What Your Menstrual Cycle Says About Your Health
Did you know that your period can be the biggest and clearest window to what is going on inside your body? Yes, that once a month call from nature can be extremely revealing if you become keenly aware of its subtle shifts, even if you consider your period to be normal and healthy. According to Ayurveda, a healthy cycle is one that occurs once a month, is bright red without clots or mucous, and is pain-free, bloat-free, and mood-swing-free. Variations from this are the body’s way of demonstrating subtle imbalances. There are three main categories of these variations. Look for them in your monthly cycle and use it as an opportunity to guide you to optimal health. You’ll notice a shift in how you feel during the rest of the month! 1. The Painful and Bloated Period Surveys show that 50 - 90% of women have pain with their menstrual cycles (and, unfortunately, most think this is normal). Chances are that you also become gassy, may have a day of spotting before a regular flow that perhaps is darker and has some clots, may experience more fear and anxiety during your period, and likely have some constipation with your cycle. Uterine pain during your cycle is caused by intense uterine contractions that lead to periods where the tissue does not get enough blood flow. In Ayurveda, this constriction is the cold quality (what we call vata in Ayurveda) at work. All of the above symptoms can be traced to the vata qualities of cold, dry, light, and mobile. If they are present in your cycle, they are most certainly also disturbing the rest of your body. You may even be experiencing dry skin, sleep disturbances, sciatica and low back pain, or joint pain. So, bring the opposite qualities back! Try these tips if you identify with any of the above symptoms: 1. Increase your hydration (t Continue reading >>
16 Ways Keto For Women Is Different + Doesn’t Need To Suck
As a female, we have to tinker the keto diet a little more than our male keto-ers do. For example, during shark week I can’t eat meat or I’ll end up on the couch in agony, with a heating pad, wanting to tear my ovaries out. So, I have to opt for things that are more easily digestible to my puffy, unhappy insides. Keto for women is just different. For one week every month we have brain-consuming cravings, we weigh more, have a hard time digesting, we get headaches and cramps and dammit we just want a blanket, some chocolate and a tub of icecream. end OK, but you get it. We also have other things to think about, like vaginas and boobies. For these two special things, we need to make some alterations too. You can’t just cut out some things. How to make keto for women easier and less grouchy Here are some tips I’ve cooked up over the past year that I’ve been told have been really helpful, enjoy! Eat yogurt. The diet says no, but I SAY YES. Men don’t need to care about the Lactobacillus acidophilus in yogurt, but a good healthy vagina does! Dannon makes a Light & Fit “Diabetic Friendly” vanilla yogurt that’s only 3 carbs per cup. Take cranberry supplements. Additionally, we need cranberry to ward away pesky urinary tract infections if we ever plan on forgetting to pee after sex again. So, take a cranberry supplement every day, and accept the carbs that come with it. Prepare for the lady in red. When the red devil is in town and you “need” sweets, opt for a handful of dark chocolate chocolate chips. The gourmet ones, real dark chocolate ones have the least carbs. The Milk Chocolate Almond Bars from Meleleuca only have 7 carbs for the entire bar, 9 for the DHA-enhanced dark chocolate ones which is also awesome. Remember that meats take more Continue reading >>
Symptoms Of Ketosis:
If you are considering the ketogenic diet or have already started down this carb-free road, you may wonder what you can expect. Here’s the thing. Ketosis looks different for everyone, but I will share many of the most common symptoms with you today. If something other than what’s listed here is happening to you, just do a quick Google search for that symptom and keto. You should be able to find what you’re looking for! The Early Signs: The early signs of ketosis vary from person to person. The biggest impact on how quickly you notice the symptoms of ketosis will have a lot to do with how you ate before you started the diet. If your diet was very high carb, you might get hit pretty quickly and furiously with what we like to call the “Keto Flu.” This can last anywhere from 3 days to a week or more. Once your body has adapted to burning ketones for energy instead of glucose, you’ll be golden so don’t give up! Here’s what you can expect within the first 2-3 days of starting the Ketogenic Diet: Fatigue & Weakness (lack of concentration) Headaches Metallic taste or sweet taste in your mouth (I experienced this, and it tasted like blood in my mouth) Lightheaded / Dizzy upon standing Heightened Thirst Hunger / Sweet or Carb Cravings Dry Mouth possibly paired with “Keto Breath.” Stomach Discomfort / Mild Nausea / Cramping Trouble Sleeping or Staying Asleep (early waking) Water weight loss (perhaps an excessive loss of weight within the first two weeks) Frequent Urination Allergies or cold like symptoms may flair up For the ladies: Period issues: You may experience a longer, shorter, earlier, later period because of Keto. Seriously it causes all of that. Each woman is different, and I have experienced every one of those issues with my period since starting ket Continue reading >>
Have You Lost Your Period To A Low Carb Diet?
