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artificialqueens · 5 years

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nobody knows where we might end up, chapter seven (branjie) - holtzmanns

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AN: Some cute and necessary conversations in the past, and some assembly skiving in the present. Enjoy. Thank you to writ for betaing. <3

(then)

“Come to the gym with me.”

“What?”

Detox looks up at Brooke from her spot on her bed. “You’ve been pacing for the last half hour and you won’t tell me what’s wrong. You clearly have some nervous energy to burn off.”

“I’m not pacing.” Brooke stops her walking when Detox shoots her a look. So what if she’s pacing? “I’m just…”

Detox scoots herself to the edge of her bed and tugs on Brooke’s hand, making her fall down onto the bed with a yelp.

“Come on, Mama Detox is listening. God knows you listened to me talking about Matt for a good hour this morning.”

Brooke wrinkles her nose. “You’re truly out of his league, D, you could do so much better-”

“Nuh uh.” Detox holds up a hand. “The Brooke roasting Matt hour ended at breakfast today. Now we’re talking about you.”

“Okay, but you still like him too much.”

“Maybe so.” Detox nudges her. “Not all of us get lucky with perfect girlfriends like yours.”

Brooke groans, falling back into the bed. Detox raises an eyebrow.

“Wait, you guys are okay, right? I don’t have to fight her for breaking your heart or anything? ‘Cause I will.”

“No, no.” Brooke sits up. Sighs. “She’s amazing. Vanessa is amazing.”

She is. She’s beautiful, and perfect, and…

“Okay good, ‘cause I really like Vanessa and wouldn’t be able to actually fight her. Imagine the emotional toll.”

Brooke gives her a look, though has to try not to laugh. “Detox.”

Detox shrugs. “I stand by it. But if it’s not something she’s done, why do you look like you’re about to have a nervous breakdown?”

Brooke groans, pulling a pillow from Detox’s bed on top of her face. “It’s embarrassing.”

Detox tries to pull the pillow back. “Girl, last week I lost at beer pong to that computer science nerd in 701. Pretty sure he’d never even played beer pong before in his life. That was embarrassing. Now tell me.”

But how can she? It’s so trivial, not even a big deal like she’s making it to be in her head. And yet she wants to bury herself underneath all of these blankets and never climb out from them ever again.

Ugh. She may as well just tell Detox. “Vanessa…”

“Spit it out, B.”

“She wants to-”

“What? Do the do? Roll in the sheets? Get freaky?”

“Detox!”

Detox cackles and ducks from the pillow that Brooke hurls in her direction. “Am I wrong, though?”

Brooke groans. “No. How did you know?”

Detox pats her shoulder. “Well, you said things were fine between the two of you, so it makes sense, really. Plus you seem like the nervous type to make it all weird.”

“I’m not making it weird!” Brooke protests feebly. She’s not. “I’m just…”

“Was your last relationship not too good or something? I’m sure she’ll understand if you wanna wait.”

Brooke pulls the pillow back over her face. “That’s the thing, D. I’ve never…Vanessa is my first girlfriend.”

“Wait, really?” Detox looks surprised. “A tall drink of water like you and this is your first relationship?”

“It’s harder when you like girls, y’know.” Brooke can’t help the wry edge in your voice. “Us gays are on a way later timeline in terms of getting things done.”

Detox shrugs. “Fair enough.”

“Plus, the past couple years for me were all ballet and studying and now I just feel behind.” Brooke slumps her shoulders. She’s always been dedicated, pushing herself at certain things to the cost of others. She feels like it’s starting to show now, how unbalanced she is.

“It’s not a race to get things done, B. There’s no rush. You have all the time in the world for that, and to try out different things.” Brooke sighs at Detox’s words. She knows that they’re true, they are, but they’re not as reassuring as she wishes they could be.

“It’s just,” Brooke pauses, “I know I’m not her first girlfriend, and it’s just - what if she’s disappointed or something? What if I suck or I don’t know what to do or she laughs at me-”

“Okay, hold up.” Detox holds up her hand, and Brooke sucks in a breath. It’s all thoughts that she’s never verbalized, but they’ve been floating around in her brain since her and Vanessa have started to fool around. She’s been dancing around Vanessa, trying to avoid them doing anything too scandalous because she’s been, well…nervous.

Brooke thinks back to a couple days ago, when they had been in Vanessa’s dorm room. Vanessa had been on top of her, kissing her neck and Brooke had been just about ready to pass out from how gay she felt. But then Vanessa had started to move her kisses lower and Brooke’s brain began to blare with alarms and she made up a stupid excuse about forgetting about going to a professor’s office hours that she absolutely could not miss, no ma’am.

It feels stupid now. She wants to go further. She just wishes that she knew what to do.

“First of all, that girl is head over heels for you. I’m pretty sure the last thing she’ll ever feel about you is disappointed.” Detox nudges Brooke, making her lean her head on her shoulder.

“You think so?”

“I swear she’s about two seconds away from composing a love sonnet for you or something.” Detox snickers when Brooke shoves her side.

“Shut up.”

“You could shave your head and show up in a clown nose and she’d still want to bang you.”

Brooke groans. “Remind me why I come to you for advice?”

“Because I tell it like it is, that’s why. Vanessa seems like the type to be patient and understanding and probably a great person to have a first time with. It’ll be better than mine. I can never look at a pool table the same way now.” Detox shudders.

“Thanks - wait, what was that about a pool table?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Detox waves a hand. “Talk to her about it. She’s your girlfriend. Communicate instead of dithering about it in your dorm room.”

“I’m not dithering-”

“Yes you are. Now to talk to her and get railed the way you deserve.”

“Ugh.” Brooke wrinkles her nose. “I swear I’m not telling you anything ever again.”

