Probiotics & Menstrual Cycle-Do they Affect your Period?

Did you know that the hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle are normally influenced your gut? For most women, managing PMS basically means laying down and riding out the general discomfort. This tells you that you are periods are around the corner. However, before you think of buying chocolate to avert the pains, you should know that gut health has a significant impact on your menstrual cycle and some hormones.

Your intestinal bacteria, commonly known as microbiome, normally synthesize nutrients and assists in digestion. It releases chemicals that regulate your mood, metabolism and the immune system. Apart from this, these microbes also control the estrogen levels in your body.

Can probiotics affect your period?

It is true to say that probiotics can affect your period in one way or another. First, once estrogen is produced in the ovaries, it usually circulates through the bloodstream before arriving at the liver. It is here that the hormone is activated and sent to the digestive system tract for elimination.

Here, the gut microbiota usually produces an enzyme known as B-glucuronidase that usually helps to break down the estrogen into its inactive form. If your microbiome are not working well, estrogen that ought to be eliminated will be re-circulated in the body, thereby causing a hormone imbalance.

Estrogen hormone has many roles in the body. Besides making one fertile, it can affect the metabolism rate, weight and fat disposition patterns. Also, this hormone has a protective effect on the bone and the heart’s health. If one does not have enough estrogen hormone, she might be obese and can even suffer from cardiovascular diseases.

However, when this hormone is in excess, it can lead to symptoms associated with PMS such as bloating, mood swings, heavier periods, adrenal fatigue, acne, fluid retention, breast tenderness and many more.

How to avoid the effects

The good news is that you can promote healthy estrogen levels by supporting gut health, liver and elimination pathways, among many other ways. The following are ways that can help improve the health of microbiome and thereby promote a healthy metabolism of estrogen.

1. Take more vegetables

Fibre is known to promote a healthy microbiome and decreases the activity of a microbial enzyme known as beta-glucuronidase. The best way to get good fiber is through eating nuts and whole grains. This includes nuts, nut-based spreads and whole-grain bread.

2. Reduce alcohol intake

If you are fond of taking a bottle or two of alcohol, it is the high time that you moderated it. This is because chronic alcohol consumption can alter the microbiome leading to a higher activity of the beta-glucuronidase and thereby increases estrogen metabolites. In fact, research shows that alcohol can increase the risk of breast cancer in the long run.

3. Take more probiotics

Bloating is very common among most women when they are undergoing the menstruation period. Fortunately, probiotics can help decrease bloating and help keep the digestive tract function well. If you take a probiotic, you will be able to supplement your body with good bacteria that can help prevent minor abdominal discomfort caused by lack of these bacteria. One of the easiest ways to get probiotics is by taking yoghurt.

4. Go green

Chances are, you usually use different household chemicals to perform daily chores in your home. Did you know that these chemicals can be harmful to your body? Although they make your work easier, they can play a significant role in endocrine production, which can affect estrogen balance.

For example, plastic food containers are known to contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as BPA’s. Also, most cleaners and beauty product normally contain synthetic substances such as natural hormones in the body but aren’t. Therefore, by carefully selecting the plastics and chemical cleaners you allow in your home, you will be able to take care of the environment as well as improve your own health, by x estrogen balance in the body.

5. Minimize stress

It is normal to have stress in life. However, you should avoid letting stress to take the better part of your life. Besides reducing your product, stress has been linked to hormone, including estrogen. Hormone cortisol leads to the reduction of progesterone hormone, which is a female hormone that helps to keep the estrogen in check. As a result, the estrogen levels might spike. To avert this problem, you should consider making time for yourself, such as by taking Epsom salt or even read a book. Also, you can try meditation and so on.

6. Sleep more

How many hours do you sleep in a day? For some, they usually sleep only for a few hours. However, there are some who sleep for about 6 to 8 hours. Ideally, you should sleep for about 8 hours in a day so that your body can relax and get revitalized. Besides being revitalized, sleeping enough can prevent hormone imbalance in your body. This means that you will be able to keep the estrogen hormone in check if you can sleep for about 8 hours in a day.

What foods should you take during your menstruation period?

Besides yoghurt, there are many foods that you should take during your periods. This way, your period will feel better. These foods include:

1. Dark chocolate

During this time of the month, you might experience a lot of chocolate craving. However, you should avoid taking excess sugar during his period as you might make the symptoms worse. To avert this problem, you should consider taking dark chocolate. This snack will satisfy your craving as well as add more magnesium in your body.

2. Steak

It is widely common for women to be low on iron during this time of the month. Therefore, there is a need for you to take foods rich in iron, such as red meat. This is a dietary source of iron and will help to keep your iron levels in check. If you are a vegetarian, you can consider taking some spinach, beans and even lentils. This will significantly help boost the iron levels in the blood.

3. Ginger

Ginger can also help improve certain symptoms of menstruation. This is because it has come anti-inflammatory effects which go a long way n soothing achy muscles. Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D can help stabilize your mood during this period. Here, you will be able to reduce irritability and mood swings. Some of the foods that can help solve this problem are soy milk and oranges.

To conclude, probiotics have proved to be very effective in dealing with menstrual-related issues. They can help reduce estrogen levels whenever it has risen. This way, you will have an easy time during your period.