A few weeks ago, I tweeted my concern about a low carb diet for young women. Apparently, my tweet was offensive to some people (men). They explained to me that it’s purely “anecdotal.” There is no known mechanism, they said, so it must not really be happening. Except it is really happening. Ask anyone who works with young menstruating women. Or not menstruating, as the case may be. True, we don’t know the exact mechanism. That’s because no researcher has yet asked the question: What does a very low carb diet do to periods? Until we have the answer, we can only surmise. I surmise that for some women inadequate starch signals the hypothalamus that there’s not enough food to reproduce. It may be via the hormone leptin. It may be via the microbiome. It is an adaptive starvation response, and may also be why a low carb diet can cause hair loss. [For an update and a possible mechanism, please see my 2016 post Are You Eating Enough to Get a Period?] In contrast, some women do well on a low-carb diet. They may even regain the periods they’d lost on a high-carb diet (see insulin-resistant PCOS discussion below). It comes down to this: There are different individuals in the world, with different glycemic responses. There are also different carbohydrates. For example, there is sugar and there is wheat, and they are two worst carbohydrates. Sugar is the worst carb Sugar is bad for health and for period health. High-dose fructose causes insulin resistance and inflammation and is more inflammatory than the long glucose chains of starch. That’s why some researchers have called for a ‘fructose index‘. I discuss fructose in my insulin resistance post, my PCOS post, and Chapter 6 of my book. Whole fruit is okay, but none of us should be eating desserts, sweet drinks, Continue reading >>
Keto Q&a: Hypothyroid, Hair Falling Out, And Missing Period
This week we’re covering hypothyroid on keto, wheat belly, listening to your body, hair falling out on keto, amenorrhea, cortisol on keto, falling off the keto wagon, and more. Resources… Find an answer to your keto, low-carb, high-fat questions in past keto question and answer sessions. Continue reading >>
Absence Of Periods On Low Carb With If
Can a low-carb diet combined with intermittent fasting result in an abscence of periods? And if so, what do you do? Get the answer to this and other questions – could dairy be a problem in PCOS? – in this week’s Q&A with the fertility specialist Dr. Fox: Loss of period Almost five months ago I started LCHF due to insulin resistance and PCOS. I lost about 40 pounds (18 kg), and feeling great. But, after two months of regular periods (31-35 days), I simply lost them. The last was on March 26th. This is now my third missed period. When I look back, it seems to me that perhaps I shouldn’t have done IF, (i didn’t fast first two months, and then I had my periods). Now my doctor has put me on progesterone to induce periods, and gave me cyclo-progynova to restore hormonal balance. What has happened doctor Fox? The last ultrasound showed that my endometrium is very thin (before was great). Though, my right ovary had no cysts. Can these hormonal pills harm my health? I am also taking glucophage xr 1000mg a day. I’ve also noticed increased hair loss… Thanks in advance, P.S Keep up the good work!!! Thanks for every advice, lecture, interview! Ivana Dr. Fox: That overall is a hard question. My best guess and it is a guess, is that you may have an underlying hypothalamic dysfunction, maybe due to prior exercise, or eating disorders, hypoglycemia, sleep apnea etc, that has predisposed you to be very sensitive to physiologic stress. The IF if not done during a time of absolute ketoadaptation, could produce such a stress signal that then could have shut off the signals from the hypothalamus to the pituitary and hence decreased the FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) signal to the ovary. This could explain your scenario and would be the most likely thing we would see. Evalua Continue reading >>
Ketosis And Menstrual Function: A Canary In The Mine?
