Loss of periods..

[kileyc]

has anyone had a problem with polycystic ovary syndrome relating to their periods and raw food?

[ReneeH]

I thought this thread was interesting because I acually skipped my last period that was due on January 2nd. Now, it's almost time for my next one in a couple of days... (4 weeks late...) and I have ZERO symptoms...though I stopped having PMS months ago when I got more serious about RAW... I was reluctant to tell anyone (why, I don't know), but reading this thread was comforting... I'm definitely NOT pregnant, but since my last FAST a week ago, my body feels "different"... Not sure what's going on....

[Amii]

I actually think that's good news Renee! Not that you're late but that you had no symptoms, congrats

[Raw.N.It.Out]

I found this thread to be quite useful & lot's of very good discussions!! :) I find myself leaning towards what Ruffas (did I get that right?) has said. That we can still ovulate every month & not bleed. Which would be nice. We all need to find out I guess what works for our bodies, if either we are ill & not bleeding/ovulating.

I have never heard this as being normal. A loss of your period is called amenorrhea, which is caused by low body fat percentage, which is not a good thing. It can lead to osteoperosis and decreased sexual desires, as well as hair loss. Eating enough fat will ensure this does not happen.

I know this from Experience! I was anorexic for about 8 months and this happened to me.

I am curious about this, & need to look further into this for myself, since I am now only currently struggling with some of these things. Time for another check up!

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.

How is one tested for this, the osteoporosis?

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!

I am having something unusual happening the last couple of weeks. I have been having aches in my lower back & pelvis region along with my normal chocolate cravings & I swear I felt like I had my T.O.M. for a couple of days, yet no blood. No spotting. I am not even 100% Raw. I am NOT pregnant. I have just stopped taking the PILL a little over a month ago, after my last T.O.M. & usually I would have it again with not going back onto it. Yet I have not. I will wait this out a little bit more, & see what happens. I still need to make a Doctor's appointment. I am going to become higher Raw in the next couple of weeks here. I don't ever plan on going back on the pill again. I did it for acne.

[EatDanceLive]

Just to give this question my two cents, I have to say that NOTHING has made my period lighter and more regular than the raw diet has (and I now feel ZERO systems like bloating, PMS, cramps, anymore... sometimes I even forget I'm on it! This is contrast to be being literally bed-ridden for the first 1-2 days of my period since I was 12).

I did skip a period and that had an irregular one right after I made the shift to raw foods (also when I went vegan), but I think that was just my body getting used to what was going on... big dietary changes tend to do that!

Hope you've gotten the advice you need from all of these answers :)

[Shels]

So, I waded through this thread faithfully for a while, but after a lot of debate without a lot of answers I figured I'd go ahead and post my own questions - I'm sorry if they're redundant.

First off, have any of you stopped menstruating permanently since going raw? (I went veg in January, and then gradually raw since then). I have yet to menstruate since then.
(The only other time this has ever happened to me was from malnutrition when I was fifteen, but it came back after a few months).

If so, have you had any detrimental side effects? (Except for lack of libido, I'm well aware of that one by now ).

Also, I have lots of hair loss. Everyone seems to think that this is because of a fat deficiency, but I assure you I eat lots of raw fats - probably too many - and even some that aren't entirely raw (cheese, chocolate).
What other deficiency might be at fault besides fat?

P.S.
Does anyone happen to know what the test is for premature menopause?

[drolemil]

Just to give this question my two cents, I have to say that NOTHING has made my period lighter and more regular than the raw diet has (and I now feel ZERO systems like bloating, PMS, cramps, anymore... sometimes I even forget I'm on it! This is contrast to be being literally bed-ridden for the first 1-2 days of my period since I was 12).

I did skip a period and that had an irregular one right after I made the shift to raw foods (also when I went vegan), but I think that was just my body getting used to what was going on... big dietary changes tend to do that!

Hope you've gotten the advice you need from all of these answers :)

Ditto. :)
Exactly everything you said is the same for me, except instead of being bed-ridden I would just have intense cramping...

[christinajade]

Shels, maybe not enough greens in your diet? How much leafy greens are you having and what kinds?

[Shels]

I generally have spinach and romaine in salads, kale and parsley in my smoothies, and I make lettuce wraps out of red leaf lettuce. I have at least one of those three things per day. . .

[FunkyDora]

wow, shels, I'm glad for your post. I too have not had my period since going 95% raw for a year now and I have had a lot of hair loss, which is frankly freaking me out. I just had my blood checked and everything looks normal, iron normal, vitamin B normal, thyroid normal. the only thing that is ow according to medical standards is my white blood cell count, which I am not worried about too much. Just mostly my hair worries me. if there's Anyone who has had this similar experience and recovered from it, please et me know how you recovered from hair loss? thanks!

[Shels]

wow, shels, I'm glad for your post. I too have not had my period since going 95% raw for a year now and I have had a lot of hair loss, which is frankly freaking me out. I just had my blood checked and everything looks normal, iron normal, vitamin B normal, thyroid normal. the only thing that is ow according to medical standards is my white blood cell count, which I am not worried about too much. Just mostly my hair worries me. if there's Anyone who has had this similar experience and recovered from it, please et me know how you recovered from hair loss? thanks!

