NAVIGATE YOUR MENSTRUAL CYCLE LIKE A PRO
What to eat, when to exercise and when to take it easy
So much of our wellness, including our reproductive health, depends on how we nourish ourselves.
We all know that our appetite, moods, and energy levels fluctuate over our menstrual cycle, we have all fallen victim to the manic chocolate cravings, or the desperate desire for bed, pizza and “rom-com” movie marathons when the cramps and lethargy are too much.
But then there are also times in our cycle where we feel really great, energetic, flirtatious, attractive, and strong.
These changes in the body are as a result of the constant chemical interactions taking place, the food we are taking in, and the response and reactions within our endocrine system.
Food provides the fuel to our endocrine glands that secrete the hormones required for reproductive health and fertility.
Learning about the relationship between food, exercise and your reproductive health is a great place to start on your journey to wellness.
There are so many fad-diets, health food regimes, and quick fixes offered to us, that it can seem daunting or overwhelming in which direction to move.
Part of my philosophy on health care and wellness is about RESEARCH:
Reading, evaluating, assessing and digging deeper to find out how our bodies work, and how we can better serve the body through nutrition, exercise, and support.
I have done the hard grind for you; all you have to do is to follow the step by step guides below:
However if you are interested in where I got my findings….. See below:
I have chosen to focus on the research of Weston A. Price, who discovered dietary principals that conferred fertility and healthy babies for many generations. Dr Price’s research was conducted in the 1930’s and 1940’s, a time when humans were eating a predominantly indigenous, whole food diet, with little to no exposure to refined sugar, vegetable oils, pesticides or processed foods.
I have also come across more recent research studies that have shown that syncing your nutrition and exercise to your menstrual cycle helps you to stay energetic, feel strong and vital, and boost your chances at conceiving.
STEP 1: AWARENESS
Becoming aware of how you are feeling with your daily nutrition is the first step toward wellness, having a good understanding of how you feel, what you are craving, and where you are in your cycle will serve you well on this journey.
Recent studies have explored the idea that we can adjust our diet and exercise patterns to our menstrual cycles and in doing so, find a greater sense of comfort, and vitality in our everyday life.
In order to do this, you need to have a template to work with.
Start by tracking your monthly cycle, adding in days you feel good, and days you don’t.
Also jot down, what you ate, drank or did that day too.
HANDY TIP: I keep a small Diary next to my bed. It has the dates and days of the week with space available to write in information regarding: menstrual cycle, diet, exercise, mood,and sleeping pattern.
STEP TWO: WHAT TO EAT
The following nutrients are essential for fertility and reproductive health:
Vitamin A
Found in organ meats like liver, cod liver oil, shellfish, egg yolks, butter fat from grassfed animals.
Vitamin D
Is a naturally manufactured vitamin in the body, provided we get adequate exposure to sunlight? This would require 80 percent of your body in the sunshine for 20 – 60 minutes between 10am to 2pm every day. If this isn’t an option for you, then you can munch away on organ meats, cod liver oil, marine oils, seafood like shrimp and crab.
Vitamin E
Found in butter, organ meats, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and dark leafy vegetables.
Iodene
This mineral plays an important role in regulating the body’s energy and also promoting growth and development.
The RDA for Iodine is 150mcg
Zinc
The best sources of zinc are found in oysters and red meat, cashew nuts, cooked lentils and sprouted Mung beans.
STEP THREE: WHAT TO AVOID
Sugar
Not only does it lack nutrients, it also leads to blood sugar imbalances and depletes the body of the vitamins, minerals and enzymes you get from whole foods.
In short sugar elevates blood glucose, which elevates insulin levels, which leads to an elevation in cortisol levels (the stress hormone) that depletes the adrenals and affects hormone production needed for reproduction.
White flour
In the modern process of milling and refining wheat, 50 percent or more of its crucial nutrients and fibre is lost. White flour breaks down in the body into glucose, which can lead to the same problems caused by eating too much refined sugar.
Soy
Despite the current popularity of soy, numerous studies point to the harm of phytoestrogens on the endocrine and digestive systems of the body. Phytoestrogens are the estrogens found within plants.
To read more about the adverse effects of soy on the found have a look at the following websites:
www.wholesoystory.com
Trans-fats and commercial oils
Today’s commercial vegetable oils like, canola, soy, corn, safflower and cottonseed are processed by a combination of high-temperature mechanical extraction, followed by refining, bleaching and degumming. When humans consume such vegetable oils, chain reactions are set off that destroy cells, damage DNA, promote disease and increase aging.
As part of my philosophy I believe that every person is different, and I am not convinced with a one-size fits all diet and exercise plan to follow. Each woman has a unique body that needs a unique diet and wellness plan to suit her own needs.
As a result of this, I consider health care an educational process, an ongoing study and an ongoing learning phase, and the more I research the better equipped I am to share and empower others.
Through my research I have come across some wonderful websites that offer good, clean wholesome nutritional advice and recipe designs and I will be sharing these links, along with an easy to follow guide on what to eat, when to move, and when to take it easy.- COMING SOON
Please stay tuned for some more interesting nuggets I learn on my own personal journey to health and wellness.
DR MEG
References:
www.nutritionenergy.com/limor–baum.htm
http://earlypregnancy.net/tag/menstrual-cycle-safe-period-chart
www.westonprice.org
