Lara Briden - The Period Revolutionary
Leading the change to better periods
The role of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in common menstrual problems such as PCOS, heavy periods, and perimenopause. Hyperinsulinemia or high insulin can impair ovulation and increase androgens in polycystic ovary syndrome. It can also cause progesterone deficiency, anovulatory cycles, and increase the thickness of the uterine lining contributing to heavy periods.
PCOS is the condition of androgen excess when all other causes of androgen excess have been ruled out. It can be associated with irregular periods or no periods.
Hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) is the loss of periods due to undereating. It can also present with mild acne or facial hair.
Struggling with hormonal weight gain around your middle? It’s a common problem with PCOS, menopause, and birth control, but it’s not caused by estrogen. In women, estrogen is beneficial for weight loss.
Instead, abdominal weight gain is caused by insulin, testosterone, and androgenic progestins.
Here’s what you need to know.
Read moreHow Insulin and Testosterone Cause Weight Gain in Women
High-dose fructose is a major driver of insulin resistance, abdominal weight gain, fatty liver, heavy periods, and PCOS.
That does not mean that fruit is a driver of those conditions because whole fruit contains a relatively small amount of fructose compared to high-dose fructose sweeteners like sucrose, syrup, honey, agave, coconut sugar, dates, dried fruit, and fruit juice. Fruit also provides beneficial nutrients and polyphenols that counterbalance the negative effects of fructose.
Read moreHigh-Dose Fructose Is a Major Driver of Insulin Resistance (But Fruit Is Okay)
Phytoestrogens are a special group of phytonutrients that occur naturally in most plant foods. The two major classes are isoflavones in soy, and lignans in seeds, whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
They’re called phytoestrogens because they interact with estrogen receptors but they’re not estrogen. In fact, they bind so weakly to estrogen receptors that they effectively block estradiol and are therefore better classified as anti-estrogen.