3 Ways I Shortened My Periods and Lightened My Flow

I woke up and I was bleeding.

I thought, okay cool! It’s been 6 months since I had a period, I can deal with this.

It had been so long, I guess I had forgotten how shitty it was to experience a period in my body.

Being in 10th grade, I had graduated from my days of using pads, and my mom had finally let me start to use tampons.

I got myself ready, put in the tampon, knocked back a couple of extra-strength Advil liqui-gels and walked to school.

I felt decently tired and woozy through the day, although my pain was kept mostly at bay by the drugs.

I was out of class for lunch, I’d gone to my locker and was gonna have a tinkle before joining my friends in a cafeteria.

In the bathroom I realized I was leaking….not just into my underwear, but it was so bad I was leaking right onto my jeans! Thankfully, it hadn’t yet come through to the outside of the fabric yet, but I knew I needed a tampon.

And of course- the one time my period actually comes, I’m not prepared and had no more tampons.

So I wrapped a bunch of toilet paper around the crotch of my underwear and, mildly panicked, briskly walked into the cafeteria to hit up my girlfriends for some period stuff.

Of course, none of my close friends had any pads or tampons. So I widened the search and finally got a light-flow pad. Basically a whole lot of nothing for the level of bleeding I was experiencing.

I used it anyways. And I piled more toilet paper on top of that. I was completely distracted and anxious for the rest of the day- could people tell I was on my period? Did I look like a hot, sweaty, nervous mess?

Was the blood gonna stain the chair I was sitting on?

All the thoughts constantly swirling. I made it home a few hours later, having piled more toilet paper into my undies, where I was able to put in another tampon.

My heavy bleeding continued for another 9 days. 9 days of panic, embarrassment, dizziness and faking feeling fine.

It was a complete nightmare. And this experience isn’t the only time- my periods right from puberty, were always extremely heavy and took forever to go away!

My girlfriends had 4 and 5 day periods. When I told them I would bleed for 7-10 days at a time, they pretty much looked at me like I was crazy.

It wasn’t until I was older, had been diagnosed with PCOS and was a nutritionist that I understood what was causing my prolonged and very heavy cycles.

Once I knew WHAT was going on, it was soooo easy to fix it. Now my periods come like clockwork, don’t require ANY Advil, and are max 5 days long, with only 1 semi-heavy day.

Once I got into consulting with clients, I realized there were so many women out there who had it even worse!

Awhile back I had a client who would bleed for 60 days straight, very heavy the entire time. It would stop for maybe a week, and continue for another 60 days! She went on like this for a very long time before we started working together and stopped her excessive flow.

Maybe you can relate?

I want you to know that heavy, prolonged bleeding is NOT NORMAL. It’s not healthy. You do not have to put up with this forever.

Below I’m sharing 3 ways that I personally shortened my periods and lightened the flow!

3 Ways I Shortened My Periods and Lightened My Flow

#1 Cruciferous Veggies

Cruciferous vegetables have an amazing affinity for helping to balance hormones. They work on the liver, making sure that excess estrogen is metabolized and detoxified properly. One of the ways in which they do this is through a compound known as DIM.

You may have heard of DIM as a supplement, but let’s get it from veggies, yes?

Cruciferous veggies like broccoli (and more) also have tons of fibre, so they helped me to have regular poops. If you don’t poop enough, estrogen will build up in your body, and old estrogens will be recirculated.

For me personally, estrogen dominance was a major factor in my bleeding, and daily use of these veggies helped me bring that hormone back into balance which resulted in better periods for me!

For these very reasons, I use a huge variety of these veggies in the meals that the Cysters in my PCOS Bootcamp program enjoy during our time together.

#2 Castor Oil Packs

Another strategy pulled right from my PCOS Bootcamp program, castor oil packs are not to be underestimated.

I used these regularly, about 2-3 times per week (except when bleeding) for months while I was fixing my periods.

Not only did my flow lighten, I didn’t get anymore clots and my pain levels reduced significantly.

I recommend some form of castor oil pack for almost all the Cysters in my PCOS Bootcamp because it’s so incredibly easy and the results are 100% worthwhile.

#3 Vitamin C

I used to think vitamin C was for colds and flus. If you’re sick, take vitamin C!

I didn’t realize the power of vitamin C to heal hormones until I was in nutrition school.

I began to take a vitamin C supplement every day because I learned that it could strengthen the capillaries in my uterus to stop and shorten blood flow.