Hi Dora. =]
My hair loss slowed and stopped after a few months, so it's no longer an issue for me. I didn't do anything specific to cause that, I think it was just a part of my transition to raw food. I still haven't gotten my period back (it's been about a year now), but I also had blood work and everything was fine - except wbc and vitamin b levels. Best of luck!

[PaigeAdele]

I thought this thread was interesting because I acually skipped my last period that was due on January 2nd. Now, it's almost time for my next one in a couple of days... (4 weeks late...) and I have ZERO symptoms...though I stopped having PMS months ago when I got more serious about RAW... I was reluctant to tell anyone (why, I don't know), but reading this thread was comforting... I'm definitely NOT pregnant, but since my last FAST a week ago, my body feels "different"... Not sure what's going on....

Same here! It came though. My body was readjusting it seems to eating more raw foods (went from about 50% to 90%). I had no symptoms of getting a period and when it finally came it was short and sweet.

[KaleMama]

Great thread and information! :)

This is my 6th month being 100% raw and I have noticed a HUGE change in my menstrual cycle. My cycle before raw was horrible and very painful and extremely heavy. I mean HEAVY. After going Raw it just has gotten better and better to a point where I hardly get symptoms and pain. This is month #6 and my cycle for the 1st time in my life is late (8 days). No, I'm definitely not pregnant either. Last month, I did a 15day juice feast while I was on my cycle so maybe that had something to do with it?! I do seem to be ovulating this month because I did get the occasional pimple and my breast are plump. LOL We'll see how things go from here but I am relieved to see all this wonderful information. Thank you!

[DandelionPuff]

I lost my period early last year, the last "normal" one I had was in january, but I had one in february that lasted maybe a day and was hardly anything.

I did develop orthorexia that Summer before, and had lost 40 pounds rather quickly. I was working out 5-6 times a week, burning 400-700 calories each time, and eating maybe 800-1,200 calories everyday. And I thought I was being super healthy... >.<
By may, I had realized what I was doing to my body, and upped my calorie intake to 1,300-1,800. Still not enough... 2 months later, I was vegan, and told myself I would only stick to it if I got better.

That was a year ago, and, of course, I still have some eatind disorder thoughts, but it's getting better all the time.

I've gained 15 pounds back, and now weigh 145 at 5'8. A healthy weight. I'm pretty sure I eat enough fats, and they're always healthy sources- olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados...
But I still haven't gotten my period.

I've read on other places that periods aren't natural, and I think that women who get really bad cramps, PMS, heavy bleeding, or other things are a symptom of poor diet. Bleeding is not menstruation, but a side effect of it that you may get or you may not..

But I'm still worried about my body. I've been upping my raw food intake, and it's getting more all the time as the weather gets warmer, so hopefully it'll do something. (Although, last summer I was eating a lot of raw food, but it didn't help!)

[Marg]

Hello Everyone!

Shels and Dora -

I'm so glad to finally hear of others who do not have bloody menstrual cycles. I haven't had one in about a year and 4 months. I've been thinking I should get my hormones checked to make sure everything is ok, but haven't done so yet... I also haven't done any tests to see if I'm ovulating, but I will definitely look into that.

I don't believe my lack of periods is due to malnourishment. I'm 5' 4" and around 115 to 120 lbs (haven't weighed myself in a while, but my clothes still fit :) ), I do intense exercise a few times a week and yoga and lots of walking other days, I'm very happy, have low stress and I'm in an awesome relationship. On top of that, I definitely eat enough food (90%+ raw and 80 to 90% organic), which consists of tons of greens, veggies, healthy fats, and a good amount of fruit. I've been vegetarian since I was 16 (now 22) and mainly high-raw for about 2 years.

I started eating high-raw in 2010 and with the sudden change in diet and high stress lifestyle, and probably buring more calories than consuming, I dropped about 10 lbs and my period started to become less frequent and lighter. This weight slowly went back up to around 117 and my period eventually disappeared. In December 2010 I was very stresed out with loads of school work and was getting probably a third of the amount of sleep I should have been and started eating all kinds of crap food (fast food, highly processed garbage, but still vegetarian) out of convenience. My hair started falling out like crazy and in January 2011 I got my period again, after about 8 months of not having it (I believe this was my body's way of getting rid of all the toxins I consumed in the previous month). I started eating clean again my periods stopped after that one period in January. I did a few pregnancy tests in 2011 becuase I wasn't getting my period but they all came back negative so I just gave up on those. I figure I'll probably feel other symptoms if I become pregnant.

I'd like to believe I still ovulate even though there is no bleeding. I will still get slight chocolate cravings and hightened libido every few weeks - two signs that I would always get right before I got my "normal" period...but the effects are not nearly as extreme as they used to be. I will follow up once I get my hormones checked and find out for sure if I'm ovulating.

Dora - Maybe your hair loss will lessen with time? Have you had your hormone levels checked?