Are you not getting your period because of Hypothalamic Amenorrhea, HA and don’t know what to do about it? Read further to learn how you can naturally bring back your cycle.
Hey girl hey, so you might have heard the term. Hypothalamic Amenorrhea, HA or you might even have experienced it. Missing period? If you are like me and grew up in the 80’s then high intensity workouts and low-fat eating were all the range. And what was deemed “healthy” by many really wasn’t healthy at all. Who knew? If you are like me nobody told you, these healthy habits would jeopardize your fertility and your hormone health in the future. Eat a bowl of corn for dinner and go to three exercise classes so you can fit into your little black dress, yes please. Maybe this was just me, I digress. Seriously though, what is HA?And what do you do if you have it and are trying to get pregnant or just want healthy hormones and robust health?
Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA) is defined by lack of a menstrual period for more than six months when no medical diagnosis can be found.
The key here is “medical diagnosis”. Your doctor should rule out conditions such as thyroid disorder, celiac disease, PCOS, high prolactin or other diseases/conditions that cause menses to go away for an extended period of time.
Some things that might be causing miss flow to go on vacation.
- Too much soy in your diet
- Extreme over-exercise
- Extreme low calorie/fat eating
- Not enough sleep
- Too much stress
- Coming off BC
If there is no medical reason for your lack of periods, then it’s because your hypothalamus has decided you should not ovulate and therefore your period won’t be triggered.
Your period is your body’s report card, if it is missing then something is wrong and this is not normal.
You might have heard me talk about the hypothalamus is previous blogs and videos. This is your brains main command center and the start of the hormone signaling cascade that happens on a daily basis. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary which signals the ovaries which are responsible for many of your reproductive activities.
5 tips to get your period back and fast!
1. Eat more. if you were my client my first question is always, what are you eating? And do you feel satisfied and full after you eat that meal? Focus on magic plate eating, 1/3 protein (lean animal or plant), 1/3 veggie (focus on orange and green), 1/3 slow carb/grain, 1-3 tbsp healthy fat. This will give your body everything it needs to make the hormones you need to promote a healthy menstrual cycle.
2. Incorporate cycle optimizing into your life. Cycle optimizing is a functional medicine concept where a woman partners her food, fitness, social and work life with the phases of her monthly cycle to promote homeostasis in the body. If you have HA and aren’t getting a cycle then I encourage you to follow the patterns of the moon.
- New moon with “cycle day 1” this should trigger menstruation once you start this practice.
- Waxing moon- follicular
- Full moon- Ovulation
- Waning moon- luteal
Usually after practicing cycle optimizing for a few cycles, your period should return as long as there is no underlying medical condition.
3. Sleep girl! You need sleep. During sleep your body is renewing, recovering, rejuvenating, and detoxing. Without adequate amounts of sleep many of your bodily functions are compromised. During sleep your body is in the optimal state for healing and creating life. Sleep is a powerful ally in helping to promote optimal fertility, balance hormones, boost immune system, increase stress-resilience and enhance overall health especially the return of your period.
So how do you get high quality sleep…
- Make your bedroom cool, dark and free of clutter. It’s only used for sex and sleep.
- Create a power down hour before bed and have a strong nightly routine to tell your body and brain it is time for sleep.
- No electronics- phones, tablets, tv’s, etc. 1-2 hours before bed.
- Stop eating about 2 hours before bed
- Try some sleepy time tea
- Journal- brain dump, gratitude and/or diary of your thoughts.
4. Introduce a supplement or herb. I always start with natural means first but sometimes your body needs a little help. Here are some of my favorite all-natural period supporters. Remember to always consult your health care practitioner before introducing a new supplement or herb.
- Magnesium- This miracle vitamin helps to support your hypothalamus, cope with stress and induces sleep. It’s really a miracle vitamin that so many of us are low in.
- Ashwagandha- This is an adaptogen which means it reacts to your body’s natural chemistry and hormones to promote certain functions of the body. It helps your body manage stress and reduces anxiety which can help return a missing period.
- Dong Quai- this is an herb that promotes blood flow to the pelvis where it can stimulate an absent or scanty period. It also nourishes the blood. It also strengthens circulation which helps to strengthen and balance the uterus.
- Vitex- This is one of my favorite herbs and is an incredible hormone balancer. It is also an adaptogen, so it adapts to a woman’s unique needs. It eases inflammation of the uterus and ovaries, encourages healthy thyroid function and can relieve amenorrhea and return the period to its normal state.
As you can see there are many things you can do to naturally balance your hormones which in turn can help your period to return to its natural state. Having a healthy period is the cornerstone to robust health, balanced hormones, boosted fertility and looking and feeling your best at every age.
If you are struggling with HA or any other hormone or fertility related issue and want to see if my programs could help you to restore your period and your overall hormone and fertility health, let’s chat. Schedule a call with me today…. Book Here
Also check out my free guide to cycle optimizing which will help you start to adopt this new way of living and will restore your period and your health!
Love and health,
Coach Kela
