What is Cycle-Syncing? What and how does food play a role in that? Remember the saying, “You are what you eat?”
Well, guess what? That has never been more true.
My period or menstrual cycle, whichever you prefer, was bestowed upon me at the age of 12, during the afternoon while in class. I must say I took it surprisingly well. I remember clutching my stomach and thinking, “I need to go to the bathroom and have a nice a poop.”
Imagine my surprise, when I pull down my underwear a small, light pink spot sat in the middle. My emotions…well I had none toward my period; not until I had to tell my father I needed to go to the store. That whole car ride and experience is a story I will have to tell at another time. You’d think he’d be more prepared, seeing as I have two older sisters.
I have never had much luck with it. By it, I mean my period. Most considered it a blessing that I would only menstruate every three months when I was younger. Having an irregular period when you first start menstruating is quite normal, according to Mayo Clinic.
And I didn’t worry, until I turned 16.
My period went missing for eight months.
My thoughts were going haywire and are quite laughable in hindsight. I thought, “Am I masturbating too much?” and, “Did, Jesus, our Lord and savior, come to me and make me the new Virgin Mary?”
I know, funny right? I eventually brought this to my mom’s attention and she scheduled me for an OB-GYN appointment. And so we went, I recounted my tale and he put me on birth control. At the time, I saw no issues with going on birth control if that meant I would be normal.
YES. I WANTED A PERIOD. I wanted to know that everything was okay down there.
So I went about my life for the next few years on birth control, not really addressing why I wasn’t menstruating. Then I entered my junior year of college.
I began going on and off birth control to see if my body would correct itself. Unfortunately, it didn’t. I began seeing my regular doctor in San Francisco and in Los Angeles to see if I could rectify the issue.
I was tested for Amenorrhea, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and partially for Endometriosis. Their response to the situation, after my test results and blood count came back normal, were, “Don’t worry about it, you aren’t having children yet right?” and, “Maybe you are too skinny, gain some weight.”
Thinking about that now just upsets me. Why was it that no doctor could give me answers as to why I didn’t have a period? Just because I was not trying to conceive at the time, they wouldn’t take me seriously?
Why is it that fertility is the only thing considered with period issues? Fed up and in my feelings, I went to Google, determined to find my own solution.
And I did.
Her name is Alisa Vitti, author of “WomanCode: Perfect Your Cycle, Amplify Your Fertility, Supercharge Your Sex Drive, and Become a Power Source” and founder of Floliving.
Somehow I stumbled onto her and found her book in Barnes and Noble. I read the synopsis and knew, I had to read it. The book discusses missing periods, acne, PMSing — all screaming my name. The best part about it was that Alisa gave a solution that seemed within my budget.
I felt Alisa understood me, she was the doctor I wish I had. Her simple solution to my issue was diet. Yes! You read that right, my diet. I didn’t understand how that could be the reason. I thought I was a good eater. She told me that the reason my period was missing was that I wasn’t getting the proper amount of nutrients in my diet. The birth control had left my thyroid and hormones starved.
In her book, she gives a chart of which produce, fruits, legumes, grains and meats one should eat per each cycle to best support it. The four cycles are:
- Follicular
- Ovulation
- Luteal
- Mensuration
So I thought: I can buy food! I did her detox that’s in the book before I started eating differently.
Ladies let me tell you, day one of the detox was a game-changer. My mom wasn’t a believer, but to my surprise, she commented on my acne after day one. She said, “What have you been doing? Your face looks brighter!”
My mind was blown. After staying true to my diet lifestyle-change, in a year’s time I was able to not only bring my period back, but also keep it regular. I knew Aunt Flo would visit every month and a half, and if she didn’t visit it meant that I fell off the wagon with what I was eating.
The diet change was life-altering. My cravings lessened along with my acne completely clearing up on my forehead, sides of my face, and for the most part my chin (unless Aunt Flo was near). My only problem area was my cheek. In Chinese medicine, the cheeks represent your digestive system, which in turn helps you absorb the nutrients to have a period. It was the gut flora that needed help. So I began taking a probiotic and a fiber supplement to help out my digestive system and also, shockingly, began drinking water.
I am terrible at drinking water, but I was serious about reducing my acne and getting my period back to feel aligned. So I upped my water intake and added lemons + cucumbers to aid in getting rid of the toxins.
I am not going to lie to you and say that it’s been working the past few years from ages 26 to 29. I got into a relationship at 27, got back on birth control and then off again right before my 29th birthday. So, essentially I am now restarting the Cycle-Syncing. I repeated the steps:
- Four-day detox; to reset my hormones
- Start eating correctly per the chart
- Resume supplements
- Drink more water
- Drink menstrual-supporting tea
As you read, the only difference between then and now is that I found a few teas to help support my cycle. The teas that support the women’s cycle are:
- Your Tea: Fertility Tea (I used this to jump start my period and hormones after the detox)
- Raspberry Leaf Tea (currently testing this tea, to see if it holds up to Your Tea’s: Fertility Tea)
- Healthy Life Cycle
It truly amazes me not one single doctor I went to could figure out the solution for my missing period was as simple as changing my diet. I am not saying there are no valid reasons to go on the Pill or that doctors are bad. However, from my point of view, modern doctors are too quick to give a temporary solution or put a bandage over an issue until it gets worse.
I didn’t want a temporary fix, I wanted to be a cured. I wanted a permanent solution. WomanCode gave me that. It should be in the hands of every young woman who is menstruating.
So I challenge you to try changing your diet if you too suffer from a missing period. I say, give Alisa Vitti a chance. Her knowledge changed my life and she might change yours. It might not be easy, but it is worth it.
The only thing I can promise is that Cycle-Syncing will bring you closer to your feminine, softer side. That is what it did for me, it made me feel whole again.
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