When Low Progesterone Is Behind Your PMS
For years, my PMS felt like absolute chaos. The week before my period, I’d be hit with anxiety spikes, restless nights, and even spotting that made me wonder if something was “off.” Every month, I brushed it off as normal—even though it never felt normal. And no one ever connected the dots.

That changed when I learned about progesterone. Suddenly, it was like the puzzle finally made sense.

✨ Progesterone is your calming hormone.

It’s the hormone that helps you wind down, sleep deeply, and feel steady instead of anxious. It also balances out estrogen so your body doesn’t swing too far in either direction.

When progesterone levels run low, you can feel it. PMS becomes more than just a little irritability—it can feel unbearable. You might notice:
✔️ Anxiety and mood swings
✔️ Insomnia or restless sleep
✔️ Spotting before your period
✔️ Fertility struggles

The frustrating part? These symptoms are often dismissed as “just PMS.” But low progesterone is not something you simply have to live with.

What You Can Do About It
The good news is, your body is always giving you clues—and you don’t have to keep guessing or Googling symptoms. There are real steps you can take to bring balance back.

  1. Understand Your Hormone Markers
    1. Lab work or at-home testing can give you insight into your progesterone levels (along with other key hormones). Instead of wondering why your cycle feels so off, you’ll have data to work with.
  2. Support Your Body Naturally
    1. Nutrition, lifestyle changes, stress management, and targeted supplements can all play a role in encouraging healthy progesterone production. Simple shifts—like eating enough protein, managing blood sugar, and prioritizing sleep—can make a big difference.
  3. Get Guidance
    1. Every woman’s body is different, which means what works for one person may not work for another. Having someone walk alongside you to interpret your results and build a plan that fits your life is what takes the overwhelm away.
A Different Way Forward
If your PMS feels unbearable and you’re tired of trying to piece it all together on your own, you don’t have to. Inside my coaching, I help women uncover what their hormone markers (like progesterone) actually mean—and, most importantly, what to do if they’re out of balance.

Because when you understand what your body is telling you, you can finally move from chaos to clarity—and feel like yourself again.

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Meet Leah Negrin

 
I am a bold, beautiful, sometimes timid, usually happy, essential oil, nutrition junkie. Although at 39 I feel as if I've had several careers over a lifetime (or at least sometimes when I look back at my resume that is what shines through). I've been a paralegal, an office manager, an administrative assistant, worked in commercial lending and have finally landed on nutrition.

My journey to nutrition started many years ago when my sister was diagnosed with celiac disease and food had to change for the family. From there, along my own health journey I’ve helped people not only figure out what to eat but how to do it so that it can work for them sustainably. For almost seven years I’ve been counseling people on their nutrition and weight loss journeys. 

Finally getting some sunshine in Southern California *Photo credit  Brittany Hassett 

I am knowledgeable about what purpose food serves your body and I focus on finding sustainable options when it comes to food; this also led to my love of essential oils. I had the opportunity to attend a workshop where a registered dietitian spoke about using essential oils in her practice to help her patients. I was floored. I knew that #plantsheal but I didn't realize that others in the 'conventional' medical community thought that as well!! Learning that it was possible to incorporate these magical little bottles gave me a huge sense of hope.


Alina, myself and Caitlin (oily bffs) *Photo credit Anne Negrin

 
As I learned more about these oils I was diagnosed with increased intestinal permeability or as many of us know it, leaky gut. Leaky gut has been around for quite awhile but many of us are just learning what this is or why this is even more common these days than ever before. Many issues can be related to leaky gut including autoimmune diseases. Receiving this diagnosis just led me down a path further to learn about nutrition and how to best serve my body and take care of myself.


Enjoying a vegan ice cream cone in Budapest! *Photo credit to Michelle Owen 

Since birthing our sweet baby boy at home earlier this year I’ve been incredibly passionate about helping other women too who are pregnant and new mothers with their nutrition. Eating healthy for your pregnant body and your postpartum self is a game changer for both mother and baby.

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