I also discovered that vitamin C supports the adrenals and production of progesterone- the sister hormone to estrogen that needs to be in balance so that periods come on time and aren’t hell once they get here.

How I Got My Period Back

My very first period at the age of 12 was a nightmare. It came on the very same day my maternal grandfather, my Papa, passed away. It was completely unexpected, and because my mom was in a state of shock – I had no one to ask about what I was experiencing.

From that moment on, my periods were always shitty. Many long days of heavy bleeding, pain that made me want to vomit and irregular like a sunny day in Canadian winter.

At 16, I went on the pill for contraceptive reasons. This was the first time in my life my periods were actually “regular”, although at the time no one told me I wasn’t having a “true” period.

Fast forward 7 years, and I’m in nutrition school where I learned about the potential negative effects of birth control. It scared the shit out of me- I didn’t want cancer, blood clots and infertility!

That was the last day I ever took a birth control pill.

Four months later, and still no period. I couldn’t understand it, why after so many years of “regular periods” on the pill, was I feeling like a moody lunatic and not bleeding?

My doctor (upon much prodding) did some testing, and I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

Well, that’s great- but it did nothing to bring back my periods. Neither did my physician’s suggestion of more birth control, and Metformin.

I was lost, I felt completely out of control.

I was working in a health food store at the time, and I tried everything. I ate all the organic stuff in the store. I spent my whole paycheck on supplements.

I consulted with a friend and colleague of mine- she was kind of like the ‘mom’ in that workplace, always with the right advice, and chilled out demeanour. Still nothing.

I can’t even explain the relief when I finally got my first period off the pill– it was like my whole body and mind had reset in an instance.

But it was short-lived. My next period didn’t arrive for 3 more months.

I felt defective, like not a “real” woman. Not at all feminine, and really just plain broken.

How did I ever get here at the tender age of 23? Why could other women – older, younger, skinnier, fatter than me – not even have to think about their periods?

Why would their periods just show up, and they could still look stunning and carry on like shit-all was happening?

Ugh, the tears I cried.

And back again I went into the vicious cycle of being moody for no good reason, hiding my ever-increasing cystic acne, and feeling like an overstuffed tube of toothpaste in my clothes- squishing and squeezing out of every nook and cranny.

Over that three month time period, I discovered a few things about periods and PCOS. I discovered that there were some underlying contributing factors to my lack of cycles, to the irregularity and other symptoms I was experiencing.

Now, about 6 years later, I easily maintain predictable periods. They are super easy too- no more vomit-inducing pain, no more heavy flow.

Four days of bleeding bliss, if you can imagine it.

I want you to experience this bleeding bliss too, beautiful lady.

Below I’m sharing 3 things I used to get my period back. These simple strategies are what made me feel human again. Womanly again. Worthy again.

These simple strategies are what the women in my PCOS Bootcamp program use to bring their periods back too.

3 Strategies I Used to Bring Back My Period

#1: Healthy Fats at Breakfast

This was the very first thing I did. Up until this point, I had no idea that fats were healthy. I totally believe in the low-fat myth- that eating fat would make me fat and make me die an early death.

But the thing was- I WAS fat, even though I was hardly getting any fat from my diet. #WTF

So I started by eating high-fat smoothies, using things like coconut oil and almond butter. Sometimes I would make a “bulletproof” tea, or have eggs and bacon.

And then my periods started coming every 45-60 days, instead of every 90-120 days.

Research told me that blood sugar and insulin resistance were key things to address for PCOS, and the fats were doing just that.

Now, balancing blood sugar issues with foods (like healthy fats) is the very first thing modified in diet and lifestyles for the women in my PCOS Bootcamp program- so they too can have healthy, regular menstrual cycles.

#2: Yoga, Yoga, Yoga!

For whatever reason, I couldn’t seem to get my cycles below 40 days after about a year of trying and using more healthy fats.

I was experiencing a lot of anxiety, and feelings of worthlessness because I wasn’t able to get my period to that “perfect” 28 day cycle – I mean, I was a nutritionist! Talk about shame.

One day, I decided for my mental health it would be better if I focused on my mental/emotional well-being, instead of obsessing over ovulation and periods.

So I started doing yoga every day. Sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes 90 minutes- whatever I had the time and energy for.

And I finally broke 40 days – I had a 38 day cycle.

I literally cried my eyes out – I couldn’t believe it! How could my periods get better even though I wasn’t focusing on them?

I realized it must be stress (and how I reacted to it). I dug deeper into this and found that stress (and the resulting stressed-out body) would prevent my body from being able to produce the right hormones to keep my periods coming like clockwork.

