Tag Archives: hormones

Scales Don’t Lie

As Summer slipped into Autumn, I noticed the number on the scale begin an upward creep.

A half pound is not much.

Weight vacillates.  Too much salt, weight goes up. Dehydrated, weight goes down. I’m accustomed to watching the scale relate my fluid level on a daily basis.

Cycle changes can instantly add an additional 10 pounds and then subtract it.

So, when my weight showed an inclination to rise, hold steady, and then rise again, I took immediate action.

I blamed it on hormones.  Then, I upped my caloric intake and reduced my activity.  I craved sugar, so, since the season of all things sweet was nearing, i began to celebrate with candy.

October, November, and December were sweet months…filled with tempting confections that I didn’t resist.

While active in the Summer, I was able to eat anything I wanted and still lose weight.  But, with the coming of the cooler, slower, less active months, my metabolism slowed.  I lost muscle mass and gained lazy fat.

And, here I am on the back side of New Year’s wondering what happened and how – and what to do about it.

Stop blaming hormones. Cut calories, kick sugar to the curb, eat natural, push myself physically….yes, I know what to do and I know how to do it.

It’s a matter of doing it.

Spring? Where are you?  Yet three months away…by the time of its arrival I will have packed on 10 more pounds.

Losing 10 pounds creates enough angst.  The thought of losing 20, well…let’s not go there.

Truly.  Let’s not.

So, no matter the weather – no matter the temp, I’m lacing up my shoes and heading out to build lean muscle and burn off this jiggle.

What took me 3 months to pack on will take me 6 to take off.

Memo to self:

Get period wise, woman! Work your cycle – don’t let it work you!  

Nuff said.  I’m up from here.

Morning After Pill Goes OTC for Ages 15 and Over

The Morning After Pill is now available over the counter for purchase by those age 15 and over, with proof of age at check-out.

Previously, it was restricted to those 17 years of age and older, and sold only from behind the pharmacy counter, after showing proof of age.

With morning after pills available to younger women, and more readily available, it is period wise to understand what morning after pills are and how they can affect your cycle.

First, let me say that morning after pills are NOT for monthly use – but rather for emergency use.  High levels of hormones are present in the pill – far higher than in birth control pills – and when used in a way not intended can cause health problems, especially for teens.

Second, hormonal intervention (whether in the form of birth control pills or morning after pills) alters the menstrual cycle and can be detrimental to a teen’s physical and emotional health.

An interesting article about how morning after pills affect your menstrual cycle is on The Emergency Contraceptive Website of Princeton University and is well worth the time it takes to read it. It offers important information about the pill, your cycle after taking the pill, and research done on the differences in the combinations of hormones in various morning after pills.

Researchers have conducted three studies designed specifically to find out how progestin-only emergency contraceptive pills (like Plan B One-Step or Next Choice) affect women’s bleeding patterns. Although the results were somewhat different, each found there were often changes in a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle.

It’s important to note that after taking morning after pills,

  • you should have a normal period within the next month,
  • it change the length of your cycle, making your next period come a week earlier or a week later than usual,
  • it can cause unexpected bleeding,
  • and you might consider getting a pregnancy test If your next period is late.

For more information on these studies and concerning changes in menstrual cycles, or bleeding patterns, after taking the morning after pill can be found in this thorough, up-to-date academic review on emergency contraception.

Be period wise if / when using emergency contraception.

Is PMS Bad for You?

A recent post by Alanna Nuñez for SHAPE.com asked and answered the question: Is PMS bad for you?

Cramping, cravings, and exhaustion tend to be expected by women before Aunt Flo’s visit, but more and more experts agree that these symptoms aren’t normal. In fact, some think that what passes for PMS may be a hint that something’s off in your body.

Life without PMS.  Is it possible?  For many women the answer is YES.

In her article, Alanna provides an overview of the menstrual cycle. She also talks about what’s normal and what’s not. And, she gives advice for getting back in balance.

I know, from personal experience, that dietary changes can make a drastic difference in the severity of PMS symptoms.

PMS a Problem? Iron May Help

If you are among the millions of women who struggle with PMS symptoms (or love someone who does), take a moment and read Annie Hauser’s article, posted yesterday in Everyday Health‘s Women’s Health section.

Her article, “Forget Midol: More Iron May Stop PMS, Study Says,” reports on the latest PMS information gathered by researchers at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology. (Read the Abstract of the report here.) She also quotes Joan Salge Blake, RD, a clinical professor of nutrition at Boston University who did not work on the study.

Excerpts follow.

Women who eat diets rich in iron are 30 to 40 percent less likely to develop pre-menstrual syndrome, or PMS, than women who consume lower amounts….

The study suggests that the link between iron intake and PMS may reflect iron’s role in the body’s production of serotonin, a chemical that regulates mood and emotions.

Researchers used self-reported data from about 3,000 women enrolled in the prospective Nurses’ Health Study II.

The women who consumed the most non-heme iron — the form found in plant foods and in iron supplements — had the lowest PMS risk. Interestingly, the level of iron associated with a lower risk of PMS was slightly higher than the current recommended daily amount — 20 mg, up from 18 mg.

Blake says that…the key to plant-based iron sources is to pair them with a vitamin C-rich food to help boost iron absorption. “If you’re eating a whole wheat pasta that’s enriched in iron, pair it with tomato sauce,” she suggests. “If you’re having cereal in the morning, have a citrus fruit to go with it.”

Because a high iron intake can come with health risks, women should always consult a doctor and a registered dietitian before starting iron supplements, Blake says.

High intake of zinc was also associated with a lower PMS risk in the study.

Women consuming the highest amount of potassium — found in bananas and potatoes — had a higher risk of a PMS diagnosis than the women who consumed the lowest amount of potassium.

To hear what The Doctors have to say about nutrition and PMS, view the video below, but keep in mind the statement above about potatoes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zEoUZbqY_8

For more on PMS, visit Women’s Health.

I invite you to share your own period wise PMS thoughts, remedies, advice and what works for you.