6 things you didn’t know affect your period
You may be one of the lucky ones to start your period punctually every month, but it is more likely that it will surprise you every time. Did you know that these six things also affect your cycle?
Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who sometimes experiences an irregular cycle. If your period is a few days later than normal, it is not immediately something to worry about. Not only the use of contraception has an influence. Other, everyday things can also mess up your cycle, according to Angelique Panagos, a specialist in the field of women’s health.
1. Sugar
We now know that sugar is bad. But did you know that sugar also affects your hormones? Too much sugar leads to an increased amount of insulin, which in turn causes your ovaries to produce more testosterone. This disrupts your cycle. So, if you have had an unhealthy month with a lot of sweets (the festive month of December, for example), do not be surprised if your period shows up a bit later than normal.
2. Travel
It has not been officially proven that long-distance travel directly affects your period, but anyone who has boarded a plane around the time of your period knows that the two things have something to do with each other. Often your period will not last or it will appear more quickly. It is thought that your hormones get confused when your biological rhythm is disrupted.
3. Stress
Stress has a dramatic effect on the body, as you may know. This is due to the stress hormone cortisol, which you produce when you experience stress for a longer period of time. This hormone ‘overwrites’, as it were, other messages that your body gives you. A lot of stress can therefore prevent your period.
4. The moon
Not everyone will believe in it, but many people argue that the menstrual cycle should coincide with the phases of the moon. According to them, you would menstruate during the new moon. Whether it is really the case is debatable.
5. Plastic
Plastic is not only harmful to the environment, but also to our hormone balance, says Angelique Panagos. The chemicals in plastic hinder the carefully regulated hormonal system. The chemicals create more hormones in the body, which can upset your menstrual cycle. This can happen, for example, if you drink a lot from plastic water bottles. Panagos therefore urges you to avoid the use of plastic as much as possible in order to limit its harmful effects.
6. Bowel movements
Your hormones leave your body through your bowel movements. If it does not go well, then there is a chance that the hormones remain in the body and are ‘reused’. Because of this, you have an excess of estrogen, which can make your cycle irregular.
So, your period is a more complicated process than you might have thought. So, if there are so many things that can affect your cycle, don’t worry too much if your period is a few days later than normal.
