3 Potential Hidden Factors Behind Horrible Periods and What You Can Do To Stop the Madness

If you have cycle symptoms or cycle problems, you definitely don't need me to list them because they're miserable.

And we face them every month.

For those who experience the difficulties of bloating, cramping, nausea, sometimes so severe that it hinders us from getting out of bed, and heavy flow, along with migraines before, during, or at the tail end of a cycle, these symptoms can have various underlying causes.

There can be multiple reasons for the timing of when these symptoms occur.

But here's the big underlying thing, no matter what the symptoms are, there are three pretty major reasons that are not commonly addressed.

When we're talking about PMS or period symptoms, the first significant factor is INFLAMMATION. Isn't inflammation kind of always the thing that everything comes down to? Well, it's true.

If cells can't take in nutrients and remove waste effectively, inflammation occurs as the cells swell up to protect themselves.

During the menstrual cycle, you may notice that inflammation is part of the symptoms, as you might feel rundown, particularly before its onset, experiencing excessive tiredness or hunger.

Sometimes it's even referred to as the period flu because the inflammation becomes significantly higher. I like to think of it as a teacup analogy. Every day, as you go through life, your teacup may become increasingly filled with toxins, stresses, and substances from consuming fast foods and processed foods.

And then we have something like a hormonal cycle, which is what periods are. And that extra hormone just spills the teacup over—it becomes too full at this point.

So it's not just the hormones that are the problem. We need to consider the inflammatory factors that could be causing the teacup to overflow, and identify a few things that could be causing inflammation.

It could be something as simple as food intolerances. I can't tell you how many times we run food panels specifically to identify intolerances and how amazed women are when we discover that certain foods could be causing inflammation. Around cycle time, these foods end up being the final straw, the tipping point that overflows the teacup.

It could be as simple as an unhealthy diet. It could be stress-related. There could be an underlying illness adding to the inflammation. There can also be hormone-related imbalances.

But honestly, for those of you who have worked with me, you know that I don't jump to hormone theory right away. Instead, I focus on understanding why the hormones are off track.

What is going on in stress levels?

What's going on with cholesterol?

How is the blood sugar, we're looking at all kinds of things to understand why the hormones are acting the way they are.

Here's a really cool, interesting thing that most people don't think about.

What else could contribute to inflammation, especially when it's related to your menstrual cycle? One factor is that when an egg doesn't fertilize during ovulation, it can actually cause inflammation. We often overlook this natural process.

When the unfertilized egg comes down, it triggers inflammation because the body now has different work to do.

Thus, undergoing a test or assessment, such as our bioenergetics tests at our clinic, is a highly beneficial option. These tests enable you to identify the levels of inflammation and pinpoint which systems are exhibiting signs of inflammation, and to what extent. This can provide insights beyond the inflammatory markers obtained from traditional blood or serum panels.

Secondly, LACK OF EXERCISE OR MINIMAL NUTRIENT INTAKE can also contribute to the issue. If you have a sedentary lifestyle or indulge in junk food, particularly during PMS time, it's possible that you're lacking crucial nutrients essential for this period, such as magnesium, vitamin D, and even the B vitamins.

The third one is PROSTAGLANDINS.

Prostaglandins are lipid compounds. Anything that's a fat-like compound, such as lipids, can be considered hormone-like substances. Fats play a significant role in hormone regulation, and the functioning of your liver has a significant impact on how your body processes fats. Therefore, fats are a crucial component of maintaining healthy hormones. Prostaglandins, being lipid compounds, are produced and act on the specific tissues where they are formed.

Prostaglandins have numerous biological functions, and they play a significant role in the inflammatory response. They contribute to widening blood vessels, increasing vascular permeability, and promoting immune cells to reach the site of inflammation. Prostaglandins also impact smooth muscle contraction. During PMS or period time, when experiencing uterine contractions, prostaglandins influence these contractions due to their effect on smooth muscle. Additionally, they regulate blood pressure by modulating the constriction or relaxation of blood vessels.

So, prostaglandins are incredibly important in regulating and influencing periods. They play a significant role in controlling menstrual flow, which determines the heaviness and duration of bleeding. If you experience clots, excessive bleeding, or longer periods, it is typically a sign of elevated prostaglandin levels. These increased levels of prostaglandins cause intensified and frequent uterine contractions.

So, if you experience worsened cramping in the front or back of your body, heavy periods, or prolonged bleeding, it's likely due to these strong contractions caused by prostaglandins. These strong contractions can constrict the blood vessels in the uterus, leading to a reduced blood supply to the endometrium. However, when the contraction relaxes and the blood vessels dilate, it results in a sudden gush of blood and heavy flow. The prostaglandins are doing their job, but the intensity is too much.