Now, I use this same insight and strategy with the Cysters in my PCOS Bootcamp program to help them manage stress in a healthy way so their bodies can do what they need to do- ovulate and bleed on the reg.

#3: Smart Supplementation

I wasn’t totally satisfied though – I wanted an even more regular cycle. I wasn’t necessarily shooting for the “perfect” 28 day cycle anymore, as by then I knew you can have healthy, regular, fertile cycles without them being 28 days long.

But I wanted under 35 days. Yoga and fats weren’t doing it.

So I turned to supplements.

I’d already used a mountain of different supplements, most of them doing nothing at all. So much money I wasted trying to figure this out!

So I thought- how can I support my body in a similar way as the fats and yoga, but with supplements? How can I choose supplements with similar actions to bring my periods even closer together?

And immediately I thought: blood sugar. From everything I’d researched, blood sugar imbalance and insulin resistance were really at the core of PCOS.

And this is exactly why adding the healthy fats to my diet was so helpful.

A supplement for blood sugar! This must be exactly what I need. More insulin sensitivity support for my body, and for my poor, confused ovaries.

Through my research I discovered inositol, a member of the B vitamin family, that is well-researched in having huge potential benefits for PCOS.

But there were two types of inositol, so which one should I choose?

Then I found it. Like a beacon of light in the middle of a dark, black ocean.

A product, without fillers, or weird extra ingredients, that contained both forms of inositol in the exact ratio needed for the body. It’s called Ovasitol.

I began taking that, and had my first ever 30 day cycle.

It’s now the #1 supplement I recommend for the women in my PCOS Bootcamp program.

My relationship with my period is much different now, much better. She and I have an understanding- if I give her what she needs (healthy food, adequate rest, movement and self-care), she will give me what I need – a healthy, regular menstrual cycle that allows me to be ME.

This is always my goal and my MISSION when I’m supporting other PCOS Cysters on their journeys, and exactly why I created my PCOS Bootcamp program.

Are You Exercising Right For Your PCOS?

Guest Post by Despina Pavlou.

We all know exercise is important for our PCOS and overall health. However, you probably didn’t know that the type of exercise you are undertaking may be doing you more harm than good. Along with good nutrition, exercise is also a key component when trying to manage your PCOS.

If you have ever asked yourself, why am I not losing weight or why isn’t my PCOS improving, I am eating well and exercising, what is going on? A possible reason is that the type of exercise you are doing is not helping your hormones and in turn your PCOS.

Not One Type of PCOS

There is not one type of PCOS and therefore there is no best or standardised exercise program that can be given. Furthermore, we are all different, our bodies are not the same. So what works for one person, may not work for you.

As a result of the different types of PCOS, you have to undertake the exercise that takes into consideration your type of PCOS.

Insulin Resistant PCOS

Insulin Resistant PCOS is the most common type of PCOS. It is estimated that 70% of women with PCOS also suffer from insulin resistance (1).

Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas, one of insulin’s many roles is to keep blood sugar levels under control. Cells in the body will burn glucose for fuel, but will also be sent to the liver.

Insulin is a like a key, it unlocks the door to allow glucose to enter the cells to be used as energy. However, if you are insulin resistant, insulin (the key), is faulty. Which means the cells have become resistant to the effects of insulin and instead of the glucose being used as energy, it builds up in the blood and gets stored as fat. Insulin resistance is when the cells in the body have trouble absorbing glucose in the blood and as a result, there is a build-up of sugar.

A high level of insulin causes the ovary to produce excess amounts of testosterone. This, in turn, causes PCOS symptoms, such as infertility, irregular periods, hair loss and acne.

Best Exercise for Insulin Resistant PCOS?

Countless studies have found both Resistance Training and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to be the best forms of exercise for this type of PCOS.

What is Resistance Training?

Resistance training is any exercise that causes the muscles to contract, in turn resulting in increased muscle mass, strength and endurance. You probably read that and thought, well this isn’t for me. A lot of women believe that weight training causes you to look ‘bulky’, however, this isn’t true. While women with PCOS do have an elevated level of testosterone, it is still not enough to build muscle like men.

The Benefits of Resistance Training for PCOS

If I still have not put your mind at rest and got you pumped and excited to lift some heavy weights, these benefits will.

Reduces insulin resistance

While any type of training is great for insulin resistance, studies have found that having more muscle increases your overall demand for energy. A study found that each 10% increase in muscle was associated with an 11% relative reduction in insulin resistance (2).

