Taking Charge of your Fertility by Toni Weschler.
More than EVER, I’m seeing patients who are interested in learning more about their fifth vital sign – their period! Speaking my love language here!
If you’re looking to get a better understanding of your cycle, and/or want to learn how to chart your cycle – this is worth the read. I don’t have a ton of time to walk patients through all of this during our visits, so this is the book I refer them to.
Regardless of trying to conceive or not, it’s incredibly empowering (and fascinating) to have a better understanding of your cycle. I honestly question why we don’t teach charting in school.
P.S. Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card – this book (paper, digital) is available through the Winnipeg Public Library.
Winnipeg Public Library:
Amazon (Canada): here
INTERESTED IN READING MORE?
If you’re looking to get a better understanding of your cycle, and/or want to learn how to chart your cycle – this is worth the read. I don’t have a ton of time to walk patients through all of this during our visits, so this is the book I refer them to.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve excused yourself from exercise because of your period. The last time I did this, I pondered it. Would it make me feel better? Or would I actually just continue hanging out with Aunt Flow in misery?
Mittelschmerz – the lovely, weird name for the physical sensation experienced during or directly after the release of an egg from an ovary (ovulation). This pain is felt in the lower part of your abdomen and is often one-sided (but can alternate between sides, month-to-month). Some women will experience this ovulatory pain as a mild, dull, aching sensation and some women may even experience even greater discomfort. Some won’t experience it at all.
Birth control is NOT the only option for painful (dysmenorrhea) and/or heavy periods (menorrhagia). And before jumping on a medication or supplement your HCP should always look into potential causes of extreme cramping – ie. endometriosis, fibroids, etc.
Prostaglandins are a major factor in menstrual cramps – once a month (when Aunt Flow comes to town) they cause uterine muscles to contract in order to release the uterine lining (endometrium). Prostaglandins aren’t bad (they are important for blood clots, inducing labour, etc.), but if certain prostaglandins are high in your cycle – this can predispose to more painful menstrual cramping.
I have seen great variation in the amount of time it takes for a woman’s period to return and regulate. To start, prolactin is the main hormone responsible for milk production. And when elevated (hence, for breastfeeding) it works to prevent ovulation.
Amenorrhea: the absence of your period.
And then amenorrhea is divided into 2 categories: primary and secondary.
We’re going to talk about secondary amenorrhea, which can be observed as: the absence of a period for 3 months in women who had previously had REGULAR cycles, or the absence of a period for 6 months in women who had already been experiencing IRREGULAR cycles.
So - the liver is responsible for detoxing alcohol. But it’s also important for metabolizing estrogen. In women, more than one alcoholic drink per day has been shown to increase circulation of androgens (ie. testosterone) and estrogens (1, 2) – this predisposes you to symptoms of estrogen dominance.
When you have healthy, restful sleep, cortisol levels are reduced to their lowest levels (typically around midnight). If cortisol doesn’t drop appropriately, this contributes to fat production and provides very little fuel (glycogen) to the muscles. So, you’ve got weight gain. And you’re tired.
Have you heard of the DUTCH test? DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones.
It’s a well-rounded, useful hormonal panel that also measures metabolites - giving greater insight into metabolism of hormones.
I’m willing to bet you’ve heard the term ‘PCOS’ before.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). The first thing I want to emphasize: it’s a syndrome – not all signs and symptoms show up in every individual with PCOS.
So, how do you know if you have PCOS?