Is there a connection between obesity and menstrual irregularities? Research indicates that excessively thin individuals, due to insufficient body fat, experience reduced estrogen secretion and synthesis. This disrupts the endocrine system, leading to menstrual irregularities. Conversely, excessive body fat can also cause menstrual irregularities.
Causes of Obesity-Related Menstrual Irregularities
Recent studies indicate that obese women without underlying diseases may also experience menstrual irregularities, often stemming from uncontrolled eating habits. Obese women typically have a preference for sweets and greasy foods while avoiding exercise. Long-term calorie accumulation leads to excessive fat distribution and weight gain.The most evident issue is impaired fat and sugar metabolism, which disrupts sex hormone secretion and causes menstrual cycle abnormalities.
Additionally, obesity-induced endocrine system disorders and hormonal imbalances may lead to pregnancy complications like toxemia or difficult labor in obese pregnant women. It can also trigger conditions such as hyperadrenocorticism and hypothyroidism.
Among the fats contributing to obesity, one substance can be converted into estrogen. The more obese an individual is, the higher their estrogen levels become. Increased estrogen suppresses the secretion of gonadotropins. Gonadotropins are crucial for follicle development within the ovaries. When their secretion decreases, follicles cannot ovulate normally, leading to delayed menstruation.
For women, regular menstruation is a vital indicator of overall health. Therefore, weight loss is essential for maintaining well-being. While every woman desires beauty, improper weight loss methods often make the journey seem daunting.
Special Dietary Considerations During Menstruation
1. Avoid raw and cold foods; opt for warm and hot options
Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that blood flows smoothly with warmth but stagnates with cold.Consuming cold foods during menstruation hinders digestion and damages the body's yang energy, leading to internal coldness. This cold stagnation impedes blood flow, causing scanty periods or even dysmenorrhea. Even in the peak of summer, cold beverages should be avoided during menstruation.
During menstruation, prioritize warm foods such as kelp, red dates, sorghum, coix seeds, lamb, and apples. Limit cold and slippery foods like pears, water chestnuts, water caltrop, winter melon, Chinese broccoli, and hemp seeds.
2. Avoid sour and spicy foods
During menstruation, women often feel particularly fatigued with weakened digestion and poor appetite. Therefore, meals should be light and easily digestible. Avoid overly sour or highly stimulating foods like hawthorn berries, pickled vegetables, vinegar, chili peppers, mustard, and black pepper.
3. Prevent iron deficiency through balanced meat and vegetable intake
Iron is an essential trace element for the human body. It not only participates in the synthesis of hemoglobin and many important enzymes but also plays a crucial role in immunity, cognition, aging, and energy metabolism. Due to significant iron loss during menstruation, supplementing with iron-rich foods is vital.Fish, lean meat, animal liver, and animal blood are rich in iron with high bioavailability, making them easily absorbed by the body. In contrast, plant-based iron found in soybeans and spinach has lower absorption rates. Therefore, menstrual diets should emphasize balanced meat and vegetable intake, incorporating more animal-based foods to meet the heightened iron requirements during this period.