Detox snickers. “That’s a lie and you know it.”

Vanessa’s head is buried in her textbook while she mutters out loud. “Okay, so the proliferative phase starts while the follicular phase is going on at the same time? Why are bodies so damn confusing?”

Brooke has to try not to laugh at the way Vanessa’s brow is furrowed. “You’re cute when you’re confused over the reproductive system.”

Vanessa sticks her tongue out at her, though Brooke can see the way that her cheeks are turning pink. “Go over this with me one more time, B. It’s not clicking in my head.”

“Okay.” Brooke shifts closer to Vanessa, bends her head over the textbook with her. Their floor in the library remains as deserted as ever and Brooke is glad for it, because she can never keep her brain straight for too long when she’s this close to her.

“I got it!” Vanessa yells it triumphantly in the middle of Brooke’s explanation, making her jump. Vanessa claps a hand over her mouth, trying not to giggle. “Sorry. It makes sense now. Thank you, my girlfriend in shining armour.”

Brooke rolls her eyes good naturedly. “Anytime, you goof.” Vanessa’s so cute sometimes to her.

Brooke shuffles in her seat, remembering her talk with Detox earlier in the day. She hasn’t brought it up to Vanessa yet, the two of them studying from the moment that they got to the library. Though now that the thought is in her brain, she finds herself unable to focus on the words in front of her. How can she do her readings when she keeps thinking about kissing Vanessa, and being in Vanessa’s room, and-

“Nessa?”

“Mhm?” Vanessa’s voice is all distracted, her finger following along with the words that she’s reading in her textbook.

Brooke wants to bring up what happened the last time they were in Vanessa’s room, and why she’s been so shifty anytime they get close to doing anything, and how she’s never done it before but the only thing that comes out is-

“Sex?”

She nearly facepalms.

Vanessa’s eyebrows nearly shoot up to her hairline. “Awful forward, huh?”

Brooke feels the heat in her cheeks. “No, no, no, not what I meant I swear.”

Vanessa giggles. “What a classy proposition from you, Miss Brooke Lynn.”

“Ugh.” Brooke groans and it only makes Vanessa crack up more. “Okay, let me try again.”

Vanessa tries and fails to keep a straight face. “Okay. Take two.”

“Don’t laugh.”

“I’m not laughing, I swear!” Naturally, Vanessa lets out a giggle.

“Ness-”

“Spit it out already, B.”

“Okay, well.” Brooke fiddles with her hands. God, why is it so hard to say? “We should. Try. Doing more, I mean. I know I’ve been kinda all over the place, but…”

Vanessa’s eyes soften. “I don’t want to push you to do anything that you don’t want to, baby. Never have. Don’t worry about it.”

Brooke leans forward in her seat. “It’s not that I don’t want to.” How could she not? “I just…haven’t done it. Before. So.”

“Hey, so what? That’s no big deal.” Vanessa reaches out, grabs her hand. Squeezes it. The hold feels like it calms her down a little.

“I feel like I’ll be all fumbly and not know what to do.” Brooke feels whiny, but it’s a valid concern, dang it.

“It’s not like we’re leaving each other Yelp reviews after or some shit. That’s not the point of sex. The point is to enjoy it and have fun. But only if both people wanna, and are willing to try and trust each other.”

“You make it sound like a trust fall.”

Vanessa snorts. “In a way, it kinda is. But hey. Look at me.” She leans forward in her chair; her expression more earnest than Brooke’s ever seen from her. “We’ll do whatever you feel comfortable with, ‘kay? We can figure it out together.”

“Easy for you to say.” Brooke mumbles it as she looks down at the desk. “You’ve already done it.”

“So what? Not like it’s gonna be the same every time. Different people like different things. I wanna figure out what you like.” Vanessa winks at her, and suddenly Brooke really, really wishes that they weren’t in the library right now.

“So can we wrap up our studying, or-”

“Easy there, Casanova.” Vanessa smirks. “Let’s finish what we needed to get through today from the notes first.”

“Okay, and then-”

“Yes.” Vanessa grins at her. “Then.”

Brooke smiles back and lets out a breath. “Thanks, though. I know I’m a bit jumpy and tend to run away from things sometimes.”

She remembers Vanessa’s confused face every time that she pulled away without explanation. It feels easier, sometimes, to just not face things. It’s how she’s dealt with most difficult things that come her way. Though the realization that it doesn’t do any good for their relationship has been startling, and something she wants to work on - especially if it’s for someone like Vanessa.

“It’s no big. Besides, I know you’ll come back to me in the end.” Vanessa leans back in her chair, putting her hands behind her head.

It makes Brooke groan. “Okay, you just completely ruined the moment right there.”

Vanessa sticks her tongue out at her. “Think I just made it better, if I’m being honest. Now c’mon, we need to get through this shit as fast as possible. For reasons.”

(now)

“The new record keeping system that will replace our current one should make documenting progress notes, rounds, and reports easier, as well as writing orders with far fewer glitches on the interface…” The IT lead’s voice drones on for what feels like the fifth hour, and Brooke has to resist sinking lower and lower in her seat from boredom.

Sure, the fact that the hospital is upgrading their notes system is great. Real great, since their current one is absolute shit. But does the entire hospital staff really need to sit through multiple briefings on it? She has better things to do than to hear about the technical details of the system.

Brooke feels her phone vibrate in the pocket of her scrub pants and pulls it out, trying to keep it low in her lap. Most of the people that work at the hospital wouldn’t have the balls to ever call her out for being on her phone during a presentation - Nina, however, would, and she doesn’t need that conversation.

She clicks the notification and has to resist the urge to roll her eyes. Dr. Mateo.

VM: i’m bored as shit

VM: how long are these presentations anyway?

