Healing Amenorrhea: A Holistic Nutritionist’s Personal Journey to Restoring Hormonal Balance

Welcome, friends. This will be an in-depth exploration, which I’ll be sharing as a series of blog posts to ensure we cover all aspects without overwhelming you. What you’re about to read is Part One of “The Amenorrhea Files.”

A Sincere Disclaimer: Sharing My Vulnerability

I want to begin by acknowledging the immense difficulty I faced in deciding whether to share this deeply personal part of my life. As a dedicated holistic nutritionist, my professional identity is built upon guiding others through their health and wellness journeys. This includes helping them balance hormones, manage weight, overcome chronic illness, and heal their relationships with food. To admit that I, too, have struggled with some of these very challenges can feel incredibly hypocritical, a direct contradiction to the expertise I strive to embody.

However, I’ve come to understand that my story, precisely because of its vulnerability, holds significant power. It serves as a living testimony within my practice, allowing others to witness firsthand the strategies I’ve employed, and continue to employ, to navigate and heal my own health struggles. My experiences have not only deepened my empathy but have also provided invaluable insights that I can now share. It’s an opportunity to show that healing is a process, often messy and rarely linear, even for those who dedicate their lives to health. So, I invite you to settle in, perhaps with a nourishing snack, as we embark on this important discussion together.

Understanding Amenorrhea: What Happens When Your Period Stops?

Let’s start with the fundamentals. What exactly is amenorrhea? Clinically, amenorrhea is defined as the absence of menstrual periods for at least three consecutive cycles (secondary amenorrhea) or the failure of menstruation to begin by the age of 16 (primary amenorrhea). While the immediate thought might be, “No period? That sounds convenient!” or “Is it really that big of a deal?”, the reality is far more serious. The absence of menstruation is a critical red flag, indicating significant underlying health imbalances that can have detrimental long-term consequences for your overall well-being.

Beyond the obvious loss of your menstrual cycle, amenorrhea can manifest through a cascade of uncomfortable and even debilitating symptoms. These often include noticeable hair loss, persistent acne, occasional vision problems, chronic headaches, unexplained pelvic pain, and, crucially, significant difficulties conceiving children later in life. The body’s reproductive system is intricately linked to overall systemic health, and when it shuts down, it sends ripples throughout various bodily functions. The most typical culprits behind this condition are commonly identified as low body weight, various hormonal imbalances, excessive physical exercise without adequate fuel, and chronic stress – all factors that disrupt the delicate equilibrium required for regular menstrual function.

The cessation of your period is essentially your body’s alarm system, signaling that it doesn’t have the necessary resources or is under too much strain to support a pregnancy, which is a highly energy-intensive process. When the body perceives a threat – be it famine (under-fueling), overexertion, or chronic stress – it prioritizes survival over reproduction. This leads to a complex hormonal cascade, primarily involving the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, which regulates your menstrual cycle. When this axis is suppressed, the ovaries stop producing sufficient estrogen and progesterone, leading to the absence of ovulation and, consequently, menstruation. This lack of essential hormones can then contribute to issues like reduced bone density (osteoporosis), cardiovascular problems, and compromised immune function, highlighting just how critical a regular cycle is for holistic health.

The Amenorrhea Files: My Personal Battle with Under-fueling

At its core, the female body is masterfully engineered for procreation. To function optimally and sustain this incredible capacity, our bodies inherently require a certain level of body fat and consistent, adequate nourishment. When these fundamental needs are not met – when we become too low in body fat or consistently under-consume food – our intricate bodily systems begin to falter. Our physiological processes are forced into a state of triage, shutting down non-essential functions to conserve energy. In simpler terms, the body receives just enough energy to “subsist,” prioritizing only the most basic life-sustaining processes.

One of the first systems to go offline in this survival mode is often the reproductive system. It’s a primal protective mechanism: if the body isn’t healthy enough or doesn’t have sufficient energy reserves to sustain itself, it certainly cannot support the growth of a new life. This is your body’s profound way of communicating, “Hey, you’re not adequately nourished or energetically robust enough to carry a child right now.” Imagine the chaos this unleashes on our delicate hormonal balance! Our bodies become dysregulated, confused, and profoundly distressed. And believe me, the symptoms of this internal turmoil are intensely felt.

My specific case of amenorrhea stemmed directly from a combination of insufficient body fat and chronic under-fueling. The impact was pervasive and debilitating. I found myself perpetually fatigued and utterly drained, lacking the basic energy to simply navigate my day, let alone engage in the activities I cherished. My previous lifestyle, filled with outdoor adventures like hiking with my dogs, snowboarding, and surfing, became impossible. The vibrant person I once was felt trapped within a body that constantly signaled depletion. My hair began to thin and fall out at an alarming rate, a visible sign of internal distress. Sleep, once a natural restorative process, became an elusive struggle as I battled severe insomnia night after night. My digestion was in shambles, making it incredibly difficult to properly absorb vital nutrients from the limited food I was consuming. Emotionally, I was a shadow of my former self – constantly moody, grumpy, and utterly disconnected from my own personality. My relationships suffered under the weight of this pervasive irritability and self-absorption. By the time I truly acknowledged the severity of my condition, I had been without a period for nearly two years. The initial year passed almost unnoticed, with symptoms barely registering. But as the second year unfolded, the cumulative toll of these symptoms became undeniable, compelling me to finally seek medical attention.

