This Needs Addressing - a long day's journey into the barrenness
The more time you give to something, the more complex that area of your life becomes. It's so with dreams, and I find it to be true for my health, also. The more I read, the more complex and winding a topic it becomes.
The Journey Up to Here
Over the years, I've written here a fair bit about my struggles with hormonal imbalance. It's a subject I've been meaning to return to and inspired by @lizelle's brilliant post here, now I am. I first started thinking seriously in terms of "this needs addressing" about 3-4 years ago when, thanks to a dermatologist's recommendation, I ended up on the Pill. I say "thanks", though it's a decision I ended up regretting soon after, and got off the damn thing after about 9-10 months. A disastrous decision, I know, but then again, at the time, I was young, flighty and didn't know better.
The "fix" vanished, but the question remained. How do we fix this?
After some research, I decided to embark on a primarily carnivore diet that I also documented here in the past and that, for a time, proved quite successful. My periods for the first time ever became a regular occurrence, my skin improved, and I felt quite good overall. However, after an initial impressive rush, I gradually reeled into a slump. My skin started breaking out, my periods once more started keeping their own hours. I thought okay, so that didn't work.
Not only did it not work, things actually started getting worse.
For the first time in my life, I started suffering painful menses and my digestive system was shot to - if you'll pardon the pun - shot to shit. That was by far the worst. I started suspecting issues like IBD/IBS, Crohn's and ulcerative colitis. I tried addressing it with diet, avoiding irritating foods, eating clean, on top of my already quite healthy, active lifestyle. Nothing helped. And yet, I was wary self-diagnosing especially with such a big, major name.
Something didn't quite fit, and while I understood it was normal for guts issues to be linked with the menstrual cycle, something remained at the back of my head saying "it's more than just adjacent, these two bastards are linked".
The Here
"Why don't you just go see a doctor?"
Has been a question received many times.
Personally, I've lost trust in the medical system, and after due dilligence, none of the potential allopathic fixes appeal to me. I don't want to take hormone-regulating medicine of any kind. Besides, it seems to me doctors have a very skewed, one-sided approach to medicine. I don't need a symptom treated, I need the whole thing.
I started looking more into the links between reproductive system - digestive system - psychology. I started looking into trauma and stress, and the effects these have on the body. I saw a wild health crash last year after a hectic period in my life. I started watching myself in terms of a complex human being, keeping an eye on my yang, on my difficulty with embracing my own femininity.
I do believe these things are linked. And if I look around myself, all the women that I know that suffer hormonal difficulties are in one way or another deeply uncomfortable in their position as women. I struggle often with letting go, with staying still, with having patience and receiving. It can't be random.
I also started looking beyond diet, more closely at the different phases of the menstrual cycle, understanding how there isn't a one-size-fits-all for the entirety of the cycle (or at least, this is the theory I'm working with now). I also started examining diet more closely in terms of where in my cycle am I - I wanted to understand why a restrictive initially successful diet crashed.
In some ways, social media helped. I used it as a tool to get in touch with people who, for the first time, suggested to me women's bodies need to be treated differently than men's in terms of diet, carbohydrate intake, workouts, sleep, everything.
I'm trying now to address my body as a wounded female body, not just as a carrier of illness.
I also started reading up on particular hormones, and after some deep diving, concluded I might be suffering a form of estrogen dominance. I found a podcast, the Arc Woman Podcast, which opened my eyes to a bunch of different issues relating to women's health.
I'm still learning.
While still focusing on clean eating, I'm also understanding that's not enough, and have started following a homeopathic/herbal support system tailored to different phases of my cycle. It goes like:
- Turmeric, magnesium glycinate, Cramp Bark, and ginger tea during my menstrual phase - since for me, now, cramps and discomfort have also become problems around this time, I've also got Belladonna and Magnesia Phosphorica (both 30C) to treat cramps and bleeding;
- Zinc, dandelion root tea, Chaste tree berry, and milk thistle for the follicular phase between bleeding and ovulation;
- Maca, mainly, to support me during ovulation;
- Ashwagandha, evening primrose oil ,and chamomile tea for the luteal.
