I experience episodes of extreme optimism and happiness, where I exercise very healthy habits. There are also stretches of time when it's hard just to get up, I don't find much enjoyment in anything, and I overeat and drink. The good mood swing is directly after my period, lasting four to six days, and the downward shift is the week before my period, lasting seven to 10 days. The rest of the time I just feel average ups and downs. Is this hormonally related? What can I do to regulate these swings? They seem to be worsening with age. I'm 34 and mother to a six-year-old.

Holly

Your best bet for determining whether your changes in mood and behavior could be hormonally related is to see your gynecologist or primary-care physician about your symptoms. He or she can recommend any tests that might be needed to assess your hormone levels and, if problems are discovered, discuss appropriate treatment or referral to a specialist such as an endocrinologist if appropriate.

It IS normal, however, to have some variation in mood and motivation regarding "healthy" behaviors, often in relation to life situations and stresses. A common pattern I've seen is for people to throw themselves into what they consider "good" behavior -- often, dieting or avoiding many foods they consider "unhealthy" or fattening, and a regular workout or other exercise -- and then abandoning these efforts when they hit a bump in life's road and are not able to execute them perfectly, or get sick of restricting what they eat or engaging in workouts they don't enjoy. This all-or-nothing pattern usually results from setting goals that are unrealistic and/or don't take the person's individual likes and dislikes into account.

When a woman's mood and behaviors (whether related to health or anything else) vary in relation to her menstrual cycle, some refer to the changes as indicative of "premenstrual syndrome" (PMS) or other such conditions that are thought to stem from hormonal fluctuations. But that's just one way of looking at the issue -- one that not every physician or even society embraces. Some indigenous cultures sequestered women during their menstrual periods, believing that it is the time when a woman is most in touch with her spiritual powers and gifts. Thus it was thought that she would benefit from quiet and reflection/introspection during her menstrual (or "moon") time. In contemporary American society, however, women are usually encouraged to override any need to go within, especially if they have families to care for. Could "PMS" be caused or exacerbated by the tension resulting from a woman's overriding her desire for quiet during the time leading up to her period, due to the belief that she can't alter her focus on others' needs in order to center on her own? (You mention that your problem has worsened as you grow older. I wonder if that could be related to your responsibilities and stresses increasing with each year?)

If any of the above resonates with you, you might benefit from reading gynecologist Christiane Northrup's book Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom. You could also explore these issues further with a therapist if you wish.