She types out a quick response, sending it and stuffing her phone back into her pocket.

BLH: Pay attention.

Her phone buzzes before she has a chance to tune back into what the presenter is saying. Not that she actually cares to listen.

VM: like u are, bitch

VM: don’t think I don’t see u nodding off in the second row

BLH: I am not.

VM: yeah u are

BLH: Did you text me just to argue with me through a different form of communication than face to face?

VM: no, actually

VM: thinking of u bending me over my desk

VM: like u did yesterday

Brooke shuts her phone screen before anyone near her sees the texts, letting out a breath. Does she have to do this now?

It doesn’t stop her phone from buzzing again.

VM: thinking of ur hands holding me down

VM: making me beg for it

VM: not letting me come

Jesus Christ. Yesterday had been exceptionally good. Real fucking good, after Vanessa had made their team meeting run so damn long with her tendency of bringing the conversation off topic that Brooke had to get her back somehow. The stress relief had benefited both of them, really. And remembering it is making her feel warm in her seat.

VM: I see u squirming

VM: u thinking bout it too huh

God.

BLH: What are you even trying to do right now?

VM: u know exactly what

VM: let’s ditch this

VM: my office in 10

She could easily just stay here and learn about the new charting system, leaving Dr. Mateo all frustrated and worked up alone in her office.

Or.

She could go to her office and have what she knows will be a way better afternoon.

Brooke waits an extra five minutes after Dr. Mateo’s specified time, wanting to make her squirm a little. The hallway is mercifully empty as she reaches her office, which is just as well because Dr. Mateo practically yanks her inside when she gets there.

“What are you, a fucking sloth? Could you be any slower?”

Brooke snorts. “Impatient as always, aren’t you?”

“Shut up. Now come here.” Dr. Mateo tugs on her lab coat, pulls Brooke down to kiss her.

Brooke wastes no time in reciprocating the kiss, deepening it and grabbing Dr. Mateo’s face with both of her hands. Brooke loves the way that she has to bend down and the way that Dr. Mateo has to tilt her own face up, reaching slightly to make up for the height difference. It’s cuter than it should be.

Dr. Mateo walks Brooke backwards until they reach her desk chair, pushing her shoulders until she sits down. She climbs up onto Brooke, straddling her lap and wrapping her arms around her neck. The sharp breath that she lets out when Brooke’s hands grab her waist, holding her steady, is a sound that Brooke knows well.

“Our joint surgery is in four weeks.” Dr. Mateo gets the words out in between kisses.

“That it is.” Brooke tilts her head back towards her. Why is she bringing it up, when they clearly both have better things that they can be doing right now?

“Not sure if I’m gonna rip your head off first or not.” Dr. Mateo grinds slightly into her lap, and Brooke has to resist a groan.

“Maybe you should just stop arguing every damn meeting and it’ll help.” Dr. Mateo has been truly insufferable at every meeting so far. Not willing to compromise. Normally, Brooke would respect that kind of integrity, but now, when it could interfere with her own practice? She can’t stand it.

“Maybe you should just give in to what I want to do in the first place.” Dr. Mateo grins and it makes Brooke want to roll her eyes. Instead, she presses a kiss to her neck.

“I’ll fuck the fight out of you first before ever doing that.” Dr. Mateo whines at Brooke’s words, trying to press herself even closer. Brooke grabs her chin, brings it back to face her so she can kiss her again. Hopefully the words are enough to shut her up already.

Brooke tugs off Dr. Mateo’s shirt, then her bra, tossing them onto the floor. She watches as goosebumps rise on Dr. Mateo’s skin, and pulls her closer to keep her warm underneath the ever-present air conditioning.

Pressing kisses along Dr. Mateo’s collarbone, her cleavage, rolling one of her nipples beneath her fingers feels so familiar, so right, as much as Brooke hates to admit it. Dr. Mateo’s so responsive, especially when Brooke already knows her sensitive spots and what affects her the most.

She could do this forever.

Though she shouldn’t like it as much as she does. It’s just stress release, nothing more.

Dr. Mateo pulls on Brooke’s shirt, grumbles when it doesn’t magically come off right away. Brooke snorts, leans forward slightly so that she can get it off along with her own bra. Dr. Mateo wastes no time in raking her hands up her sides, past her ribs, cupping and squeezing her breasts when she leans down to kiss her and Brooke can’t help but whine because how does Dr. Mateo have this sort of effect on her?

Dr. Mateo isn’t shivering anymore, her body feeling warm under Brooke’s touch. She grinds down more into Brooke’s lap and for a second Brooke is reminded of their shared apartment years and years ago, when they’d both come home from classes in their junior year of university and end up making out on the couch while ignoring the movie that they’d have put on to unwind.

Brooke remembers the way that she’d hold her every night and wrap her arms around her as they fell asleep, letting their worries about med school admissions and grades and everything else just fall away. Their pets would be curled up on top of their blankets, Riley snoring and Henry and Apollo tucked up by their legs.

The memory jolts Brooke for a second and she breaks the kiss without meaning to, staring up at her with wide eyes. Dr. Mateo is still the same Vanessa no matter how much Brooke doesn’t want her to be, the same eyes and same smile and same inquisitive look that’s on her face right now that she’d wear back then, too.

Vanessa tilts her head slightly, looking at her with a question in her eyes. “What?”

“Nothing.” It’s nothing, it doesn’t matter. She can compartmentalize. They’re not the same now. They’re not.

Brooke can do strictly sex. It’s been good for them so far, helping to work out some of the tension between them that arises without fail. She hasn’t had such a good lay in ages.

But then Vanessa leans down to kiss her again and her mind feels like it’s running at a million miles an hour, remembering their relationship and the four years of laughter and stress and leaning on each other and so much love.

