I wish someone had translated for me sooner:

• Mood crashes out of nowhere
  That sobbing-at-commercials thing? Often a dip in progesterone, which usually calms the brain.
• Cravings that feel like possession
  Intense hunger for sugar or salty carbs can be a sign of estrogen dominance or blood sugar swings.
• Sleep feels broken
  Tossing, turning, weird dreams? Your hormone rhythm might be misaligned with your sleep-wake cycle.
• Breast tenderness that won't quit
  Estrogen buildup (without enough progesterone to balance it) can cause swelling and soreness.
• Low-key anxiety
  If you feel "off" or hyper-alert pre-period, cortisol may be tagging in where hormones left gaps.

These symptoms aren't "just PMS." They're data points. And once you track them, you can start responding—not reacting.

3. How I Started Decoding My Cycle (Without an App or a Degree)

Tracking my cycle used to feel overwhelming. I wasn't a biohacker. I just wanted to stop feeling hijacked by my hormones every month.

So I simplified it. I split my cycle into phases and just watched how I felt in each one. No charts. Just awareness.

1. Week 1 – Period: Tired but grounded. Craved quiet. This was my reset.
2. Week 2 – Follicular: Energy returned. Clearer mind. Estrogen rising here made me feel "myself" again.
3. Week 3 – Ovulation: Mood boost + cravings. Felt "on"—but sensitive.
4. Week 4 – Luteal: The storm. Low patience. High snacks. This is where PMS hit hardest.

Once I saw the rhythm, I stopped fighting it. And that changed everything. I gave myself grace during hard phases—and made room for better habits when I felt strong.

4. What Helped Me the Most (It Wasn't What I Expected)

I didn't want another hormone "hack." I wanted a rhythm—a support that felt gentle, not controlling.

That's when I heard about Ikaria Juice. A few women in a hormone group mentioned it helped ease their PMS fog and stabilize their mood swings.

Was I skeptical? A little. But I wasn't looking for magic. I was looking for support.

So I tried it. Mixed it in water, took it with breakfast, and waited.

• Less bloating in my luteal phase
• Fewer snack attacks right before my period
• No sudden "what is wrong with me?" crashes

It wasn't overnight. But it was real. And for me, that was enough.

Decode Your Cycle →

5. My Body Wasn't Overreacting—It Was Communicating

I used to roll my eyes at my own emotions. Like they were betrayals. But now, I see them differently. Each mood shift, each craving, each crash… they were messages.

Not dysfunction. Just feedback.

"PMS isn't your body screaming at you—it's whispering what it needs."

And when I finally stopped fighting my hormones—and started decoding them—I stopped being afraid of myself every month. I started partnering with my cycle instead of fearing it.

FAQ – Let's Decode a Bit More