Could Going on a Diet Have an Effect on Your Period?

Having a period is a natural part of your sexual wellness and wellbeing, but going on a diet can actually play havoc with your cycle. If you are not getting adequate nutrition or enough calories, you can find that this has a direct effect on your menstrual cycle. Dieting usually won’t increase the severity or frequency of your period, but it can make it vanish altogether. If you go back to eating healthily and having a balanced diet, your period will probably resume. You should be aware, though, that missing your period for a length of time can indicate other health issues, so if this happens to you then you would be worthwhile contacting your GP.

 

Dieting so severely that your body weight is extremely low can result in you not having a period, and this condition is called amenorrhea. If you’re very underweight, or if you lose a lot of weight very quickly, the hormonal functions of the body can be interrupted and thrown off. They are then likely to stay this way unless you start providing your body with enough nutrients and calories again.

 

Exercising can also make your period disappear – whether it is on its own or coupled with a diet. In professions such as gymnasts, athletes and ballet dancers, where the training is intense and the body weight has to be kept low, the condition is fairly common. Rigorous exercise can massively reduce your body fat, use up a lot of energy and put lots of stress on the body – all of which can lead to skipped periods.

 

If you continue to exercise and diet to excess in the long term, there is a chance that you could also develop a health issue called female athlete triad. This triad consists of unhealthy eating habits, no period and osteoporosis.

Categories: amenorrhea, body, body weight, diet, nbsp, period, weight

4 Wellness Practises that Every Woman in Her 30s Needs To Do

When you’re in your 30s, it’s easy to put off exercise and good nutrition. You probably put off visiting the doctor until there’s actually a problem with your wellbeing, such as the occasional cold or injury, but not for discussing preventative tests or vitamin programmes. However, optimal wellness is not about waiting for disease to occur and then scrambling for a combative regimen; you need to invest time and energy into your health much as you do in planning for a holiday or even your retirement.

 

1. Find out your family history: You may not like talking about health problems with your Mum, but the illnesses that affect people you’re related to may also affect you, and you can prepare for this. Ask about your parents, siblings and grandparents, checking for types of illness, specific cancers and any history of stroke, heart disease or diabetes. How old was each person when they were affected by the illness? While a heart attack at age 75 is important to take note off, having a parent who suffered at age 45 holds is even more significant to your prevention strategy. It’s not a requirement of women in their 30s to be screened for specific cancers, but you should absolutely talk to your physician if you have a family history. This brings us nicely onto…

 

2. Get screened for cancers and sexual health concerns: According to the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), routine screening is not recommended for ovarian cancer or breast cancer at your age, but you should discuss any concerns you have with your GP. However, when it comes to cervical cancer, a pap smear should be performed every one to three years. You should go for this screening every two years if your physician uses a liquid-based test, or every three if you have had three normal paps consecutively. You only need a test for human papillomavirus (HPV) if you have had an abnormal pap test. Once you hit 40, the USPSTF advises regular mammograms, so bear that in mind.

 

3. Eat well: Wellness often begins at the dinner table, but there are so many superfoods and miracle diet plans that you can be put off before you even begin. However, you’ll be fine so long as you stick to two basic ground rules: 1) Focus on healthy proteins like beans and lean meats. Without enough protein in your diet, your brain doesn’t emit enough dopamine—the neurotransmitter associated with feelings of happiness and romance. Registered dietician Susan Kleiner, PhD, author of Power Eating, notes, ‘An active woman should have at least 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily. Divide your body weight in half, and that is the least amount of protein that you should have in a day.’ 2) Eat AT LEAST five fruits and vegetables a day. This significantly reduces your risks of cancer and heart disease. Make sure you always have healthy options readily available at home and at work.

 

4. Exercise: In your 30s, exercise begins to take on greater importance. Regular activity prevents your metabolism and bone density declining, decreases your cancer risk and provides a natural antidepressant and stress-reliever. Plus, Heather Hausenblas, an associate professor of health sciences at Jacksonville University, argues, ‘Exercise is one of the best ways to improve body image, which affects libido.’ Your libido is affected by mood and self-esteem, both of which can be improved via exercise. Find a programme that you enjoy and start with small time increments, you’ll soon be having so much fun – and such good sex – that you’ll find time in your schedule for more activity!

Categories: body weight, cancer, Diet and Exercise, exercise, family history, health, heart, heart disease, nbsp, screening, specific cancers

Female Cyclist at Risk of Sexual Health Problem?

Various research and studies have shown that riding a bicycle habitually can cause erectile dysfunction in men. A new study suggests that women too can be at risk.

 

A lot of women who are into cycling or spinning classes must have experienced numbness from sitting on a bicycle. The seats are designed in such ways that your body weight will rest on its nose. This compresses your nerves and blood vessels at the genital area. Due to this, men are at greater risk of impotency. However, female cyclists have now been studied closely for this.

 

A study by Yale researches in 2006 consisted of 48 women, each a consistent rider who cycled more than 10 miles per week. They found that the cyclists had less genital sensation when compared to a control group of runners. This study enabled some scientists to believe that just like men riders; women cyclists too might be at a greater risk of sexual problems. The research tried to find out if there are any specific factors that caused soreness and numbness among the women.

 

For the research, the cyclist got their personal bikes into the lab. The bikes were mounted on a stationary machine, the handle bars were positioned as per the cyclist’s convenience and they all were asked to paddle. A device was used to measure sensation in the pelvic area. The females reported whether they felt tingling sensation or numbness while seated on the bicycle.

 

The position of the handlebars contributed a visible notification in the research. While the seats were positioned lower, women reported extra pressure at the perineum, a soft tissue. They also experienced lesser sensation in the pelvic floor. The researchers noticed that the lower the handlebars in relation to the saddle, the more a woman had to lean forward. Due to this a greater percentage of body weight was thrown on the perineum. This occurs when the rider is leaning forward, with her back flat and hands on the drop bars of a track or a road bicycle for a more aerodynamic position.

 

Dr. Marsha K. Guess, an author of the study and an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the Yale School of Medicine said, “We’re basically showing that there may be modifiable risk factors associated with female riders,”. She further added, “This better positions us to educate riders on safe riding practices that may actually be beneficial to reduction of pressure and lost sensation in the pelvic floor.”

 

Steven M. Schrader, a scientist at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health whose early research helped identify bike seat risks for male police officers on bicycle patrol, believes these findings help to analyze the problems faced by female riders. He stated that a long-term study is required on this subject. While delivering speeches over the years about his findings, Dr. Schrader said that women from the audience would approach him sometimes and say, “It’s not just a men’s thing.”

 

“Women are having issues as well,” Dr. Schrader said. His research on male cyclists suggests that in order to reduce the pressure on the perineum, a no nose seat on a bicycle should be preferred. He recommended the male bicyclists ride a no-nose saddle as this would put pressure on the sit bones instead of the perineum.

 

He had a similar opinion for women riders as well. Although Dr. Schrader has not done a research on female riders, he believes that his earlier findings will benefit the women too. A nose-less saddle will take away the pressure from thrusting the soft tissue as the weight will be thrown on the sit bone. He said, “If you don’t put weight there, there’s no pressure.”

Categories: bicycle, body weight, Disorder, dr schrader, female riders, greater risk, nbsp, pelvic floor, Research, sexual, soft tissue, Women