Brooke really had loved her.

Vanessa had been the first person that Brooke had said ‘I love you’ to. Also the last. Of course, the words and the life they had began to build together had crumbled brick by brick, leaving nothing but smoking ruins from which they had to pick up the pieces and move on.

Brooke’s built a new life now. A successful one.

But having Vanessa this close to her again, she wants to fit her in there, too. No matter how much the rational part of her brain is telling her not to.

“Tell me what you want.” The words come out softer than Brooke intends them to, but they make Vanessa let out a sigh just the same. Brooke brings her face towards her to kiss her and it’s deep but it’s gentle, not biting or hard but one that makes Brooke want to pull her even closer.

“Do you want my mouth on you, baby? Do you want me to eat you out on your desk? Tell me.” Vanessa whines at Brooke’s words, pushes her hips lower onto her lap. All that Brooke wants to do is to give her whatever she wants, like nothing else matters other than making Vanessa happy.

“Need you to keep kissing me. Please.” Vanessa wraps her arms around Brooke’s neck, and Brooke feels warm, too warm, like she’s a star at its brightest, about to burn out. But if this is how she goes? What a way to die.

Vanessa unwinds one of her hands from her neck and grabs her wrist, moves Brooke’s hand down until it’s at her waistband, and then Brooke gets it. Knows what she wants.

Brooke kisses her deep and slow as she tugs Vanessa’s pants down, cups her through the cotton of her panties. Vanessa pushes herself against her hand, trying to find more friction and moaning into the kiss and Brooke pulls back, pressing her forehead against hers. “Patience, Ness.”

Brooke wants to make this last forever, have it never end because if it does then it means that she has to think about it, face up to what they’re doing and how badly she needs her despite the fact that she shouldn’t. But it feels so right, having her in her arms, so open and wanting and needy just for her.

“Need you Brooke, please.” Vanessa’s whimper is all desperate into her mouth, and the only reason that Brooke hears her is because they’re so close, so pressed together, breathing the same breath. “Wanna ride you.”

Vanessa doesn’t break the kiss when she sinks down onto two of Brooke’s fingers. Brooke can feel the way Vanessa’s hands fist in her hair as she lets out a breath into her mouth, the tug a sensation strong enough to ground her. Vanessa lifts her hips up slightly before pushing herself back down, her grip tightening when Brooke scissors her fingers. Brooke moves her kisses down to Vanessa’s neck, feels the way Vanessa buries her face into her shoulder. She matches the movements and speed of her hand with Vanessa’s, and the synchronicity makes it feel like they have twin heartbeats, beating at the same time as if they’ve never been out of rhythm with each other at all.

“More, B. Need more.” Vanessa mumbles it against her shoulder, and Brooke’s not sure if she’s imagining the way that her voice breaks.

“Whatever you want.” She adds a third finger, twisting her wrist to get the angle that she knows Vanessa likes and ignoring the burning in her forearm because she’s not going to stop now. Vanessa meets the curl of her fingers, holding her tighter and Brooke hates the tiny part of her mind that never wants Vanessa to let go.

“B, I-” Vanessa’s cut off in a silent scream, burying her face into her neck and shuddering on top of her and Brooke keeps her movements up, pressing kisses to her hair and wherever she can reach.

Vanessa lets out a small whimper when Brooke pulls her fingers back and kisses her temple. She lifts her face up and Brooke looks at her and her breaths are so shallow, her eyes so wide and Brooke’s sure that her own expression is the same, full of questions and things left unsaid and so many feelings threatening to spill out like a river if they let the dam break.

Brooke bites her own lip, wanting to pull Vanessa back in for another kiss, but she needs to say something, anything to her first. “Nessa-”

Beep beep beep beep-

Brooke lets out a groan. Her pager keeps going off, unrelenting and insistent no matter how much she wishes she could just block it out, never pick it up if it means that she’d have to leave.

But she has to.

“I-”

“Yeah.”

Vanessa climbs off of her lap, shaky on her legs as she hands Brooke the pager from where she’d dropped it onto the desk earlier. She returns the call but the words on the other end of the line are so far away, so hard to focus on.

“I have to go.” Brooke doesn’t want to meet Vanessa’s eyes as she says it, because she doesn’t know what’s just happened, what they’ve just done. This hadn’t been like their other quick fucks in each other’s offices, hadn’t just been stress release.

This had been different.

When she does look up at her, Vanessa’s brow is gently furrowed with worry lines and she’s biting her lip. Brooke knows then that she feels it too. The change.

It scares Brooke as she leaves the office. The vulnerability, the closeness. The intense need for Vanessa that feels like it’s coming from deep in her chest, unmatched by anything else that she’s ever felt before.

She’s still going to try to push it down, because how can they do this again and survive a second time? It would certainly end them both. She deserves better. Vanessa deserves better.

But, at the same time, they deserve each other. Need each other. It’s been ages, so many years but she hasn’t felt this type of longing in her soul for a long time. Not with any ex-girlfriends after Vanessa, not after she’d closed up her heart.

Except now it feels ripped open, exposed. In danger. Vulnerable for anyone to come in and break, to destroy.

She wraps her heart up in gauze, tucks it back where it should be as she heads down the hallway, to the ward that paged her for a consult. She can keep it safe, protected for now. Even if the protection is paper thin.

