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We all know ovulation needs to happen to make a baby, right?
But did you know, ovulation is KEY in providing so many other health benefits to your body.
There are many articles that dive into the side effects of not having a period - and whilst these are all true and extremely important, they give periods all of the attention when infact, ovulation is the main event! Without ovulation, you cannot experience a true menstrual period.
You might be thinking, ok so no ovulation means no period, got it!
Well actually, women can bleed still even without ovulating! These are known as 'withdrawal' bleeds (from being on the pill) or 'breakthrough' bleeds (from an anovulatory cycle). In both of these circumstances, you will still get a period due to a drop in hormone levels in the body, however, your body has not moved through the cyclical rhythms of a menstrual cycle and you have not released an egg.
Unlike Men who constantly produce testosterone daily, Women rely on surges in estrogen leading up to ovulation and big surges on progesterone after ovulation to deliver beneficial hormones to the body. If the body is not ovulating and releasing an egg, the production of progesterone is not stimulated and the body will not have a luteal phase.
BENEFITS OF OVULATION
So, we've already touched on the fact that you need ovulation to a) make a baby, and b) provide essential hormones to your body throughout the month. Let's go a bit deeper in looking at why these hormones are so essential!
First, you need to know that estrogen is the dominant hormone before ovulation, and progesterone is the dominant hormone after ovulation.
Estrogen is essentially your “growing” hormone as it prepares the uterus for pregnancy and matures the egg before ovulation. Every monthly does of estrogen promotes muscle gain, insulin sensitivity, prevents bone loss and nourishes the brain, and the cardiovascular system.
Progesterone is your “relaxing” hormone is key to balance the effects of estrogen by controlling the build-up of the uterine lining and maintain a pregnancy. Every monthly dose of progesterone reduces inflammation, regulates immune function, and supports thyroid, brain, bones, and breast tissue.
Together, both of these hormones working harmoniously and regularly play a key role in reducing the risk of breast cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and infertility.
In a way, each and every ovulation is like a monthly deposit into the bank account of long-term health as it builds the bones, strong immune systems, healthy brains and metabolic reserve to carry us through to all the decades after menopause. That’s why it’s so important to ovulate while we can during our reproductive decades, and not shut it down with hormonal birth control.
Both of these hormones are essential teammates in your ovulatory cycle, providing you with all the secret powers you need to be a super-hero!
If you are one of those people who think that not having a period is actually pretty handy, (and yes, I know there are people out there that think this because I was one of them!) and you are still not convinced by the awesome health benefits that I have listed above, I invite you to take a moment to read the below.
If the answer is yes to any of the below, then the solution is most likely that you need a period (without birth control!).
🔻Do you get headaches/blurry vision/brain fog?
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🔻Do you want to have children someday in the near future?
No period/pill bleeds mean you are not ovulating, and it can take months to have a natural period after coming off the pill. If you are not having a period and are not on the pill, it could be something more serious such as issues with your thyroid, PCOS or Hypothalamic Amenorrhea, in which case, address this with a medical professional!.
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🔻Low/no sex drive?
If your hormones are all over the place, you probably aren't feelin’ it!
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🔻Bones breaking easily or pain in the lower back?
This could be a sign of osteopenia.
🔻Poor hair, skin, nail health?
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🔻Poor digestion/experiencing constipation?
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🔻Poor sleep?
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🔻Constantly tired/depleted?
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