Health and Fitness

Periods in women occur due to hormonal activities. Regular periods are a sign of a healthy body, while irregular periods can indicate any abnormality. While there are various external causes for delayed periods such as the usage of delay period pills, in many cases, one needs medical intervention to diagnose the reason behind skipped periods.

As we move ahead in this post, we will discuss the five vital causes of late and skipped periods and how to overcome them.

Causes of delayed periods

Periods are the release of the built-up lining of the uterus in adult women every month. The most common cause of missed periods is pregnancy.

Sometimes, women consume delay period pills to delay the periods when they have professional and personal emergencies.

However, missed or skipped periods might hint at the need to check the body health holistically. Here are the common causes of missed periods and what you can do if you are experiencing them:

1. Overweight and Underweight

Excessive weight can play havoc with hormones. It can cause an imbalance that can be visible as side effects, including thyroid, facial hair, missed periods, joint pains, and more.

What to do:

If you are of reproductive age and are suffering from excessive weight, it can cause a skipped period.

Get yourself checked for the causes of being overweight. Seek the help of a nutritionist and gynecologist to reduce your weight to regularize your periods.

Interestingly, one of the primary reasons for a missed period is underweight too.

When a woman’s body is too underweight, it lacks fat that is essential for the release of hormones. Consequently, the body cannot produce hormones responsible for regular periods.

What to do:

If you are too underweight, and or suffering from anorexia, you could be suffering from skipped periods. Consult a nutritionist and a gynecologist to overcome your situation and regularize the periods.

2. Excessive stress

Stress beyond certain levels can affect the pituitary hormone secretion. This can upset the body functionality including triggering missed periods.

What to do:

Inspect your lifestyle and work-life balance. Implement stress-relieving activities such as exercise, hobbies, yoga, pets, and family in your daily life to prevent stress.

3. Menopause

Menopause is the stage of life of a woman where periods start to stop. It is common to experience skipped periods in the premenopausal stage.

What to do:

If you are over your reproductive age, crossed 45+ age, it is imperative to get a whole body checkup including the diagnosis of missed periods. Doctors would suggest hormonal tablets and lifestyle changes to cope with the bodily changes.

4. Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding can be one of the main reasons for a skipped period in new mothers. It is a misconception that breastfeeding mothers do not get periods. On the contrary, women who breastfeed can also experience periods.

What to do:

If you are a breastfeeding mother, use contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Breastfeeding mothers can have missed periods due to accidental pregnancies.

5. Ectopic Pregnancy

One of the rare causes of missed periods can be an ectopic pregnancy. In an ectopic pregnancy, the pregnancy happens to grow outside the main cavity of the uterus. If not diagnosed early, this can be risky for the mother. In such cases, it is vital to receive medical help at the earliest.

What to do:

If you are experiencing abdominal cramping, shoulder pain, and breast tenderness with a missed period, it could sign ectopic pregnancy. The reasons could include IVF, fallopian tube defects, Endometriosis, and unprescribed usage of birth control pills. A doctor will identify the root cause and suggest the best medication to overcome this.

In addition to the above causes, the following factors can also contribute to the skipped periods:

• Voluntary reasons: By consuming period delay pills to postpone periods.

• Medical treatments: Treatments for cancer, anti-sickness medicines, depression, etc. can cause skipped periods.

• Contraceptive measures: Oral contraception pills can delay periods. It can often take months for the period cycle to get back to its normalcy.

Conclusion

A missed period sounds like good news when you are trying to get pregnant. In other conditions, it might be a hint of something underlying. Never ignore a missed period and seek medical help as soon as you experience it.

Vaginal yeast infection is one of the common problems among menstruating women. The symptoms include irritation in and around the opening of the vagina and vulva, along with itchiness.

Risk Factor Of Yeast Infection Among Women

There happens to be no underline health problem that causes yeast infection. However, different risk factors increase the chances of yeast infection among women. Some of these include:

● Antibiotics

Antibiotics can kill a variety of bacteria. Our vagina contains naturally living bacteria. It helps to protect the vagina from the risk of yeast infection. But as one consumes the antibiotics, the effect of the medication tends to kill the bacteria. However, you will find different pill for yeast infections that can help you to prevent the problem.

● Hormonal Contraceptives

Hormonal contraceptives, including vaginal rings, patches, and birth control pills, can cause yeast infections among women who use them. The birth control methods contain hormonal estrogen which increases the risk of the problem.

