> Consider giving her mineral supplements around the time she begins suffering emotional/mood-regulatory issues. We have a cascade of hormonal changes, two of the ones that I suspect underlie much of the problems some women experience:
<br>>
<br>> * inflammation (hence pains, and popping lots of advil)
<br>> * blood loss
<br>>
<br>> So, I suggest the lost minerals you primarily want to supplement to replace are:
<br>>
<br>> - zinc (lowers prolactin in nonpregnant women -- this will improve mood and fight fatigue. Zinc also stimulates the activity of your endogenous antioxidant system, glutathione, and (I think) serves as a pretty powerful antiinflammatory alone, so that's all good stuff. You want 20-30 mg daily of sulphate or monomethionine, not oxide.
<br>> - magnesium: citrate, not oxide. Maybe as much as 1000mg daily. Basically inhibitory/improving stress-resistance/will combat anger and overstimulation.
<br>> -- iron: blood loss will definitely make iron deficiency a problem, and iron is the cofactor for a lot of neurotransmitter function, so linked to mood and a lot of other systems besides. Not more than 18mg; iron is toxic.
<br>>
<br>> For further inflammation support in place of NSAIDs (which I don't think should be taken as regularly as several doses five days out of the month) there's a wide range of options to look at. Vitamin C?