#rpdr fanfiction #branjie #brooke lynn hytes #vanessa vanjie mateo #lesbian au #hospital au #holtzmanns #nobody knows where we might end up

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hasbihallarcomebackhome-blog · 5 years

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Tension may cause plenty of hair loss. Test heading out for light walks, meditate and unwind. Pampering yourself and remaining pleased. This is tough once you see clumps of hair falling out, nevertheless will not be concerned and tell yourself your hair will grow out. Staying joyful will do miracles for your hair. Even men who never "go bald" slim out relatively over time. Compared with Individuals with reversible telogen shedding, Those people with typical male-sample hair loss Will not detect A lot hair popping out; They simply see that it isn't there anymore. Guys should not have to manage dry pores and skin less than their beard. White, flaky and itchy beard dandruff ... Hair-fiber powders: Coloured, powdery fiber sprinkles are commercially out there and may go to camouflage balding locations. These colored sprinkles have special Attributes that help them connect to hair and provides a fuller appearance. Toppik is one particular company of those products and can be found on the net. This issue is unusual in healthier Grown ups. Bald places typically clearly show broken-off hairs accompanied by a dermatitis. Oral antifungals can penetrate the hair roots and cure the an infection, after which hair grows again. Sharing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbW9CllaGhQ or combs and brushes may possibly transmit tinea capitis. Finasteride (brand name identify Propecia) could be the closest to a hair loss cure pill that experts have uncovered to this point. more info from stepto remedies is a DHT hair loss cure. DHT is made when five alpha reductase converts testosterone, and Propecia has long been observed to be a good inhibitor of DHT by stopping this method from going on. Immediately after replication, they inject it back into the scalp where it is necessary. RepliCel has finished a stage 1 scientific demo and will enroll a hundred and sixty male individuals with delicate to moderate hair loss for their Phase two demo. In other information RepliCel announced a study collaboration with College of British Columbia. They target is to produce a map with protein and gene expression of hair follicle cells that can help RepliCel even further increase their cell therapies i.e. hair loss avoidance solutions. If you Certainly have to dye your hair, check out a natural henna dye, which can in fact nourish your hair in place of harming it. I in no way have time to accomplish every one of the hair masks or all of that crap with school, but I’m taking into consideration using the flip your hair ahead strategy. As a real testament to the strength of all-natural botanicals and herbs, the organization even offers a one hundred% dollars-again ensure so there is not any hazard to purchasing and hoping this hair growth solution. They aren’t expanding your total hair rely, just shifting throughout the hair you have still left. On top of that, it doesn’t halt upcoming hair loss and occasionally supplemental transplants are required. Having said that, it seems that this may only cure hair loss that is a results of inflammation which include alopecia areata. Small is known about its Added benefits for treatment of androgentic alopecia. Alongside Using these Necessities, this high quality shampoo is hypoallergenic, sulfate and paraben-cost-free, and is created without having severe chemicals or irritants. The result is that it restores the natural pH harmony of your respective scalp and stimulates growth. Healthline shares five suggestions to maintain your locks healthful and robust all through menopause, when hormonal imbalances normally cause hair loss.

How hair regrowth can Save You Time, Stress, and Money.

https://www.pinterest.com/healthhomeremedies/steptoremedies/ is the formidable hair loss shampoo. Just one major cause to like this is because it’s ideal for all sorts of hair, which includes curly, straight, frizzy, tangly or efficiently thin. This shampoo is usually Light on colour handled hair and received’t spoil your highlights. Thank you Minaz. Although that’s incredibly disheartening. How with regard to the refrigerator? And Next, how will I notify if it’s long gone undesirable? Will it be the smell or will it get started wanting different? I’m inquiring because I created many of the egg shampoo utilizing 2 eggs, and apart from each of the ingredients mentioned in the leading recipe, I added peppermint necessary oil, olive oil, along with a spoon of almond oil. Additionally, One's body requirements vitamin C to make a protein known as collagen — a very important part of hair structure. You gained’t have to have any conditioner following washing hair with shikakai mainly because it’s naturally moisturising. With just one use, you are able to expect a wholesome scalp and tender, shiny and bouncy hair. step toremedies and ponytails can pull really hard plenty of on hairs to make them fall out. If this transpires, it's best to choose hairstyles that set significantly less pressure on hair. Accomplishing this sooner can help to stay away from long lasting injury. At the end of the working day, The easiest method to get these nutrients is by eating a balanced, authentic foodstuff-dependent diet plan that includes plenty of nutrient-dense foods. These items are often harmless but commonly not scientifically proven and as a consequence probably worthless. To slow down hair loss, you will discover not less than four possibly efficient, essential choices. These contain remedies like Minoxidil, and Propecia, that happen to be for long-phrase use. Halting these medications won't manage to worsen or exacerbate the prior hair loss. The affected individual will simply just revert on the condition he would've been in experienced he hardly ever started treatment. Telogen (Shedding Phase) - it is a resting stage, at the end of which your hair is unveiled and it falls out, i.e., the resting hair stays inside the follicle till it is pushed out because of the growth of a brand new anagen hair. Based on your issue, the general practitioner might immediate you to a dermatologist, a trichologist, or maybe an endocrinologist In the event the hair loss is linked to hormonal imbalance. You may also be referred into a psychologist in the event you are afflicted by Trichotillomania. "Sonic hedgehog can convert resting hair into growing hair," Cotsarelis says. "We really Do not realize it's whole part, however, if it controls follicle dimensions and growth, it may be some thing a treatment is likely to be based close to." I know shampoo only stays in your hair for a few minutes, but it surely tends to make this type of huge change within the health and fitness of one's hair. "The most effective candidate for hair restoration surgical procedure has had hair loss for numerous many years but has stabilized and isn't getting rid of far more hair speedily," Kaufman says. "Somebody needs to have practical anticipations of what can be carried out to give them a natural showing hair line." Excessive dryness attributable to sulfates in frequent shampoos may cause hair to tangle and come to be thinner. When that happens, hair loss is inescapable. Sulfates and comparable chemical substances also lead to the scalp to dry out and flake, harming hair follicles. Tinea could be the professional medical word for fungal infection, and capitis means head. Tinea capitis is fungal infection with the scalp that for the most part influences school-age youngsters. Tinea capitis is a lot more prevalent in black African or African-American scalps.