In the 1920’s, researchers at the Mayo Clinic used a ketogenic diet to treat adults with ideopathic epilepsy. In 1930, Dr. Clifford Barborka published a paper detailing their findings with their first 100 patients. Among other findings, Barborka notes that 20% of the women involved in the study experienced complete cessation of menstruation during treatment, which didn’t return until a normal diet was resumed. He only reported on menstrual cessation, but given more contemporary research on the subject we can reasonably speculate that many more women experienced menstrual irregularities that stopped short of complete cessation. Subjects were eating appropriate calories to maintain their weight, so weight loss was not a confounder here. He speculates that it may have been related to a vitamin B or E deficiency, but has no clear explanation. (Note that this was many decades before the discovery of Leptin and it’s role in hormonal regulation.) In 2003, researchers published their retrospective study of 45 adolescents aged 12-19 treated for epilpsy with a ketogenic diet over 8 years. They noted that 45% of the girls involved in the study reported menstrual irregularities, most (2/3) of whom experienced complete cessation of menstruation (the other 1/3 were reported as experiencing delayed puberty or menstrual irregularity). Most resumed menstruation after ending the diet. 2 were treated with hormone therapy to induce and regulate menstruation. A majority of the girls did not lose weight on the diet, so again, weight loss was not a confounder in most cases. Researchers speculated that: “The diet may mimic the menstrual side effects seen in starvation and certain female athletes.” In 1999, a group of researchers published a review of a small group (9 women, 2 men) of Continue reading >>
Menorrhagia (heavy Menstrual Bleeding): Causes And Treatments
Menorrhagia is the name given to heavy and prolonged menstrual periods, is that disrupt a woman's normal activities. It is one of the most common gynecologic complaints, and it affects over 10 million women in the United States annually. What is menorrhagia and what causes it? Average blood loss during menstruation is around 30 to 40 milliliters, or 2 to 3 tablespoons, over a period of 4 to 5 days. Officially, menorrhagia is a loss of over 80 milliliters of blood in one cycle, or twice the normal amount. In reality, when a woman approaches the doctor, it is normally the effect of the bleeding on daily life that is more significant. An alternative definition that has been suggested is, "Menstrual loss that is greater than the woman feels she can reasonably manage." This type of flow lasts longer than 7 days, and it requires a woman to change her pad or tampon every 2 hours or more. She may also pass blood clots larger in size than a quarter, and she may experience anemia due to the volume of blood loss. Menorrhagia is one of the most commonly reported gynecologic complaints. In half of the women diagnosed, an underlying cause cannot be identified, but it can be a sign of a serious problem. Causes Menorrhagia may happen when a menstrual cycle does not produce an egg, leading to a hormone imbalance. Menstrual cycles without ovulation, known as anovulation, are most common in those who: Other underlying reasons for menorrhagia may be: Hormonal disturbances: If there is a change in the normal fluctuations of progesterone and estrogen, the endometrium, or inner lining of the uterus, can build up too much. This is then shed during menstrual bleeding. Ovarian dysfunction: If the ovary does not release an egg, no progesterone is produced, resulting in a hormone imbalance. Uterin Continue reading >>
Weight Loss & Spotting
Spotting refers to menstrual bleeding that occurs between a woman's regular periods. Stress, eating disorders and extreme weight loss can all cause menstrual irregularities, such as total cessation of periods, reports Medline Plus. Although spotting is not specifically mentioned as a possible side effect of weight loss, hormonal irregularities that may result from extreme dieting and exercising may cause mid-cycle bleeding. Video of the Day Most women of childbearing age will experience spotting or light bleeding at some point in their lives, reports St. Johns Providence Health System. Spotting typically lasts 24 to 48 hours. Spotting can occur due to hormonal change. Hormonal fluctuations can be due to excessive vigorous exercise, yo-yo dieting and stress, all of which can result in weight loss. Rapid and severe weight loss in women may also lead to complete cessation of periods, medically referred to as amenorrhea. Amenorrhea is often caused by eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, over-exercising and malnourishment, according to the website ChildDevelopmentInfo.com. Lifestyle adjustments may prevent menstrual irregularities. Eating a nutritious diet that includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean meats is generally recommended for a missed menstrual cycle caused by dramatic weight loss. Cutting back on exercise may also help regulate periods, reports Medline Plus. Spotting between periods may indicate medical problems such as sexually transmitted infections, thyroid disease, uterine fibroids, polyps or even cancer. Spotting can also be a side effect of contraceptives. It is especially common in women with intrauterine devices or IUDs and those who take the birth control injection Depo-Provera, notes St. Johns Providence Health System. Contact your do Continue reading >>
For Ladies Only: A Keto Guide
Shark week. Checking into the Red Roof Inn. Surfing the Crimson Wave. Getting a visit from Aunt Flo. The Red Badge of Courage. That time of the month. Whatever euphemism you use for it, women inevitably have to deal with menstruation and all the weird junk that goes along with it. We here at Ketovangelist get a lot of questions about keto and periods. A. Lot. So, at the behest of our coaches- and after much whining on my part- I’ve put together this little “what to expect” guide for women to help a sister out when it gets down to the issue of menstruating. You’re welcome. One thing to keep in mind: Your period is still your period. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a zillion times: keto is not magic. and it isn’t the cause of everything that will happen to you after you start eating this way. For the most part, your period is going to be your normal period while you’re keto. You might have cravings, you might cramp, you might be light or heavy, or early or late. All the same stuff you dealt with during menstruation pre-keto you will probably continue to deal with now that you’ve changed your food lifestyle. That being said, there are a few issues we do see pop up from time to time and I will address them, in no particular order: If you’re hungry, eat A direct quote, if I may, from our lovely coach, Mary Roberts: “Hormone hunger is real hunger.” And she’s right. Right after ovulation the body ramps up production of estrogen and progesterone, both of which can cause your body to feel hunger. The bottom line is that, as we all should know, our menstrual time is a stretch of a few days where hormones are screwy. We might be tired, we might be cranky, and we will probably be hungry. All of that is perfectly normal and you are not expected to sit an Continue reading >>
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Metrorrhagia – What Is It And Why It Can Happen?
