Best Menstrual Cycle Food for Adrenal Calm
Adrenal fatigue is a more and more popular term in the world of health; however, it still has not made it to medical books. Is there such a thing as adrenal fatigue? The answer depends on who you ask. Scientists and endocrinologists say that there's no research to classify adrenal fatigue as a medical condition, while alternative medicine practitioners believe it is very common.
Navigating this ocean of uncertainties is not easy, but let's look at it in the context of changes in hormones through menstrual cycle.
How adrenal fatigue affect hormones involved in menstrual cycle?
Adrenal glands sit on the top of your kidneys and are responsible for production of various important hormones, including the famous cortisol. When you are stressed your adrenal glands will be making more cortisol to keep you alert and ready to face your stressors.
While useful in the short term, high cortisol for a prolonged time will upset your body's inner balance and will reduce production of FSH and LH - two important hormones involved in menstrual cycle. This in turn will disrupt your ovulation and will result in hormonal imbalance and worsening of your PMS symptoms.
More than that, chronic stress and elevated cortisol will contribute to insulin resistance (a situation when your body has trouble dealing with sugars), and as a result disrupt multiple hormones across the menstrual cycle. To keep your blood sugars normal, insulin resistance will demand more and more insulin from your pancreas. And elevated insulin will in turn provoke chronic inflammation, disrupt many important mechanisms in your body and cause more insulin resistance.
Since cortisol is made in your adrenals glands, unaddressed chronic stress pressure is believed to lead to adrenal fatigue or adrenal exhaustion. This results in chronic fatigue, brain fog, food and caffeine cravings, worsening of PMS symptoms and various menstrual cycle disruptions.
Is there such a thing as adrenal fatigue? Whether you agree there is or not, there is definitely plenty of research indicating that stress itself has an enormous impact on your menstrual health and wellness!
Examples of menstrual cycle food for adrenal calm and better periods
Magnesium-rich foods such as dark leafy green vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and of course pumpkin seeds can help to calm your nervous system and support your adrenal gland! Check out Pumpkin Seed Magic for Better Periods post here to find out more.
Fish contains anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats and other important nutrients to nourish your brain, restore adrenal health and combat hormonal imbalance. Try to find wild fish whenever possible for more health benefits.