hair loss in women Can Be Fun For Anyone

We preserve our audience current on what is Doing the job, what is not, and what is actually on the horizon. Whether or not it's an evaluation of the next new matter, or development in the direction of a hair loss cure, you'll be the first to grasp. We’ve talked about the part of DHT and hair loss in this together with other posts; it’s merely that essential. Ensure that no matter what nutritional supplement you end up picking contains DHT blockers. Soon after the color tragedy, I keep significantly from artificial hair colors. I've only a few gray hair, And that i use henna to deal with my greys. Finasteride (brand title Propecia) is definitely the closest to your hair loss cure tablet that researchers have uncovered to date. That is a DHT hair loss cure. DHT is created when five alpha reductase converts testosterone, and Propecia has been observed to get an effective inhibitor of DHT by stopping this method from happening. Several of the medications accustomed to conquer back most cancers regretably may result in your hair to fall out. website is sort of a nuclear bomb,” says Dr. Glashofer. “It destroys quickly dividing cells. Meaning cancer cells, but in addition speedily dividing cells like hair.” Rated the most beneficial shampoo for hair regrowth in 2017 and once again in 2018 by marketplace experts, Ultrax Labs Hair Surge can be a manufacturer that’s winning lots of awards for its exceptional-high-quality items. This business has manufactured fairly an effect on heads all over the place, and deserves to generally be at the top of our listing. How to proceed: Synthetic thyroid medication will manage the issue. When your thyroid ranges return to usual, so need to your hair. For those who’re a guy who hasn’t discovered ways to use hair gel however, it might be a good time to figure out ... Dropping your hair? It may well an uncomplicated take care of-like receiving more or less of a vitamin-or trickier to take care of. Start out Slideshow Every solution we aspect has actually been independently picked and reviewed by our editorial staff. In case you produce a obtain utilizing the back links incorporated, we may perhaps generate commission. Minoxidil, popularly often called brand name Rogaine, operates much differently than Propecia. It does not inhibit DHT, nonetheless it increases blood move and as a consequence nourishment to the scalp and hair follicles. This has become shown to revive dormant follicles to some balanced point out of growth in some buyers. What would transpire if you keep an elastic band stretched for several hours? It'll begin to shed the extend. Despite the fact that certain professional medical elements may be influencing your problems with hair loss and thinning, a straightforward change during the shampoo you utilize might make all the primary difference. And if you actually need to Participate in it Secure, acquire among the list of products and solutions having a dollars-again ensure. But our reviews of the best shampoos for hair growth can give you hope and enable you to locate the ideal solution for you personally. And The explanation was excessive fret or strain. Stress affects all of our overall body, and our hair is not any exception. Hardly ever-ending worry could cause a disproportionate number of hair to enter resting stage concurrently. Which causes youtube little herbs of hair popping out all of sudden.

Considerations To Know About hair loss treatment

When unsure, browse the usage suggestions found in your hair loss shampoo’s container. People recommendations are there to make certain you receive the very best final results from a shampoo with no causing damage to your scalp or hair. These beauty merchandise are available with no prescription, are rather affordable ($20-$40 variety), and quite Secure with minimal danger. Frequently these may be employed In combination with medical treatments like Rogaine, Propecia, and hair transplants, and they are an awesome non permanent evaluate to tide 1 over for Distinctive situations. A typical pores and skin situation, alopecia areata usually begins as only one quarter-sized circle of beautifully clean bald pores and skin. These patches usually regrow in 3 to six months without treatment. From time to time, white hair temporarily regrows and after that will become dark. These new hair loss cures appear promising, but will they seriously be a cure or just One more Propecia? Permit’s consider https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Hair-Loss and negatives of every approaching treatment. Nevertheless, consumers has to be cautious since Nizoral might cause irritation to your skin about the scalp if still left on for far too extensive. Males and women with sensitive skin really should surely be mindful when using this solid product or service, ensuring to generally totally rinse right after each individual use. It is possible to encourage hair growth by sustaining healthier hair through a very good eating plan and correct hair treatment. Particular herbs can assist make your hair grow faster, much too. Observed palmetto is hardly new; Indigenous Individuals have already been utilizing it as drugs and as being a food items supply for numerous many years. Non-scarring hair loss also comes about in cases the place There's Bodily or chemical harm to the hair shaft, causing breakage. At times, it might be necessary to do a biopsy of your scalp to differentiate these situations. Sometimes, a physician may pull a hair to look at the appearance from the hair shaft along with the proportion of growing hairs (anagen phase). This article will pay attention to the non-scarring sorts of hair loss. All that said, our primary consideration for choosing hair loss shampoos for our record was no matter if it made actual effects. We also admit that what might get the job done for someone may not work for one more, but we’re serious about the general image. This shampoo brings together the benefits of biotin, zinc, and coconut oil to deliver the growth of new hair although repairing slender, destroyed strands. This B-Complex Method stimulates hair follicles as a way to stimulate your hair to begin growing once more. The Ultrax Shampoo is back again. I’ve changed because they are usually not offered anymore. I’ll be updating the listing and adding far more hair loss shampoos shortly. Stay tuned. In via steptoremedies.com that quantities to about 80 million Adult males and forty million women currently suffering from hair loss. Obviously, a long lasting cure would decrease a huge proportion of the inhabitants. For this reason, biotin is Employed in major natural shampoos for hair loss together with numerous beard vitamins to promote thicker facial hair. Pick an item which contains biotin to enjoy these Positive aspects and cover many of the bases. Significantly, the stuff will work, and it has garnered plenty of awareness due to the fact remaining introduced to the industry. It was rated the best “Shampoo for Hair Regrowth Stimulation” in 2016 and it is powerful for men and women (and is among just a few caffeinated hair shampoos designed for both equally sexes).