Metrorrhagia is also commonly known as spotting and is the kind of off schedule bleeding that women experience which is not part of their monthly menstrual bleeding (which can range anywhere between a 22 days to 35 days cycle). Not only is Metrorrhagia extremely inconvenient because the bleeding is irregular and unpredictable, it is also a potentially serious problem because of the underlying problems that could be causing it and the fact that chronic Metrorrhagia could also lead to anemia. Any deviation of more than seven days from a woman’s monthly cycle can be termed as irregular bleeding which could mean Metrorrhagia and which would require investigation as to reasons why it is caused. Metrorrhagia could have a number of causes including: Endometriosis, the condition where material of the endometrial lining of the uterus may be found elsewhere, outside or other than the uterus could be a cause for Metrorrhagia Adenomyosis, which is the condition where endometrial tissue is found in the thick muscular layer of the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy, which is the implantation and development of a embryo in an area other than the uterus could also be the underlying cause of Metrorrhagia A hormone imbalance where there is a preponderance of one hormone over another disturbing the monthly cycle which leads to Metrorrhagia Endometrial hyperplasia is where there is excess growth of the cells of the endometrium The presence of a polyp in the uterus, the vagina, or cervix could all cause intermittent bleeding which could result in Metrorrhagia Ketosis Diets, which concentrate on increasing protein and fat intake while reducing sugar Certain progestin-only contraceptives could cause this irregular bleeding as can several medications such as hypothalamic depressants, anticholinerg Continue reading >>
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A Ketogenic Diet For Pcos
There are many diets used to balance hormones, a Ketogenic diet for PCOS being one of them. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age, affecting approximately 4% of women . PCOS is often associated with symptoms of excess testosterone: irregular or absent menses, excessive body hair, and infertility. PCOS is also associated with medical abnormalities such as central obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. There are no known curative therapies for PCOS, though anti-diabetic medications do improve many of the metabolic abnormalities, like insulin resistance, and elevated serum testosterone and total cholesterol levels. Dietary and exercise interventions also have a big impact on improving insulin sensitivity. Research has shown that a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet for PCOS can lead to weight loss and improvements in insulin resistance which proves useful for treating PCOS symptoms. So what is a Ketogenic Diet for PCOS? Some people may know it as the LCHF (Low Carb, High Fat) diet. The goal is to reduce your intake of carbs, and increase your intake of proteins. Click here for our ultimate keto for PCOS cheat sheet. What you can eat: Meat (Any type but do try to use organic or grass fed meats) Fish (Any type; salmon is a great fatty fish) Eggs (Cook them any way you like; organic is better but not recommended) Natural fats (like butter but olive oil and coconut oil are the best) Vegetables growing above grounds. Dairy products (Since most of my readers have PCOS, it is recommended to cut back on dairy. In moderation, it is perfectly fine.) Nuts (Eat in moderation) Berries (Eat in moderation) What you can’t eat: Sugar Starchy foods (potatoes, bread, and pasta Continue reading >>
The Effects Of A Low-carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet On The Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Pilot Study
Go to: Methods Subjects were recruited from the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill areas in North Carolina through a community PCOS support group and by word of mouth. After meeting initial eligibility criteria by phone, including replying "yes" to the question, "Have you been told by your health care provider that you have PCOS?," subjects were asked to attend a screening visit for a medical history and physical exam. Informed consent approved by the local Institutional Review Board was obtained. Baseline blood tests were also performed at the screening visit. There were no monetary incentives for participation. Inclusion/exclusion criteria The inclusion criteria were age 18–45 years, diagnosis suggestive of PCOS based on history of chronic anovulation and/or hyperandrogenemia, no other serious medical condition requiring medical supervision, body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 27 kg/m2, willingness to use acceptable contraception, and a desire to lose weight. Exclusion criteria included pregnancy, nursing or positive pregnancy test during screening period, and rapid progression of hyperandrogenic signs and symptoms. Intervention Subjects received an intensive group education program during monthly group meetings held every other week throughout the 6-month study period. During the first group meeting, subjects were instructed on both the rationale and implementation of the dietary intervention via use of a LCKD diet book and handouts containing suggestions on choice of appropriate foods.