Research suggests that muscle mass can effectively increase glucose storage, facilitate glucose clearance from the circulation, and reduce the amount of insulin required to maintain a normal glucose tolerance (3).

Reduces testosterone

Research has found that resistance training can help lower levels of testosterone in women with PCOS (4). As a result of the reduction of insulin this, in turn, helps to lower testosterone levels.

High-Intensity Interval Training

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the second form of exercise that research has identified as being beneficial for insulin resistance. HIIT is a vigorous form of exercise, which involves full bursts of energy along with a short or active recovery period.

An Example of HIIT Workout

HIIT sessions often last for 25 minutes or less:

3 minutes of warm-up
10 sprints of 60 seconds, with 60 seconds of recovery
2 minutes of cool down

Researchers found that HIIT completed over the course of 10 weeks improved insulin resistance. A further study examining the effects of HIIT on women with insulin resistance and PCOS found that after 12 weeks of HIIT cardio, undertaken three times a week resulted in a reduction in waist and hip circumference (5).

High-intensity interval training increases insulin sensitivity as a result of the body expending glucose and then allowing blood glucose to enter the muscle cells. This, in turn, helps to lower the risk of developing diabetes.

Your HIIT Workout

There is no best HIIT workout, simply ensure you choose a workout that uses a range of muscles, such as sprints, rowing, boxing. Furthermore, most importantly, when it comes to creating your HIIT workout your initial fitness and experience is important. Therefore, if you are a beginner it is important to start off slow and gradually increase the intensity, duration and sets.

Adrenal PCOS

Androgens are not only produced by the ovary, it is estimated that 20-30% of women with PCOS have adrenal androgen excess (6).

In todays busy and fast-paced society, stress is experienced every day, whether it be from work, relationships or simply sitting in traffic. Stress levels are often not elevated the same way they would have been triggered during the time of our ancestors.

Cortisol, one of the primary stress hormones, is released by the adrenal glands. The stress hormone is triggered as a result of the fight-or-flight response. Stress or fear causes the body to automatically respond to ensure survival from any threat.

During the fight-or-flight response, cortisol increases blood sugar (the source of energy needed to survive) and shuts down anything within the body that is unnecessary, such as reproductive functions. The surge in blood sugar caused by the increase in cortisol also leads to an increase in insulin.

Stress causes the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine, along with 3 androgen hormones; DHEA, testosterone and androstenedione. Research has also found that DHEA can be converted into Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is what causes hair loss and hair thinning in women with PCOS (7).

The Effects of Chronic Stress

Long-term stress can cause an increase in the release of androgens, but also cortisol resistance, leading to adrenal fatigue or “burnout”. This is where the cells become resistant to the effects of the hormone. Therefore, if the body becomes resistant to cortisol you will not have the energy you are meant to have, for example in the morning cortisol is high, which is what makes us wake up.

Exercise for Adrenal PCOS

If you are struggling with fatigue or you feel tired after training, you may have to adjust or cut down on your workouts and their intensity. Endurance and intense exercise cause the body to produce increased amounts of cortisol. Exercise intensities between 80% and 90% of VO2 max, cause elevated cortisol levels to be secreted (8).

If you are someone who is looking to lose weight, this may sound counterproductive. However, what happens when you reduce your intensity and exercise is that the weight actually starts coming off, due a decrease in your cortisol levels. Therefore, do not panic, I am not telling you to completely put an end to all exercise.

Low-intensity exercise (40%) does not result in significant increases in cortisol levels. Instead, it reduces circulating cortisol levels (8). Therefore, aim to include more low-intensity exercise into your workout routine, such as walking, yoga, swimming.

Summary

There is not one type of PCOS and therefore it is important to know which type you have before you delve into a workout program as it may be doing you more harm than good. Resistance training and HIIT are two great exercises for women who suffer from insulin resistant PCOS, as a result of glucose expenditure. Whereas low-intensity exercise is more beneficial for women who suffer from adrenal PCOS, as cortisol levels do not increase significantly, compared to HIIT.

Sources

(1) Ovalle, F and Azziz, R. (2002). Insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Fertility and Sterility. 77(6),1095-1105. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028202031114

(2) Srikanthan P, Karlamangla AS. (2011). Relative muscle mass is inversely associated with insulin resistance and prediabetes. Findings from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 96(9):2898-903. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21778224

(3) Cuff, DJ., Meneilly, GS., Martin, A., Ignaszewski, A., Tildesley. HD., Frohlich, JJ. (2003). Effective Exercise Modality to Reduce Insulin Resistance in Women With Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care Association Journal. Available from: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/26/11/2977 . 26(11): 2977-2982. [Accessed 11 February 2017].

