For as long as I can remember, I have always loved the months of November and December, when joy seemed to fill every day and every night. As an adult, and when my four children were still small, we hosted wonderful holiday parties at my house (complete with friendly Santa, of course).
or as long as I can remember, I have always loved the months of November and December, when joy seemed to fill every day and every night. As an adult, and when my four children were still small, we hosted wonderful holiday parties at my house (complete with friendly Santa, of course).
But along with the happy celebrations can come unfortunate health consequences, particularly where one’s hormones are concerned. Changes to one’s diet, sleep habits, stress (even happy stress), and the increased alcohol consumption can take a toll on the female menstrual cycle. The beautiful rhythm of hormones is sensitive to such influences, as the intimate connection between the brain, the adrenal glands, the pituitary gland, and the ovaries can lose its balance and cause irregular cycles.
A growing body of evidence clearly shows the impact of foods on menstrual cycles. Diets high in fiber-rich foods have been shown to be associated with more regular cycles. But diets consumed around the holidays can be deficient in that healthy fiber, and filled instead with sugars, processed starches, and unhealthy animal products. I know from experience, during the many years I spent working at a hospital during the holiday season, the doctor and nursing lounges were filled with cookies, cakes, candies, hams, pastries, sausages, and chips. At the holiday functions cheese and crackers were there to take, and wine flowed generously. My normal dietary pattern and habits were shattered––along with my menstrual cycles!
Stress, whether it is caused by holiday shopping, scheduling issues, traveling, card-sending, or choosing what to wear to a party, plays its part in disrupting the normal ebb and flow of female hormones. Studies have shown that stress is related to changes in menstrual function, and that exposure to stress can impact in a significant way upon menstrual regularity and the occurrence of premenstrual symptoms, cramps and heavy bleeding.
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