5 Simple Statements About hair growth vitamins Explained

You may or may not realize that The key reason why DHT causes the hair follicle miniaturization method is as the DHT brings about an immune response against the actual hair follicles in parts of the scalp that are genetically predisposed. Therefore https://www.facebook.com/steptoremedies/ , various scientific tests have already been performed over time. A new research, printed in 2014 by Aldhalimi et. al., researched the effects of Minoxidil on mice. The mice (of which there have been 20 in whole) were being shaved and their dorsal skin dyed to higher study hair growth. Avocado is great supply of Vitamin E and Additionally it is rich in the guts healthier monounsaturated fats. You could add it on your breakfast sald or Mix it right into a environmentally friendly smoothie. Immediately after two weeks return to your standard diet regime, apart from double the level of dairy you Generally consume for 3 days. Recall not to alter any other every day behavior around this period so we can easily isolate the allergic response When the hair loss that causes partial or complete baldness involves prescribed remedies and surgical treatments, the momentary or seasonal onset of hair loss is often treated by […] Whole grains are full of biotin together with iron, zinc and B vitamins. Biotin is needed for mobile proliferation and performs an important portion in making amino acids (protein) that happen to be expected on your hair to grow. Hair that's in excess of shoulder-length may be many several years previous (Sure, we have been discussing the lower component of your respective hair size). So, Keep in mind that it demands much more TLC than what a traditional conditioner could possibly give. Rather, a good hair mask can provide the appropriate type of pampering to the hair. Incorporate all components in the container within your option. Combine properly, and you'll want to blend comprehensively prior to Every single use. The main review on The subject was carried out in 2007, and it shows that software of tea tree oil can lead to a aspect outcome referred to as gynecomastia. This is a sign of antiandrogenic pursuits. In the 2 month level you might be ready to see and come to feel a change when you’ve followed my instructions appropriately. After the ‘unnatural’ part I’m about to provide you with the most effective technique to regrow hair, completely naturally by healing Your entire body and optimising your diet regime, Life style and setting for healthful hair growth. Sadly, hair fall treatment seems that RU58841 experimentation has ceased for that foreseeable future as a consequence of house legal rights transfer. It continues to be to generally be viewed irrespective of whether even further reports (specifically in human beings) will be carried out. I'm happy to determine that almost all things correlate, but Equilibrium is way more in depth and specifics and broader. I'm also beginning to follow the Plant paradox lectin avoidance nutrition. I hope to report very good results in 6 months. The transplant approach is often damaged into two measures. First, hair-bearing pores and skin is faraway from an area of the scalp generally known as the ‘donor internet site’. Second, the donor pores and skin and hair is then grafted on to the ‘receiver web-site’.

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ebenpink · 5 years

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Keto and the Menstrual Cycle: Is There Reason To Worry? http://bit.ly/2VUzY2P

It seems every “keto for women” forum abounds with stories about menstrual cycles gone wild in the first few months of keto. Irregular cycles, breakthrough bleeding, and periods lasting much longer than normal are common complaints. Sometimes these stories are cited as evidence that keto isn’t good for women, at least not premenopausal women, and that we need carbs for healthy hormones. Yet, many women don’t notice any changes in their menstrual cycles at all, while others report improvement in PMS symptoms and cycle regularity from the get-go.

What gives? Why do some women’s cycles apparently become wacky when they start keto, while others feel like keto is the key to period bliss? Can keto “mess up” the menstrual cycle?

We know that diet—what and how much we eat—can profoundly affect our hormones. This is true for both women and men. One of the reasons people are so excited about ketogenic diets is specifically because keto shows promise for helping to regulate hormones and improve cellular sensitivity to hormones such as insulin and leptin.

At the same time, women’s hormones are especially sensitive not only to dietary changes but also to downstream effects such as body fat loss. Furthermore, one of the ways women’s bodies respond to stressors is by turning down the dial on our reproductive systems. It’s reasonable to hypothesize, then, that women might have a tougher time adapting to or sustaining a ketogenic diet. Keto can be stressful depending on one’s approach, and that might negatively impact women’s reproductive health. But do the data actually bear that out, or is so-called “keto period” more misplaced hype than genuine fact?

Note that throughout this post, I’m going to use the term “reproductive health” to refer to all aspects of women’s menstrual cycle, reproductive hormones, and fertility. Even if you aren’t interested in reproducing right now, your body’s willingness to reproduce is an important indicator of overall health. When your reproductive health goes awry—irregular or absent periods (amenorrhea) or hormone imbalances—that’s a big red flag. Of course, post-menopausal women can also experience hormone imbalances that affect their health and quality of life (and low-carb and keto diets can be a great option for them).

Menstrual Cycle 101

Let’s briefly review what constitutes a normal, healthy menstrual cycle, understanding that everybody’s “normal” will be a little different. A typical cycle lasts from 21 to 24 days on the short end to 31 to 35 days on the long end, with 28 days being the median. Day 1 is the first day of your period and begins the follicular phase, which lasts until ovulation. Just before ovulation, levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol (a form of estrogen) spike. Next comes the luteal phase covering the approximately 14 days from ovulation to menses. LH, FSH, and estradiol drop, while progesterone rises. Estradiol bumps up again in the middle of the luteal phase. If a fertilized egg is not implanted, menstruation commences, and the whole cycles starts over again. All this is regulated by a complex communication network under the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis, which is closely tied to the actions of the adrenal (the A in HPA axis) and thyroid glands.