(4) Miranda-Furtado, CL., Picchi Ramos, FK., GS Kogure, Santana-Lemos BA., Ferriani RA., Calado RT., dos Reis RM.(2016). A Nonrandomized Trial of Progressive Resistance Training Intervention in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Its Implications in Telomere Content. Reproductive Sciences. Available from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1933719115611753 . 23(5) 644-654. [Accessed 10 February 2017].

(5) Liza Haqq, Josh Denham, Gudrun Dieberg, Jim McFarlane, Neil Smart . (2016). Effects of high intensity interval training on insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. University of New England. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319154178_Effects_of_high_intensity_interval_training_on_insulin_resistance_in_women_with_polycystic_ovarian_syndrome

(6) Kumar, A., Woods, SK., Bartolucci, AA., Azziz, R. (2005). Prevalence of adrenal androgen excess in patients with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Clinical Endocrinology.62(6), 644–649. Available from: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2265.2005.02256.x/full

(7) Androgen therapy in women. European Journal of Endocrinology. 1541-11. Available from: http://www.eje-online.org/content/154/1/1.full

(8) Hill EE, Zack E, Battaglini C, Viru M, Viru A, Hackney AC. (2008). Exercise and circulating cortisol levels: the intensity threshold effect. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation. 31(7):587-91. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18787373

Despina Pavlou is the founder of PCOS and Nutrition and a certified personal trainer. She takes a holistic and evidence-based approach to both nutrition and training. She believes both diet and lifestyle modifications are an effective approach to managing PCOS and its symptoms.

On her website, you will find tips on how to treat PCOS with lifestyle, diet, and supplement changes, as well as recipes. You will also find a host of general health and wellness information.

The Problem With Birth Control Pills + IUDs for Endometriosis

When it comes to “treating” endometriosis, the traditional medical system generally uses one of two avenues to “correct” the hormone imbalances present in endo in hopes of reducing pain and other symptoms.

The first is hormonal birth control, in the form of the pill, the patch, the shot or an IUD. The second is surgery, usually a laparoscopy or in more severe cases, a hysterectomy.

In this article I’m going to shed some light on why the various forms of hormonal birth control like the Pill and IUDs can be problematic for Endometriosis, despite what doctors may say.

I hope that this information is useful and helps you to come to a confident decision as to whether these medications are right for you or not.

Increases Inflammation

If you’ve read my post on why endo is so painful then you know that Endometriosis is in large part a condition of inflammation, and resulting immune dysfunction and pain.

So, it makes sense that when we want to naturally reduce endo pain and symptoms, decreasing inflammation is an important step, and one I heavily work on with my private clients.

When using birth control, inflammation rises. In one study, researchers looked at women using the Pill and their levels of the well-known inflammation marker, c-reactive protein. In this study, oral contraceptive use was the strongest predictor of low-grade inflammation in the body, and was quite prevalent compared to women not using birth control, and also compared with men.

More inflammation potentially means more symptoms in the case of endometriosis.

Gut Problems

Use of birth control has been linked to changes in our microbiome, or the environment in our gut. We need a delicate balance of “good” bacteria, or probiotics, to “bad” bacteria, like pathogenic viruses, yeasts, etc. When there’s too much bad, two things happen (well more than two, but two very relevant elements to endo).

First, imbalances in our gut microbiome impairs estrogen metabolism. Women with endometriosis are often estrogen dominant (too much estrogen in relation to progesterone), and this increased estrogen can develop into more endo tissue.

Second, gut bug imbalance (aka dysbiosis) leaves your body a breeding ground for inflammation- which we already know is a big no-no for endometriosis.

Bonus: The pill has also been linked to causing depression, due to nutrient depletion and dysbiosis, among other things.

Hormonal Imbalance

Using hormonal birth control like the pill or an IUD creates hormonal imbalance. True, doctors will often give it for this very purpose- to keep estrogen from going crazy and to stop periods altogether.

However, this is counterproductive.

When using hormonal birth control, you do not ovulate. Therefore, any bleeding you have between pill packs is known as “breakthrough bleeding”. This is because in order to have a true period, you must ovulate. No ovulation = no period.

When you purposely prevent your body from ovulating, your body will not have the normal ups and downs of estrogen and progesterone through the cycle.