How I Got My Period Back

Written By Emily Fidirikkos

As a teenager, I almost wished my period would go away.

As I have aged though, I have come to realise how amazing it is to have a regular cycle and how much it is a sign of optimal health.

You may already know a little about me and my health journey so far. If not, you can read more about it here. I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) when I was trying to fall pregnant.

There are a few things that probably contributed to my diagnosis of PCOS which were:

  • being put on the pill as a 16-year-old to manage my acne

  • a 10-year period of drinking, smoking and eating poorly

  • shift work

  • a diet that was honestly pretty average

I stopped my contraception when I was 25 to have a baby. Whilst on the pill, I was having a regular 28-day bleed, but as many of you know, this isn’t a true menstrual bleed, so my hormones weren’t working behind the scenes.

After 12 months of no cycle at all once I stopped my contraception, I sort the help of my GP and a Gynaecologist - and in walks my diagnosis of PCOS.

I did end up having a baby with a little help (he’s nearly 11 now) but up until the last 2 years, did not have a regular cycle. So what changed? I let my body heal. Now I have a cycle every 28-35 days!

Believe it or not, PCOS is actually VERY strongly related to your blood sugar and insulin - the hormone trouble is downstream of this…. so if you want to get to the root cause of PCOS, you need to manage how your body manages its energy and insulin.

So where should you start?

  • Get your food right! This is where Personalised Nutrition is vital (Hello Metabolic Balance!!!)

  • Drink clean water. Aim for 35mL/kg of your body weight each day

  • Get good sleep. Aim for 7-8 hours each night

  • Move. Move the right amount. Not too much, not too little. Focus on resistance and weight training

  • Get rid of the stress! Start to make small changes to help you manage the stress you can manage, which will help you have the energy to cope with stress you can’t change.

  • Get your inflammation under control. Work on your gut health. Make sure your detoxification systems are working properly. Get any nutrient imbalances sorted.

Now there is a lot here to work on, and you may not know where to start.

That is where we can help! As Naturopaths and Nutritionists, we can help you get to the root cause of your hormone imbalances.

Want to learn more about PCOS? Click here!

Got questions?

Or Ready to Jump in?

Emily Fidirikkos
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The Dirty Dozen