The Backstory: From Crisis to Control

To truly understand my journey, we need to rewind to 2016. That year, my then-boyfriend, Thomas, received a devastating diagnosis of a rare form of cancer. This life-altering news plunged us into a new reality, where our home effectively became a hospital room for an entire year. I spent countless nights sleeping on an uncomfortable cot, juggling two demanding jobs, and striving to keep up with my studies. Thomas’s health was, without question, my absolute priority, and in the overwhelming chaos, my own well-being inevitably receded to the back burner. During this incredibly stressful period, I actually gained weight, reaching a level I hadn’t seen since my freshman year of high school. It wasn’t that I was clinically overweight or unhealthy, but for me, it represented one of the highest weights I had ever experienced.

Once Thomas successfully completed his arduous treatment, and as I delved deeper into my studies in holistic nutrition, our health—and particularly the prevention of future illness—transformed into an obsession. The fear of seeing cancer return, or experiencing it myself, became a driving force. This intense focus, however, led me down a dangerous path. I became excessively rigid with our diets, adopting overly restrictive eating patterns. It was at this juncture that I developed a significant struggle with orthorexia, an unhealthy fixation on “healthy” eating that we will certainly explore in more detail in a future post.

Within a year of this intensified dietary control, I had lost nearly 30 pounds. On my relatively small frame, this was an alarming amount of weight to shed in such a short period. People around me began to notice, and their comments and worries started to surface. I distinctly remember rationalizing, thinking, “But Suzy is my height and my weight, and she still has her period. Why am I different?” This comparative thinking was a major roadblock. It took time and deep introspection to grasp the critical concept that every individual’s body is unique, with distinct needs for optimal function. What Suzy’s body required to thrive might be vastly different from what mine demanded.

When I finally sought medical help, my doctor delivered the diagnosis with a directness that resonated deeply: “You are underweight, chronically under-fueling, and malnourished.” To regain my menstrual cycle, the path was clear, albeit terrifying: I needed to gain weight and increase my Body Mass Index (BMI). I won’t sugarcoat it; this news absolutely petrified me. And I know it’s challenging to admit, but I’m certain this would be a deeply frightening prospect for most women. In a society that constantly pressures women towards thinness, the idea of intentionally gaining weight, especially after achieving a body that is considered “lean,” can feel counterintuitive and immensely scary. Through my work with other women suffering from amenorrhea, I’ve learned that this fear is incredibly common. It’s almost as if your health feels secondary, overshadowed by the pride of finally achieving that coveted six-pack or a remarkably low body fat percentage. But let me tell you unequivocally: I was the leanest I had ever been in my life, yet simultaneously, I was the most profoundly UNHAPPIEST.

Walking back to my car after that doctor’s appointment, a profound realization began to take root. It became strikingly clear how fundamentally important it was to embark on a journey of healing my relationship with food, with my body, and ultimately, with myself, all in service of my long-term health. This wasn’t going to be a simple matter of “just eating more.” The healing had to begin at a much deeper, psychological level. I believe that far more women than we realize contend with some degree of disordered eating – ranging from subtle patterns to more overt struggles. This is precisely why I felt compelled to share my story: to initiate this vital conversation about the undeniable importance of hormonal balance and the profound significance of having a regular menstrual cycle. I vividly recall a long, heartfelt conversation with Thomas, where he wisely questioned, “Do you really want to look back years from now and realize you wasted half of your life consumed by worries about your body? And to see all the experiences you missed out on because of it? You’ve seen how precious life is.” Those words have resonated with me ever since, serving as a constant reminder of what truly matters.

Can You Reverse Amenorrhea? The Path to Healing Begins

Indeed, amenorrhea can often be reversed, but it is a multifaceted and often long journey. For me, the healing process began immediately, and it has proven to be a continuous path of learning and growth. In the next installment of “The Amenorrhea Files,” I will delve into the specific strategies and changes I implemented to regain my period. This will include detailed discussions on the types of foods I consciously increased, the supportive herbs and supplements I introduced, common myths surrounding amenorrhea and weight, and the crucial lifestyle adjustments I made to foster a healing environment for my body.

As a final, yet crucial, reminder: one of the most pervasive issues I observe today, particularly among the young women I work with, is chronic under-fueling. If you find yourself struggling with this, please internalize this vital truth: consistently eating enough calories and nourishing your body adequately is not just about weight gain. It can profoundly impact your overall health and performance. Proper fueling can help you overcome fitness plateaus, effectively increase lean muscle mass, paradoxically decrease stubborn body fat, and fundamentally promote a healthier, more vibrant you in every aspect of your life. You are so much more than your physical appearance, more than a fleeting six-pack, more than a specific body fat percentage. Your worth, your beauty, and your impact come from your unique personality, your ambitious spirit, and your brilliant mind! Stay tuned for the next post, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re navigating similar challenges and need support. Remember, you are not alone in this journey. xoxo.