Loss of periods..

[LilacLavender]

My cycle went from short cycles with long periods to long cycles with short ones...without the cramps. Definitely attributing that to raw.

[kdobell]

I dealt with anorexia for several years and my doctors told me that it was really unhealthy when I lost my period. I just recently got it back (Yay!) after not having one for over 2 years and I'm feeling a lot healthier. I do know that not having a period can cause bone density loss because I now have early stages of osteoporosis in my spine and I'm only 17.

[SweetTangerine]

Should I be worried that I haven't had a period since June 29th? I have only been raw for about a month so I would think it is to early to be clean enough to not have one. My periods have been irregular before and I know I am not pregnant. I also had my usual PMS issues a few weeks ago... just no period to follow.

[margoss]

Mine is very light now. The last regular one I had was after the first month of raw & increase exercise. I still have the body aches/symptoms, it's just very light. I am 46 & it's been decreasing the last few yrs to 2-3 days & light.

[rawmiss]

I always heard that the reason that women live longer than men is that there is dextoxing that happens during the period. That's why everything changes after menopause, our monthly trash bin no longer gets emptied.

[Rose J.]

I think this is a very interesting idea...it kinda makes sense, but it's not something that would have occurred to me! It kinda puts a different perspective on it.

[margoss]

I shared this with one of my guy friends. His reply was to be careful with this diet bc he's concerned about me. Bleeding is 'cleaning out your body. You need bleed real good for several days & have cramps. That's normal'. I sent him some sites I was reading. Waiting for his reply.

[holistica]

so I keep reading around the forums taht a lot of women stop menstruating and that they have read that this is normal. That we aren't supposed to bleed every month, but instead just have a change in cervical mucus... where is this information coming from? Any resources you could share would be greatly appreciated. '


Thanks.

Anyone read this article: Periods, They May Be "Normal," But Are They Healthy?

[Lunar*Fey]

Personally, I don't agree with the idea that we aren't meant to have periods. Not too long ago, I wouldn't have made such a statement. But through my own experiences I have found this to be untrue, at least, as I said, in my own experience.
I know many girls who lost their periods due to very low weight or due to not consuming adequate nutrients and dietary fat. One of these girls was raw vegan. She lost her period and felt very unhealthy. Her hormones were not functioning properly and she experienced fairly rapid bone deterioration. Her hair thinned, she had little interest in boys, etc. All resulting, at least partially, from hormonal imbalances. Her parents forced her to start eating cooked foods again and she still did not get her period back after a year and a half of an average teenage cooked food diet (SAD vegetarian). She did not feel healthy at all but gained weight (not a bad thing at all in her case). Then she went raw again and after a half a year got her period back! She finally felt healthier and her bone density increased after a year of having her period. She got her period back once she switched to raw foods and still has it as a raw foodist.

Similarly, I didn't get my period until about 7 months ago and I only got it after I had been raw a while and really felt a lot healthier after getting my period.

In addition, when I am eating really well and getting adequate vitamin intake and variety, including enough healthy fats, my period tends to be comfortable and cleansing. When I am not eating as well in such respects I become bloated and experience painful, uncomfortable periods.

[Amii]

I studied anorexia nervosa very in-depth during my A-level Psychology, and loss of periods is in fact the 4th diagnostic criteria to meet anorexia - specifically, if you have missed more than 3 periods in a row, you have amenorrhea.
And I've only heard of this happening to people who have extremely low body fat or some kind of hormonal problem. To me, that would suggest losing your period is anything BUT natural.

I know I wouldn't want to lose my period. We all complain about the inconvenience it causes and say we'd much rather do without it, but I think what we really mean is we would prefer a painless, light period rather than none at all. Or maybe that's just me?!

^ holistica, I have read that article. I think what they were saying did make sense, although I still don't accept their theory...

[Rufassa]

...and loss of periods [visable proof of their menstrual cycle] is in fact the 4th diagnostic criteria to meet anorexia... To me, that would suggest losing your periods [entire menstrual cycle] is anything BUT natural.

It seems likely that many of the people who have recently chimed in may not have read earlier post. The point wasn’t that a menstrual cycle was unnatural, only the discomfort and bloody discharge that accompanies them in most modern women. If you define period as one’s complete menstrual cycle, including ovulation, then I think everyone here agrees with you, in saying that that’s not what you want, but this is not what has been being debated. Did these women continue to ovulate when they lost their periods; would these women you referenced still be considered sick if they could otherwise prove that they were ovulating regularly?

... although they often correlate, your bloody discharge is not the same as having a cycle. Theoretically you can ovulate and discharge you menses without ever seeing blood. This doesn’t mean that you won’t have a cycle it just means that you want have a bloody discharge. And this would be an indicator of great health. BUT, if you put your body under too much stress, like your malnutrition (or anorexia) example, then your body will stop ovulating all together and that is a sign of very poor health. BIG DIFFERENCE

Question to Amii and Lunar, can you see the difference between healthy menstrual cycles that include ovulation though void of pain and blood discharges and a woman’s body that completely shuts down reproductive function due to stress; or do you consider these one in the same.