[18] Subjects were then instructed to begin the diet the following day. During follow-up group meetings, study outcome measures were obtained, and continued dietary counseling, adjustment of individual medications, supportive counseling, sharing of food choices, and review of urin Continue reading >>
Metrorrhagia
Not to be confused with Menorrhagia. Metrorrhagia (metro = womb, -rrhagia = excessive flow[1]) is uterine bleeding at irregular intervals, particularly between the expected menstrual periods.[2] It is a cause of vaginal bleeding. In some women, menstrual spotting between periods occurs as a normal and harmless part of ovulation. Some women experience acute mid-cycle abdominal pain around the time of ovulation (sometimes referred to by the German term for this phenomenon, mittelschmerz). This may also occur at the same time as menstrual spotting. The term breakthrough bleeding or breakthrough spotting is usually used for women using hormonal contraceptives, such as IUDs or oral contraceptives, in which it refers to bleeding or spotting between any expected withdrawal bleedings, or bleeding or spotting at any time if none is expected. If spotting continues beyond the first three cycles of oral contraceptive use, a woman should have her prescription changed to a pill containing either more estrogen or more progesterone.[3] Besides the aforementioned physiologic forms, metrorrhagia may also represent abnormal uterine bleeding and be a sign of an underlying disorder, such as hormone imbalance, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, uterine cancer, or vaginal cancer. If the bleeding is repeated and heavy, it can cause significant iron-deficiency anemia. Cause[edit] Intermittent spotting between periods can result from any of numerous reproductive system disorders. Neoplasia: Cervical cancer Uterine cancer Vaginal cancer Endometrial cancer Primary fallopian tube cancer Ovarian cancer Inflammation: Cervicitis Endometritis Vaginitis Sexually Transmitted Infections Pelvic inflammatory disease Endometrial abnormalities: Endometriosis Adenomyosis Uterine leiomyomas Endometrial hyperplasi Continue reading >>
Ketosis & Late Menstrual Cycle
Ketosis occurs when a person is deprived of dietary carbohydrates, causing the body to burn glycogen and fat stores for energy. This can lead to rapid weight loss, which may cause late or missed periods in some women. If you are experiencing ketosis and your period is much later than usual, consult your doctor. Video of the Day Your body burns dietary carbohydrates for energy. If you do not provide it with carbohydrates, it burns its fat stores instead. This process releases small carbon fragments called ketones into the blood, which causes the state known as ketosis. A common sign of ketosis is unpleasant fruity-smelling breath that results when your body tries to expel excess ketones by breathing them out. Although it is often marketed and promoted as a safe weight-loss and detox solution, ketosis can cause long-term liver and kidney damage. Ketogenic diets are extremely strict, high-fat, low-protein and low-carbohydrate diets that intentionally cause a state of ketosis, usually for quick weight loss. These diets may produce the desired results, but the weight loss is rarely sustainable since it returns quickly once you return to a normal diet. More importantly, they are not safe. Ketogenic diets can cause a host of problems, including kidney stones, constipation, cognitive problems, osteoporosis, high cholesterol and disruptions in the menstrual cycle. There are many reasons your period may be late. Some fluctuations in your menstrual cycle are normal, or may occur due to stress, your contraceptive method or even pregnancy. More serious causes include hormonal imbalances, thyroid problems or menopause. Extreme weight loss such as that caused by ketosis can cause your menstrual periods to diminish or stop altogether. If you are following a ketogenic diet and your peri Continue reading >>
