The problem with not having a period

Welcome back to the newsletter, we took a little break but now are back with an updated schedule.

We are bringing our educational newsletter every other Friday this quarter. If you would like to give feedback on the cadence of the newsletter, we would love to hear it! Our aim is to provide good, quality content that you guys enjoy and find helpful.

So let’s get into it…

On my Instagram I do a weekly ‘Ask A Dietitian’ feature, where I invite people to ask me questions about nutrition. A few weeks ago someone asked me this question:

YIKES! 

Yes it is a big concern to not have a period… Even if other biomarkers are stable and within range it is a clear sign that something is not right.

An absent period can cause: 

• Early menopause 

• Cardiovascular disease 

• Low bone mineral density- osteopenia/ osteoporosis

• Hypothyroidism (and all of the associated symptoms)

• And can contribute to poor mental health via reduction in the production of serotonin and dopamine. Which can then make it even harder to recover.

If you are someone who has lost their period- this isn’t to scare you, but it is important that we take it seriously because it is reversible. And the sooner it is tackled, the better for your health! 

The scientific name for an absent period is called Hypothalamic Amenorrhoea. It is typically caused by undereating/ disordered eating, over exercising and high levels of stress (or a combination of all of them). It is a very common problem that we see in our clinic. 

If you want to read a bit more about the science around this we posted a blog on this topic, and have linked a number of scientific articles. 

! We also have an event on this topic to support people on their journey to getting their periods back !

Upcoming event:

👉 Understanding Hypothalamic Amenorrhea: The Impact of Undernutrition, Stress, and Movement on Menstrual Health

Date: Friday the 28th at 7pm

Location: Online (it will also be recorded for those of you who have Friday evening plans)

Tickets and more information here.

Clinic updates:

The other thing we have been working on while we have been away is increasing the accessibility of our service. Part of that is monthly workshops, like the one above, that deliver evidence based nutrition education at an affordable price, as an alternative to 1-1 appointments. So look out for more events coming up!

Another part is a low cost clinic. We are really excited to be able to offer this and have a form where you can apply to join the waiting list. If you know someone who might benefit from seeing a dietitian but can’t afford private services then please consider passing on this information to them too. We will be offering both paediatric and adult clinics within our area of speciality.

👉 Application form for low cost appointments.

What our team have been loving at the moment

Sophie:

This amazing book: Costanza by Rachel Blackmore

“This is one of those books that I could not put down, I stumbled upon it in the library and now can’t stop recommending it to everyone. It is about a 16th century woman in Italy who has an affair with a famous architect, but things go very wrong, based on a true story!”

Sarah:

“Pickle ball and a local female only Saturday hike. I go every Saturday. The feel of community with these women has just been…❤️❤️❤️”

What have you been loving at the moment?

That’s all from us for today! We’ll see you back here in two weeks. Look after yourself <3

Sophie and the team at Mental Health Dietitians.

We’d love to hear from you! Replies to the email are sent directly to our team inbox. We welcome any comments, questions and feedback!