There is a lot women can do naturally to improve their menstrual cycle. Diet and lifestyle are prudent. Here are a few tips: |
|
- Caffeine tends to promote fibroids and cysts. Try to avoid caffeine as best you can. Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, chocolate and soft drinks.
- Quit smoking. Smokers tend to have more menstrual irregularities and cancer than non smokers.
- Try and eat organic foods as much as possible because pesticides are endocrine (hormone) disrupters. Foods that contain the most pesticides in order are apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, nectarines, grapes, bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries, lettuce, kale and collard greens.
- Aim to eat foods that are low glycemic, avoiding high glycemic foods. High glycemic foods are foods that turn into a sugar quickly in the blood and can in the long run decrease health by increasing the incidence of diabetes, insulin resistance, certain types of cancer and increase fat deposition. The more body fat, the more estrogen because fat cells can produce estrogen and inflammation as well. High glycemic foods are sugar, white rice, white bread, refined grain products found in cereals and wheat products.
- Avoid alcohol consumption because it is linked to an increase in hormonal cancers like breast and uterine cancer. Alcohol in the form of red wine, seems to be more beneficial for men’s heart health but not for women. That is because the detoxification of alcohol also travels into the liver and impairs its ability to metabolize and detoxify negative and excessive hormones in our body. This is why women who drink more often than others, tend to suffer with more breast cancer than those who do not.
- Green leafy vegetables contain iron and vitamin K which promotes blood clotting. Cruciferous vegetables contain compounds that help the liver to detoxify. Cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens and Brussel sprouts, are best cooked because when they are raw they contain goitrogens that can negatively influence thyroid function.
- Increase the intake of fiber and eat more vegetarian meals. Fiber binds excess estrogen and brings it out of the body. Daily intake of fiber should be at least 25 to 35 grams per day. Work up to this amount slowly to allow the body to adjust or excessive gas will be the result.
- Moderate exercise is best. Those women who over exercise, tend to have heavy flow and/or bleeding during exertion. In traditional Chinese medicine over exercise is said to deplete the kidney and liver yin. This yin weakness is linked to not replenishing the depleted blood supply, exhausting the yin further and the person. It is best to exercise 45 to 60 minutes per day.
- Manage stress levels naturally with moderate exercise, meditation, yoga, tai chi, counseling or changing negative situations. High cortisol from stress can blunt other hormones from working well in the body, affect sleep negatively and increase weight gain expecially around the midsection.
|
|
1938 Via Centre Suite B
Vista, CA 92081, United States |
|
|
|