I'm also looking into using Sepia 30C and Pulsatilla 30C to treat hormonal irregularity, except I'm not quite sure how yet.
Maybe I am doing too much.
Or too little.
Or at the wrong time.
I have, in the past, had a bit of success using just ashwagandha, so I'm hopeful. I have faith in teas and plants, and natural forms of healing. Hardest of all for me has been atuning to the rhythm of my cycle in other ways - resting when it's called for, prioritizing sleep and sun. Going slowly.
At least, I'm trying.
Do you have experience in the homeopathic/natural medicine field? If so, I would love a second (third and fourth) opinion or suggestion. I'm taking the liberty to tag @owasco here specifically, as I know she is studying this and would appreciate her input.
Or do you have experience addressing hormonal imbalance, estrogen dominance, menstrual cramps and so on through natural pathways? Would love to hear about it :) Thanks.
And though I've gone off topic today, I can't overlook the fact that today is Tuesday and some tunes are expected. Hiya, @ablaze!
<3
Tumeric and Magnesium are OVERPOWERED. So very good.
Also seems to be a miracle like substance, from all accounts. I am hesitant to try, owing to potential interactions with past medical history.
However, one thing I have no problem using every day creatine. I am so much more lucid (beyond my self termed hyper-lucidity) it is to no compare.
I have heard similar stories like you recount about the carnivore diet - was it only red meat? I would love to do it with fish if fish wasn't so much effort.
Turmeric and magnesium - yes. Ginger, also. So many easy, obvious things that have been in our collective wisdom for ages yet are now commonly overlooked.
Ashwaghanda, yes, is said to br quite powerful so wouldn't fuck around with it unless the symptoms you're looking to treat are worth the hassle. I've never tried creatine on the other hand, but now you ve made me curious. How do you take it?
No, it was red meat only for the first few days, but i decided it was too harsh. I ate a lot of beef the first few months, but also pork, chicken, turkey and yes, fish. Definitely a good idea to at least incorporate more fish into your diet, since it's also a great source of nutrients. I don't know what fish you prefer specifically, but my easiest one so far is baked salmon(or other kinds of fish i m sure work fine), makeshift bag so the juices and oil or whatever don't leak, it's fast and flavorful af)
I like to bake salmon. I usually do it with veggies and a bit of lemon pepper and olive oil. But y'know, the veggies.
We have quite a lot of "good" seafood in South Australia, but there's two problems. Most of it is exported and we never see the stuff, and currently, there's a toxic algae that is having a ripe old time in the ocean waters, killing off so many species of fish.
Nature is having a bit of revenge. Everything in Australia really is trying to kill us all. :)
On the creatine front, I add it to my protein shakes, but I do engage in weight lifting activities every second day. It is one of the most widely used supplements in professional sportspeople (I am not one of those) - it is widely researched, and it is hard to describe how it makes me feel.
The only downside is I need to up my water intake dramatically on the days I have it (I tend to have one day on, one day off) - because it does increase water retention in the muscles, but tends to take it from elsewhere in the body to "fund" that.
I have been consulting a Doctor for more than a decade and she has consistently solved many problems and has a very good hand. I can provide more details, her medicine is expensive but it works nice.
And I myself prepare a natural medicine, with 250 grams each of turmeric, Methi or fenugreek, Sunthi (dry ginger) + 100 gm of Ashwagandha to treat with my bowl problem and it has gone well so far. At times I also mix 100 gm of Ajwain and one more leave from our local.
Going to the doctor for your issues would be a waste of time; my honest opinion! They only prescribe meds that mask the symptoms, not treat the root cause.
I do hope that @owasco can help advise on homeopathic remedies. It's the only way to heal properly.
I need to look into Ashwagandha, it is said to relieve hot flushes in some instances. I've been on HRT patches for years now, only because of that!