● Weak Immunity System

People who have weak immunity can get affected by yeast infection. However, sometimes the usage of different medications, including steroids or chemotherapy and post-organ-transplant medications, can weaken the immunity system while causing yeast infection.

If you have a compromised immune system, it becomes difficult to cure the infection. At the same time, women who have undergone organ transplants are also at risk for recurring infections.

● Contraceptive Devices

Different contraceptive devices, including vaginal sponges, intrauterine devices, and even diaphragms, can increase the risk of yeast infections. Spermicides do not lead to yeast infection, although they cause vulvar irritation. At the same time, one can also experience vaginal issues with the usage of these products.

● Diabetes

Women having diabetes are at a higher risk of having yeast infections. Especially when the blood sugar is not under control, the individual can succumb to the disease easily.

If you can keep your blood sugar under control, it can help to reduce the risk of infection. Moreover, the development of the infection indicates the poor control of blood sugar in women with diabetes.

• Pregnancy

During pregnancy, one can experience hormonal changes. One common change is the increase in the level of estrogen. It is one of the reasons for developing a yeast infection. The sugar level in the vagina secretion also elevates, helping the yeast to feed on this sugar. Due to this reason, infection develops faster.

Besides, the infection does not harm the unborn baby, but they are difficult to treat. As the pregnancy situation weakens the immunity system of the body, the woman finds it difficult to fight the infection. Hence before you treat the problem all by yourself, you must talk to your doctor.

● Sexual Activity

Though it is a fact that vaginal yeast infections are not at all sexually transmitted infections, they are common among sexually active women. However, women who never underwent any sexual activity can also experience the problem of vaginal

Reduce The Risk Of Yeast Infection

You can follow the following steps to avoid a yeast infection.

● Make sure that you choose cotton clothes over synthetic fabrics like nylon while choosing your underwear.

● Stay dry, especially when you use pantyliners.

● Avoid tight-fitting underwear and pantyhose.

● Avoid douching as the process can change the acidic level and a healthy balance of organisms in the vagina.

● Women prone to yeast infection must not use hot tubs and bathtubs for a long period.

● Avoid scented hygiene products, including tampons, pads, bubble baths, or sprays. All these can alter the level of vaginal bacteria.

● You will find suitable pills for yeast infections that can help you reduce the problem.

When To Take Doctors Help

Making an appointment with the doctor becomes extremely important when you see yeast infection symptoms for the first time. If you are not sure about the symptoms, you must immediately visit the doctor. You must go for medical help as soon as possible when your symptoms do not get better even after having the over-the-counter product.

Millions of sexually active girls and women between the ages of 15 and 44 suffer or are likely to suffer from bacterial vaginosis. While the health condition can clear up on its own after a few days or a few weeks, it is advisable to get proper treatment when you first experience the symptoms. That may prevent any further health complications. The medical treatment for BV involves prescription antibiotics and over the counter BV medicine.

What is bacterial vaginosis?

Bacterial vaginosis is a health condition that is caused by the proliferation of harmful bacteria in the vagina. Normally, in a healthy vagina, there are different types of bacteria and these can coexist without causing any issues. The pH of the vaginal environment is generally mildly acidic due to a high volume of lactic acid producing bacteria, but if this alters and it becomes alkaline, the harmful bacteria may proliferate.

The imbalance is generally caused by sexual transmission, but there can be other reasons for it as well. The main symptom of bacterial vaginosis is a watery or foamy grayish-white discharge with a fishlike odor from the vagina. It may occur during menstruation or after sexual intercourse. Other BV symptoms include vaginal itching, burning sensation during urination, and pain during or after sexual intercourse. However, many girls or women may not experience any symptoms at all.

Having bacterial vaginosis can put you at greater risk of other sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV. It can also increase the risk of complications during pregnancy and could cause premature delivery. It can also increase risks if you are about to undergo gynecological surgery. You are at more risk of developing pelvic inflammatory disease and fertility problems. If you are undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment, bacterial vaginosis may reduce the chances of getting pregnant.

What are the best options for curing bacterial vaginosis?

The best option for curing bacterial vaginosis is to see a qualified doctor, get a definite diagnosis, and get prescription antibiotics like metronidazole vaginal gel, metronidazole pills, or clindamycin vaginal cream. Often, infected women mistake their symptoms to be that of a yeast infection and attempt to treat them with over the counter remedies. These and over the counter BV medicine may work to an extent, but antibiotics will be more effective in treating bacterial vaginosis. However, it is essential to know that antibiotics can kill off the good bacteria as well as he bad and that could compromise your immune system. That is the reason many women often suffer a reoccurrence of the infection within weeks.

