Fasting and how it affects your period?

[Aleesha Sattva]

Someone asked me about this and I have no idea. My periods were crazy until I had my hysterectomy early in 2012.

She fasted and had her period come later than usual (5 days late).

What's everyone's experience with this?

[MysticTree]

I haven't fasted enough to be able to give much info. Being raw and soy free has made huge difference -positive; immensely positive. Less pain. More regular. Lighter. I do know that when I was anorexic for a relatively short time in my teens my periods stopped altogether. I think it makes sense that changing your diet changes your cycle. Just cutting out soy will, in my experience, be fantastic. It will settle down :)

[Aleesha Sattva]

i'm not so sure anything made any kind of a permanent difference for me. but again... i didn't have normal nice periods like proper ladies do. LOL mine were more like a dragon flying in and ripping at my flesh. (yes i've been reading novels about knights, kingdoms and dragons again)...

but i agree. soy is baaaaaaad for hormones... really bad.

[MysticTree]

Mine were dragony (though I never thought of it like that before) in the past. Not helped in the least by the pain killers I was prescribed when I was still in my teens which over time landed me in more pain than the periods! I know I will have a rough one next time thanks to my indulgent holiday eating!

[imaquillen]

I have found on longer fasts (30 days) any cravings disappear. My period, when it starts, always surprises me. My periods are typically short with little, if any, pain. During a long fast there is absolutely no pain and the lenght or flow has never changed that I can tell.

[Cookie Monster Gone Raw]

Thanks for starting this thread Aleesha!

A few months ago I did a 7 day juice/smoothie fast from days 7-14 of my normal 29-30 day cycle. I was really surprised when my menstrual cycle did not come until day 35 which is 5 days later then it had ever been before. What surprised me was that I did not really do a long fast and yet it had such a profound effect on my body. I sort of eased my way into the juice fast with smoothies so that it would be a little gentler on my body, so even though I did 7 days of juice and smoothies only 4 of those days were strictly juice.

On day 35 when my period came I was relieved that I was not pregnant and also pleasantly surprised by a short pleasant period. I am glad to hear that my experience was similar to other women’s experiences. In conclusion I believe that maybe because of the fasting my ovulation was delayed by a few days. Next time around I think I will be more scientific about it and track my temperature and maybe use some LH strips to see if my hypothesis is correct.

However, if you are like me and counting your fertile/infertile days as a means of birth control, you should adjust your calendar for fasting and don’t be surprised if your menstrual cycle comes late.