We women go from menses, to childbirth, and end with menopause. I now have that "built-in heater" that doesn't want to stop over-heating, don't have any other menopausal issues.
I honestly do not think a man would survive what we go through;)
Sorry guys!
I think you're right about the guys :D and thank you, it's good to hear I'm not just overly paranoid or something.
Ashwaghanda might be worth looking into for sure. I've seen it recommended in general for many women's problems, and since hot flashes and other such symptoms are also a result of changing hormones, I don't see why it wouldn't help. Though it is said to be quite powerful, so proceeding with small doses might be best.
Thanks again for inspiring the post!
@lizelle can't recommend Ashwagandha highly enough. Helps you sleep better too.
I will get some for sure, it a few minutes before midnight and I'm only now winding down!
Thank you for that❤️
I'm so glad you're exploring the natural healing route! My wife has been plagued with pretty horrendous symptoms of long Covid for the past two-and-a-half years and dealing with our conventional healthcare system has been an utter nightmare. One office visit turns into many more visits and loads of prescriptions. The strangest thing, here in America, is doctors aren't educated about proper nutrition at all. This is how deeply compromised our healthcare system is by Big Pharma.
Carnivore is all the rage right now but I'm beginning to see health issues pop up in those people I know who've been on the diet for more than a year or two (kidney/cardiac issues). I eat more grass-fed red meat and pasture-raised eggs than I ever have and feel phenomenal. I also eat veg, fruit, grassfed full fat dairy. I just have, basically, restricted processed carbs, chemicals, and additives.
From the conditions you've described you may want to explore the benefits of nattokinase. You can take the pills or consume the natural form of it, fermented soybeans (just make sure they're organic). These cleanse the blood of spike proteins and help rebalance the female hormones. Covid did some horrendous things to us and many people are still walking around with spike proteins that are ravaging their bodies. Nattokinase helps you get rid of those. It worked wonders for me. I developed a knarly heart murmur after Covid and after two rounds of the fermented soybeans it totally disappeared.
I'm so sorry to hear your wife (and you) are going through this. It seems the more time passes, the more awful side effects crop up from either Covid or the shot. It's just awful.
Thanks very much for the recommendation! I will definitely look into it! I'm glad it worked so well for you;) as for carnivore, indeed, I see more and more people getting on it to the point It's become a trend, which naturally makes me doubtful. Right now, I'm trying for a similar diet to yours. Variety and avoiding ultraprocessed, full of chemicals stuff is definitely key.
Thank you. It certainly has been a challenging past couple of years. We're spending three days at the Mayo Clinic soon and hopefully they've have some answers. So many have been negatively effected by the virus and vaccines—some don't even realize it.
You're welcome! I just ordered another bottle myself. I don't think you're supposed to take it on an ongoing basis but for a few weeks, here and there, with breaks in between. It's more of a cleanse.
I hear about the euphoric period of those who try the carnivore diet when their bodies become "fat adapted" but it's very similar to what vegans say after the first few weeks of restrictive dietary changes. I can't help but wonder if that temporary "euphoric feeling" is triggered by the body in response to any major dietary change? I think the clean, omnivore diet holds up the best under scrutiny. Overly restrictive diets, to me, seem suspect because they can become the catalyst to sell books, products, or put more $$$ into the coffers of certain industries like the cattle/dairy industry.
This.
100%! I began seeing this as well. I remember listening to a podcast with some big Joe whatever promoting this kind of diet and he started lambasting avocados as a scheme to control and manipulate us...I was like, dude. Come on. :))
I'm hoping your time at the Mayo Clinic brings answers (and healing) <3
Following the money is always a great way to sniff these schemes out. "Miracles" are usually revealed to be "snake oil" in the end. Oftentimes, the studies showing the things are beneficial are funding by the very same people/organizations that will profit by the increased sales. They have a new group of "marks" with every generation that comes of age. It'll be interesting to see if it's ever discovered that the carnivore or raw/primal carnivore dietary studies were funded by the cattle industry (which was a very bad shape due to the decades red meat was demonized as unhealthy).