In addition to heavy bleeding, high levels of prostaglandins can also cause symptoms such as severe cramping, abdominal pain, and nausea. If you experience these symptoms, it's important to consult your healthcare professional, including your OB-GYN. However, in addition to seeing the OB-GYN, consider consulting a nutritionist as well. While birth control is a common approach to regulate and manage the menstrual cycle, a nutritionist can provide valuable insights and support.

You might be surprised to learn that over 80% of teenage girls, especially, are using birth control to manage their cycle symptoms. I consider this a high number, considering that there are other supportive approaches that haven't been explored. Seeking the guidance of a nutritionist is a beneficial step to take if you're experiencing these symptoms. Additionally, it's important to get checked out to ensure there are no more severe underlying conditions that require attention.

Seeing a nutritionist can be immensely helpful to ensure you're consuming the right types of nutrition that support a healthy menstrual cycle. It's also important to address any inflammatory elements in your diet. Dietary changes can have a significant impact, especially considering the relationship between fats and our overall health. It's crucial to ensure we consume the right kinds of fats in appropriate quantities, and that our liver and gallbladder function optimally. If you have lost your gallbladder, there may be specific considerations to discuss.

Therefore, in addition to consulting your OB-GYN or primary care provider, consider seeking guidance from a nutritionist as well. They can assist with dietary modifications that can help reduce prostaglandins. For example, incorporating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like salmon or mackerel can be beneficial. If you're not a fan of fish, alternatives like flax seeds or chia seeds can also help balance prostaglandin production.

Furthermore, consumption of red meat and processed foods tends to increase prostaglandins. It's worth considering how much of these foods you're consuming. Additionally, stress can worsen symptoms, including prostaglandin activity. To mitigate these effects, prioritize good sleep, exercise, meditation, and deep breathing exercises. These practices can help reduce inflammatory responses and the synthesis of prostaglandins in the tissues.

Now, here's an interesting point: even if you don't experience PMS symptoms, it's important to pay attention because the same factors that contribute to PMS symptoms, such as inflammation, can also impact brain health.

Inflammation is often a contributing factor, as are prostaglandins. Low exercise and poor diet are also factors that we consider when assessing cognitive health. Now, here's the fascinating part: prostaglandins are connected to the pain response. They sensitize your pain receptors, which affects your perception of pain.

What's interesting about that is prostaglandins sensitize pain receptors, and this alteration falls under Brain Type Number Four on the chart I've compiled over the years. This chart helps me categorize and understand different aspects of brain health and brain typing, allowing me to identify specific problem areas.

What are the symptoms?

What are the therapies and supplements and nutrient needs for this.

So, in my mind, Brain Type Four deals with pleasure, pain, and the role of endorphins. When there is an excess of prostaglandins sensitizing your pain receptors, it can potentially lead to an imbalance in the creation of endorphins in the brain. You might be lacking certain endorphins or GABA, for example. This could indicate a need for important nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acid supplements, magnesium threonate or glycinate, and a closer look at B vitamins. Specifically, B vitamin six may be missing during this time. Substances like saffron and valerian can be beneficial for mood-related symptoms, whether during your cycle or as you enter menopause and are concerned about dementia or aging. It's possible that inadequate brain chemistry, potentially due to excessive inflammation or prostaglandin production, could contribute to these symptoms. If this aligns with your brain type, you might feel highly sensitive to emotional pain.

If you're the type of person who easily cries at commercials or movies,

If you experience excruciating pain from a simple sliver,

If you tear up easily or cry easily,

If you have issues with smooth muscle movements, such as less stable or cautious handwriting,

If you tend to lean towards anxiety or avoid conflict,

These are all strong indicators of Brain Type Four, which involves the interplay of endorphins and pleasure-pain responses. It is highly likely that prostaglandins and inflammation play a role in this brain type.

So again, one additional beautiful reason why nutritionist should be part of primary care.

So what do you do?

I'll leave a link in the description below where you can find information about our consultations. It's easy to schedule a comprehensive assessment and consultation with us at ANMC Holistic Health. We are excited about an upcoming program that one of our staffers, Jess Scherping, has been passionately working on. She will be providing support for women during the pre, during, and post-delivery stages. We have a range of feminine health services coming your way.

Additionally, this month at ANMC, we are also focusing on supporting cognitive health function and conducting brain typing.


For appointments, visit our website: ⁠www.anmcholistichealth.com⁠