I’d lost my menstrual cycle and was dealing with reactive hypoglycemia, which means that shortly after eating I would get a drop in blood sugar that would leave me shaky, sweaty, nauseous and reaching for more food. I also struggled with digestive issues, dry skin, mood issues, and insomnia. I ending up booking an appointment with a naturopath to get a second opinion. This is when I learned about the female athlete triad, adrenal fatigue and hypothalamic amenorrhea. Hypothalamic amenorrhea is when an established menstrual cycle ceases and is absent for three or more months. Although common in female athletes, hypothalamic amenorrhea is not normal. I had actually known about amenorrhea, as I had been diagnosed with it when I was really struggling with anorexia eight years earlier. At that time, the doctor’s only solution was to put me on the birth control pill. It worked and brought my period back, but it didn’t fix the underlying problem. The female athlete triad results from three linked issues. These include menstrual disturbances/amenorrhea, an energy deficit with or without disordered eating, and bone loss/osteoporosis. I had the amenorrhea and disordered eating, as I’d been struggling with a cycle of restriction and binge eating for years and we just assumed that with my history I had some bone loss as well. This means our bodies are constantly producing cortisol to deal with theses stressors. Over time the body can’t keep up and starts to steal from our sex hormones to produce cortisol, which is known as the pregnenolone steal. The key is finding the right amount of exercise for your body, and don’t be afraid to do more gentle types (like walking outside or yoga) when life is stressful. When we don’t eat enough, our bodies think we’re entering a famine. They slow down our metabolism to conserve energy for life-sustaining needs. Reproduction is not important in this state, and amenorrhea often occurs. Nourishing my body with satiating fats and enough food has given me the building blocks and energy needed to bring my hormones back into balance. As an example, your digestion becomes impaired when you’re in a chronic sympathetic state, which leads to nutrient deficiencies like amino acids. Amino acids are found in protein and are the building blocks to important feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA. Therefore, digestive issues can lead to depression. This domino effect continues as other body systems become affected from the excess stress, including the thyroid. This can lead to issues with mood and weight and cause constipation, hair loss, and fatigue. When I was “skinny,” I couldn’t have cared less about intimacy. I also had to learn to love my body as it was and change my idea of what my body was supposed to look like. I focused on self-love and improved my body image, which made me feel radically sexy with my newfound curves. Truly understanding how our bodies work and focusing on health can help women become empowered in their bodies. When you’re empowered, it’s easier to make choices that support your health long term.
