You don’t want to have kids now, or maybe not at all. So what difference does it make if you don’t have a period? Is there anything wrong with having amenorrhea, if you’re not trying to get pregnant?
Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark discusses why you may not be getting your period, and explains why having a regular cycle is about more than having children, it’s actually about health.
Read the transcript
[Tina] I want kids someday, but not right now. Am I okay to carry on as I am, even if I know deep down that maybe I’m not eating enough?
[Nancy] Well, the question isn’t just kids. The question is, do you want to take care of your body, and if you aren’t getting a regular menstrual period, that’s abnormal. Women are supposed to get periods. So why are you not getting your period? Maybe you’re under eating, under fueling, and are you getting enough protein for your muscles? Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals? So the real question is, do you want to be healthy or do you want to carry on in an unhealthy way? So, it’s your body, but it’s more than just about kids.
[Tina] For someone who wants kids, they have the hard goal of like, “I want kids and so I need to do the research; I need to figure out what’s going on.” Someone who doesn’t have kids, or doesn’t yet or ever want kids, may say, “I don’t really have enough of a reason to dive in deeper” or “Why should I, or how do I dive in deeper?”
[Nancy] I mean, if you’ve decided that you want to take care of your body, you’ll be investing in longevity as a runner. Your bones are suffering when you aren’t having regular menstrual periods, so you probably want to get a nutrition checkup with a registered dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition and just see is your diet adequate, are you taking care of your body like it’s your race car, like it’s your machine. And having regular menstrual periods isn’t just about kids, at all. It’s about health. So just look at the bigger picture and not just, “I don’t want to have kids; it’s okay if I’m not menstruating.” Women are supposed to have menstrual periods.
[Tina] Okay, thank you.
check it out
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more about nancy:
Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD has a successful sports nutrition private practice in the Boston area. She has years of experience helping active clients—from “ordinary mortals” to Olympians—win with good nutrition. Her best-selling “Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook” has sold over 800,000 copies. It is a popular resource for reliable sports nutrition information, as is her online sports nutrition workshop. Nancy is a sought-after nutrition counselor for athletes who struggle with food-and weight issues, as well as a nutrition speaker popular with dietitians, trainers, coaches, and other health professionals. You can find her at https://nancyclarkrd.com/.
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