Earlier Sources:
http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/repr...ngnorance.html
http://againstscience.com/2008/12/31...eligions-said/

[EternityRider]

This is from the unforgettable testimony of Teresa Mitchell. She was an Arnold Ehret disciple. Ehret's "Mucusless Diet Healing System" was a forerunner to the raw food movement. I do not take any particular position on menstrual cycles. I don't believe everything I read, but the partial testimony (below) is amazing, and I believe it.

Teresa - cure of several health problems

Teresa Mitchell gives her testimonial in Rational Fasting by Professor Arnold Ehret. Teresa was born in Hungary and came to the United States, after World War One.

In the United States she had everything in abundance, milk, meat and pastries. Soon Teresa became unhealthy and problems forced her to see the doctor. The doctor believed that her problems were due to the big changes in her eating habits.

Has she carried on feeling bad, she started reading books on diet and vegetarian diets were the ones that interested her the most.

Gradually she applied the diet suggestions to her eating habits and the results were gratifying. She gave up her reading glasses after she had been using them for three years. She joined a Hiking Club and learned to enjoy climbing mountains and spending the day close to Nature’s secrets.

Teresa found out of a book called the Mucusless Diet Healing System, written by Prof. Arnold Ehret. She went on the transition diet for a few months and felt remarkable results. The healing process was a miracle. Two years went by and she remained on the diet as well as on the breathing exercises recommended on the book.

Finally it was time to take a big step for complete healing. Many doubts arose, Teresa was afraid to make such a big change. After speaking to other people who were also interested in health diets, she found out that none of them had taken the diet until the end. She was also told that she would be sick and that isolation would take place, as nobody would understand her.

After a lot of thought she finally decided to take the diet until the end, which was extremely difficult as the only jobs she could find were in restaurants. When people found out at her work she was looked as a freak, but she remained on the diet to the end.

She lost considerable weight. Yet there were many indications of general improvement in her health giving her strength to carry on. Her skin became firm and smooth, her eyes became brighter and a new feeling of exhilaration took place. Her voice became much clearer. She did not miss any day of her work and found strength to perform all her duties. After nine months on a strict diet Teresa felt wonderful. People usually remarked on her natural and spontaneous smile.

One night after a supper of grapes, she was awakened by a sensation of fullness in her throat. She threw up a sticky clear substance. After, she felt a new sense of well-being.

During this period of cleaning and elimination she was never fatigued, her rest was complete and when she awoke she felt an indescribable clear-headedness. Thinking was becoming increasingly easier, concentration had become more acute, and neither noises nor confusion could distract her thinking. Many daily temptations had to be overcome, such as the desire for foods, but she learned to say no. Her menstrual periods only occurred at six-month intervals, and when they did come, she felt no nervous reaction or pain. Their duration was very short.

It was her looks, her general appearance, which showed the greatest improvement. Despite a loss of weight, she did not look skinny. She had a slender body, her face was gently rounded and her skin was like a baby. She felt happy and a glow of radiance seemed to emanate from her, since people continually remarked about it. She felt complete calmness and confidence.

At the age of fifty three Teresa could do all her housework and she felt fine and wonderful, without any feeling of pain or illness.

Teresa truly believed that more and more people will make the change to the [raw] diet. She thought this was a wonderful diet where all five senses become keener and the feeling is fantastic. It was difficult for her to see people overeating and the misery they lived in, due to their diet.

[Saloarraply]

there are several things you can do to boost your metabolism, but ultimately genetics will decide what will happen. I think age may cause some problems with weight loss/gain in terms of metabolism, but it all comes down to your diet. If you have a bad diet then you will have a problem losing weight.

[Nikita]

I've been about 98% raw for 2 weeks now, and I've missed my period this week. I'm about 5 days late now. At first I thought it was coming, because I experienced some mild cramping which usually indicates for me that it's going to start within a day or 2, but so far nothing, and the symptoms went away.

It seems like losing your period (bleeding) can be considered normal on a raw diet, but it seems a little early to be losing mine. Has anyone else experienced this? I plan to see the doctor this weekend about it (pregnancy test and whatnot) but I know from experience that the typical western doctor isn't helpful from a nutritional standpoint.

Also, I haven't experienced any severe weight loss (if any), and I'm eating enough fat for sure. I'm also not exercising heavily. I'm concerned because I've always been very regular until this point. Could it just be the 'shock' on my body from being raw so suddenly?

Anyone have anything to say about this?

[Amii]

^ Hmm, you know what after reading your post I just realised something... after I started upping my percentage of raw I started to have shorter periods (longer cycles, but the bleeding reduced from 7 days to about 5). I started to get what you're getting, the cramping when it's due but no period. This month I was about 2 weeks late so I did a pregnancy test about 4 days ago because I wsa freaking out about it but my period did come in the end. More cramping then usual though which I'm not happy about!