As many as 90 percent of all women deal with various degrees of premenstrual syndrome, ranging from moderate to severe aches, pains, bloating and emotional stress during their reproductive years. Reports show that as many as 40 percent have symptoms that are distressing enough to interfere with their daily lives.

Many women turn to over-the-counter drugs that only mask PMS symptoms for a few hours, but there are things you can do to repair the body from within. Here are five easy and natural cures that I’ve found get to the root of PMS symptoms and help repair your body naturally:

Bloating — Try some peach kernel (a fruit pit, not a nut). In the Chinese Herbal Materia Medica, peach kernel belongs to a category of herbs that invigorate the blood, expel stasis and moisten the intestines. All three of these actions help reduce bloating due to the menstrual cycle. The Chinese believe 10,000 diseases start in the intestines. The natural fats and oils contained in peach seeds help lubricate the intestines and unlock the bowels, thereby producing a gentle laxative effect. Not all peach kernels are created equal, so make sure you purchase the correct medicinal species. These can be found easily on the Internet, most Chinese markets or your local Chinatown. It’s extremely inexpensive and traditionally 5-10 kernels are crushed, boiled and made as a tea. You may also eat them raw, but use no more than 5-10 kernels. Some evidence says peach kernels may trigger an allergic reaction for those who have nut allergies. However slight, it may be better to avoid peach kernel if you have such allergies or if you’re pregnant.

Cramps — Consider alternatives such as Dang Gui, or Dong Quai, an herb historically used to help balance women’s menstrual cycles and one of the earliest forms of health care. Herbs have all the right chemical constituents our bodies need. The Chinese have used Dang Gui in many women’s herbal medicines for centuries. Taking Chinese herbs is a natural way to boost your body’s ability to cope with the fluctuation of hormones and the natural rhythmic cycle. Make it into tea.

Bad Moods — Give yourself a mini abdominal massage with menstrual massage oil.
It’s super fast and easy, and you’ll feel a thousand times better. Combine 4 ounces of organic or high-quality castor oil or almond oil with 1/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil and 10 drops of sage oil. Massage into your abdomen in a clockwise motion. Be sure to massage long enough that your abdomen feels warm. Research confirms lavender’s aromatic fragrance has calming effects on anxiety and helps depression. Sage oil’s therapeutic properties are anti-depressive, antispasmodic, digestive and even help regulate your hormones to ensure healthy ovaries and a healthy uterus.

Backaches — There’s nothing worse than an aching back. When you can’t find a comfortable position to rest, you need some serious relief. Rather than taking liver-congesting, stomach-upsetting, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, here’s natural help. Try a moxa heat pack that you simply open and stick on any part of your body for about 1 1/2 hours of low temperature heat. Moxa, or moxibustion, is a combination of several herbs and plants that, when warmed, have properties that penetrate the body and have natural soothing effects on the muscles. Although you can get some relief with a hot pack that can be warmed in a microwave or even an old-fashioned hot water bottle (I shy away from electrical hot pads), this is not quite the same as using the deeper penetrating heat of moxibustion therapy.

Headache — In keeping with our natural theme, headache prevention is much better than trying to deal with the headache once it’s full blown. If you’re a regular headache-sufferer every month, I suggest acupuncture to balance your body’s energy.

For a quick do-it-yourself acupressure session when you feel a menstrual-related headache coming on, press and hold a point on the top side of the hand, at the web between your thumb and index finger. To locate, squeeze the thumb against the base of the index finger. The point is located on the highest point of the bulge of the muscle. This point will be tender and pressing it firmly on each hand for 5-10 minutes can really help your head. An additional point just above your ankle is also a good spot to massage and press regularly if you suffer from menstrual irregularities. This point is found by placing four fingers directly above the tip of the anklebone on the back side of the shin bone. It’s generally found by sliding your finger along the inside of the shin bone or the tibia. Massaging and holding these acupuncture points is not the same as getting an acupuncture treatment from a licensed professional, but it is an easy and natural way to help relieve your own PMS and menstrual symptoms.

Cathy Margolin is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in Los Angeles, Calif.