Thank you! The Mayo is the last resort here in the states. If nothing comes of this it'll be time to seek treatment/care overseas. There are some decent clinics in Turkey and Switzerland from what I've read.
Yes yes yes. That's been my life philosophy!!!!
Glad you are finding a way through the long COVID... I found COVID recovery really long anyway and although after a few months I was okay I could see how people could have protracted recovery and get irritated with people who don't believe it's real.
That's my life philosophy too. So many people who start those restrictive diets begin to behave as though they've joined a cult.
Thank you! It's been so far-reaching in our society. So many have suffered from Covid.
Hormonal birth control is absolutely awful for the body. It gives a woman the disease of infertility!
You've got three remedies I thought of after just a quick skim here" Pulsatilla, Sepia and Mag phos, so you are definitely on the right track. (Sepia is more indicated that Pulsatilla because of the hormones you took) Perhaps we could email each other to come up with other ideas, or how to use those remedies you have chosen?
For menstrual cramps, put one dose of Mag phos into a cup of tea-hot water. Sip it while still hot; put it in a thermos if you want to take it with you. This often helps! Start as soon as the cramps begin. You can repeat this as necessary. Eventually the cramps should improve: be less intense, last for shorter periods, and happen less often.
For the rest, I'd have to know more. Conventional diagnoses are very helpful if you can get those, such as what kind of skin irritation it is: psoriasis, eczema, impetigo or what? Crohn's uses a different hoemopathic approach than does IBD, etc.
Your diet sounds good. Many women do not eat nearly enough animal fat for the hormones to be balanced. Don't skimp on butter, cook with lard, try using lard on skin issues. There's lots you can do.
Thank you! It really means a lot, especially coming from someone with a serious background in this stuff. I'm glad to hear I'm on the right track. And thanks for the advice on the cramps, that's great.
Yes on the emails thing! Shoot me a hello at [email protected]?
Sent you another email.
I don't really believe in homeopathy - which is validated personally be the fact it's never worked for me 🤣🤣
There's a plethora of 'cures' out there and it's hard to wade through all the 'research' and what works for one might not work for the other.
I could never ever have done the carnivore diet. Vegetarian most of life and though now I intermittently eat meat it's rare and I love love love my veggies. So no to that much meat 🤮 🤢 Sometimes I think it works initially because you've eliminated everything else that was bothering your system. But then you start feeling the lack! I think any foods that reduce inflammation and certainly no sugar or booze.
But herbs? Yeah!!!! Ashwagandha is a must - regularly. Anything that calms the nervous system. Tons of magnesium - more than you think. Rhodiola. Liver supporting herbs. Turmeric. Anything that support the adrenals.
And I'm far better with good gut health.
I've suffered hormonal imbalance my whole life . Menopause was hell. I had to do HRT because I thought if I didn't I would literally die, and it made a HELL of a difference.
I agree, it seems to be highly subjective, but I figure it's worth trying. Indeed, a lot of people report huge improvements when first going on the diet, but as you say, it's an elimination diet. It's not sustainable in the long term (particularly for women, I don't think).
I'm working more now with reducing inflammation. Do you not drink at all? How did you consume magnesium? Supplements? Rhodiola, I admit I'm unfamiliar with, but will look into it, thank you <3
I'm sorry. (I'm glad you didn't, as you're a pretty damn awesome person to know) ;)
I do drink occasionally but always feel shit for it!!!
Mag supplement... especially in times of stress I up my dose. You need more than you think. Oh and B vitamins but only morning... Watch out they aren't in other supplements as too much b6 can be issue.
I do think the blue zone diets are more reliable.
Hopefully won't die.... It's looming, but not yet xx
Not for a long time, fingers crossed. I was just seeing you over on IG. I love this vibe of setting off into the unknown that you are giving off <3
And thank you for the advice. Very much appreciated. Will start looking for magnesium and B supplements.