If you’ve ever had a really stressful month or you’ve been following a new routine or diet (which your body perceives as “stress” because it is a stray from your normal), you might have experienced your monthly coming early or a bit late – or not even coming at all.
Obviously eliminating all stress is nearly impossible, but too much can definitely take a toll on our overall health. It is important to know that stress can be anything from emotional, mental or physical. Are you surprised? The most common surprise amongst clients is that emotional upset is is bad for your health! Stress is stress, the brain perceives it much the same.
When you are overloaded with stress, your cortisol levels can be affected, this can then lead to a weakened immune system, the adrenals and thyroid becoming suppressed, even the digestive system can be thrown off. Studies show that under stress inflammation increases in the body and when left unchecked, can cause havoc on our health and well-being.
So with stress affecting all these bodily systems don’t you think it’s obvious that it will affect the reproductive system? For woman this is so important to understand. Our reproductive systems are literally the reason why we exist, to procreate and make life. When the body is stressed this system is one of the first to be shut down, yes, that is how incredibly amazing our bodies are. Think about it, back in the day, if we were in a famine, starving – not knowing where the next meal will come from, running around hunting for our food; – reproducing will be the last thing your body would put you through, so naturally the reproductive system gets put on hold.
No wonder so many women are struggling to conceive, get diagnosed with hormonal issues left right and centre – women as a whole have a lot more going on than women back in the day.
Stressful periods can result in changes in the duration of your menstrual period, and there’s even a chance your menstrual period can temporarily stop. Medically it’s called amenorrhea.
If you have been dealing with amenorrhea for more than a few months, I highly recommend getting your hormone levels tested as it could be a symptom of something more serious than just “stress”. I have a list of amazing doctors who I can refer you to.
The takeaway message here is that reducing overall stress and balancing your hormonal levels can significantly improve your health and the way you feel:
10 Tips on how can you balance hormonal levels and reduce unnecessary stress ?
1. Choose the right type of exercise for an optimal hormonal response.
2. Avoid eating foods that your body may be allergic/ intolerant to. This just leads to more inflammation.
3. Eat a diet of whole foods, balanced meals and choose foods which are nutrient dense (rich in lean proteins, healthy fats, antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables) this will help reduce inflammation and counteract the negative effects of stress.
4. Prioritize sleep 7-9 hours of high quality sleep is a must.
5. Routine – humans are creatures of habit. Having a daily routine can set you up for a successful day.
6. Self care is essential, doing something for yourself everyday even if it takes you 10min is so important. You are important.
7. Avoid/limit caffeine and alcohol, these can add to your stress load especially when already overly stressed. In moderation these can definitely be part of a balanced lifestyle.
8. Rest when you are tired. Skip the workout when you are overly stressed and tired, and when you haven’t had a good night’s sleep.
9. Supplements – Chronic stress depletes nutrients and minerals in the body, make sure your eating a nourishing diet to replenish these or supplement with magnesium glycinate, B vitamins and vitamin C.
10. Get back to nature – get out doors, in the sunlight, barefoot and ground yourself. I have a great post about the importance of grounding – linked here https://mazbiofit.com/2020/05/21/grounding-earthing/
Any questions? need advice – get in touch
X M
the holistic approach 