You can supplement or replace the prescription antibiotics with probiotic food and supplements. These contain good bacteria that are beneficial for your health and are especially effective in replacing the good bacteria that get destroyed by antibiotics. You can consume probiotic food like curd, yogurt, cheese, kimchi, or sauerkraut daily. You can also take probiotic supplements in pill or liquid form every day. These supplements are available without a prescription in health food stores, online stores, and pharmacies.

Garlic is another food that you might want to include in your diet to treat or prevent bacterial vaginosis.

Some women have found relief in using boric acid vaginal suppositories, but they are not recommended if you are pregnant.

How to reduce your risk of bacterial vaginosis?

Currently, medical health experts still do not understand the exact causes of bacterial vaginosis and how it spreads, but a chemical imbalance in the vaginal environment may play a role in it. You may be able to reduce your risk of bacterial vaginosis by maintaining the right balance. For that, it may help to practice good personal hygiene and clean yourself properly every time after using the toilet. It is also essential to wear comfortable, cotton underwear and avoid wearing tight or wet clothes for too long.

It is advisable to avoid using scented menstrual products and latex condoms as these can irritate the vaginal area. You should also avoid douching since that can aggravate an existing infection or upset the balance of the vaginal environment to cause an infection. Limiting the number of sexual partners may also reduce the risk of bacterial vaginosis.

If you are a frequent gym-goer, then it makes sense to have a dedicated and well-arranged gym bag to carry all the gym essentials while you go to the gym. By having a gym bag with the right essentials, you can ensure that you will have a good gym workout without having to bother about many other things that are required during the workout.

In this article, let us discuss a few of the essential items that can go into gym bags for women. Make a checklist of these and check whether you have all these in your bag while you move out for the gym.

1) Sneakers – It is tough to carry out your gym sessions without sneakers. It also becomes stressful when you realize that you forgot to carry your sneakers to the gym. So, sneakers are one essential that you need to have in gym bags for women. Along with sneakers, do not forget to pack your socks as well. Some gyms, tend to charge a small amount for items like socks, towels, etc.

2) Headphones – Headphones are an essential item for any gym experience. Listening to some motivating music always makes a difference in workouts. Nothing can relax you this way. So, whichever headphone type is your comfort, whether it is the small earbuds, a large one, or the over-the-ear headphone style, be sure that you carry one in your gym bag.

3) Water Bottle – Water is essential during your workout sessions to stay hydrated. Make sure you place a water bottle near your workout area so that you can have it regularly. Also, carry a reusable water bottle, because water that you get from home won’t be sufficient and you can fill it in the gym. Most gyms provide drinking water.

4) Gym Clothes – Yet another essential item in gym bags for women is the gym cloth. Like your sneakers, you need to have proper attire during your workout sessions. The normal clothes are not comfortable while you exercise. Also, you cannot commute in gym clothes. So, you will move out of your home in your normal clothes and change to the gym cloth in the changing room.

5) Dry Shampoo and Shower Essentials – Taking a shower after a workout will make you feel fresh and energize you. You can avail the washroom facility of the gym, get fresh and then move to your home or office. In case you prefer to take a shower in the gym facility itself, then carry a bottle of your shampoo and get ready in the gym itself. Also, you must carry a small makeup kit that has your shower essentials. It could be shampoo, conditioners, and the products that you use during your shower.

6) Cleansing Wipes – Cleansing wipes are considered a lifesaver after your workout sessions. It removes seat and makeup, and it also acts as an odor neutralizer. It is an essential and a must item to carry in gym bags for women. Ensure that you carry cleansing wipes with you always.

7) Deodorant – This item is also an essential item in your gym bag. Using a deodorant keeps your body odor proper, before, during, and after your workout session. Keep swiping the deodorant in your underarms. So, with this, you will not get a bad smell of sweat during the workout sessions.

8) Towel – The gym facility keeps towels for people; however, it might not get the job done. We will not be sure about its hygiene, and hence it is better to carry a clean and fresh towel for yourself. You get compact microfiber towels in the market, and it is easy to carry. Hence, make it a point to carry it always.

9) Snack – After a workout session, your body needs to heal by having a light and protein snack. So, carry walnuts, protein bars, or your favorite fruit to maintain your blood sugar and speeds up the healing process.

10) Wide Tooth Comb – Sometimes, your hair strands get knotted during the workout process. Ensure to detangle it so that it does not harm your hair.