Across the cycle, fluctuations in body weight are common as fluid is retained and then released along with shifts in estrogen and progesterone. Changes in blood glucose are also normal, and insulin-dependent diabetics often find that they need to adjust their dose at different times of their cycles to keep their blood sugar in check. The most common pattern is higher blood glucose readings in the pre-menstrual period (the second half of the luteal phase), and lower readings after starting your period and before ovulation. This is generally attributed to the fact that progesterone, which is highest during the luteal phase, is known to reduce insulin sensitivity. However, different women experience different patterns, which can also be affected by other factors such as oral contraceptive use.

Normal fluctuations in insulin resistance and blood glucose can mean that women get lower ketone readings at certain times of the month than others. When these occur premenstrually—and so they tend to coincide with a period of (transient) weight gain and food/carbohydrate cravings—women often feel as though they are doing something wrong. Rest assured that these variations reflect normal physiology.

The many factors that affect your cycle and the levels of your sex hormones include: other hormones, gut health and microbiome, metabolic health (e.g., insulin sensitivity), environmental toxins, stress, sleep, immune health, nutrient deficiencies, activity level and energy expenditure, and age. Each affects the others, and all (except age of course) can be affected by diet. It’s no surprise, then, that it can be extremely difficult to pin down a root cause of menstrual changes or reproductive issues.

What the Research Tells Us About Keto and Menstruation

As I said at the outset, there are lots of anecdotes, both positive and negative. In my experience, most women whose cycles seem to go crazy when they start keto find that things get back to normal—and often a better version of normal—after a few months.

First, it’s tricky to determine the effects of keto per se, since many people combine a ketogenic diet with calorie restriction (intentionally to lose weight or unintentionally due to the appetite suppressing effects of keto) and with fasting (intermittent and/or extended). Each of these can independently impact the factors listed above, lead to weight loss, and affect the menstrual cycle and reproductive health.

So, is there any evidence that keto itself causes changes to menstruation?

The scientific evidence is scant….

The one statistic you’ll see floating around the interwebs is “45% of (adolescent) females experience irregular menstrual cycles on keto.” This statistic comes from one small study of adolescent girls using a therapeutic ketogenic diet to treat epilepsy. Six of the twenty girls reported amenorrhea (loss of period) and three were diagnosed with delayed puberty. However, the ketogenic diet used for epilepsy is different and usually much stricter than an “everyday” keto diet needs to be, and epilepsy is frequently associated with menstrual dysfunction regardless of diet.

To extrapolate the findings of this study and argue that nearly half of teenage girls (or women generally) are likely to experience menstrual problems from going keto is a huge leap.

The fact is, I’m unable to find any studies done in healthy human females (or mice for that matter) demonstrating that otherwise normal menstrual cycles are disturbed by going keto.

5 Ways Keto-Related Factors *Might* Affect Your Menstrual Cycle

With the limited amount of research looking directly at keto and menstruation, let’s look first at whether there are direct effects of carbohydrate restriction or elevated ketone production on the menstrual cycle. Those are the defining characteristics of keto and what differentiates keto from other ways of eating. Then we can examine indirect effects that occur due to factors such as weight loss. These are not unique to keto, though they might be more likely on a ketogenic diet compared to other ways of eating.

Carbohydrate Restriction

There is no real body of evidence that looks at ketogenic levels of carb restriction and menstruation, but there are some clues. In this small study, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) was associated with dietary fat restriction; women with FHA actually ate non-significantly more carbs than matched controls and nearly identical total calories. Likewise, in this small study, FHA was associated with lower fat intake but no significant difference in carb intake.

This meta-analysis looked at the effect of low-carb (not keto) diets on markers of reproductive health among overweight women. The researchers found four studies that examined effects on menstruation; all showed improved menstrual regularity and/or ovulation rates. Of six studies that looked at levels of reproductive hormones, five reported significant improvements.

Carb restriction also results in decreased insulin production. Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance are frequently associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), one of the leading causes of female infertility and a frequent cause of menstrual irregularity. There is currently a lot of interest in using keto to treat PCOS, but only one small study has so far directly tested the effectiveness of a ketogenic diet to treat PCOS, with positive results.

Ketones

No studies have looked at the direct effects of ketones on menstruation.

Weight Loss

Of course weight loss is not unique to keto, but keto can be very effective for weight loss. Some women experience rapid weight loss when first starting a keto diet. Weight loss in and of itself can impact menstruation through a variety of pathways (and, of course, keto isn’t the only way people lose weight). A key way is by reducing the hormone leptin. Leptin’s main job is to communicate energy availability to the hypothalamus—high levels of leptin tell the hypothalamus that we have enough energy on board, which also means we can reproduce. Low leptin can disrupt the menstrual cycle and is linked to hypothalamic amenorrhea.

Body fat loss can also affect estrogen levels since estrogen is both stored and produced in adipocytes (fat cells). While fat loss in the long term will decrease estrogen production, it is possible that rapid fat loss might temporarily raise estrogen levels and can also affect estrogen-progesterone balance. These transient changes in estrogen levels might underlie some of the menstrual irregularities women report.

Stress

Stress can impact the menstrual cycle in myriad ways. Cortisol acts on the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, affecting hormone levels, sleep, immune function, and gut health, to name a few. Diets can be a source of stress, both at the physiological and psychological levels. Keto has a reputation for being especially stressful because it is more restrictive than other low-carb diets, but this can be mitigated by following the Keto Reset tips for women.

Thyroid Function

Thyroid dysregulation is another common cause of menstrual irregularities, and there remains a pervasive belief that keto is bad for thyroid health. Indeed, the thyroid is sensitive to nutrient deficiencies and caloric restriction, and thyroid hormones, especially T3, do frequently decline on keto. However, as Mark has discussed in a previous post, changes in T3 levels might not be a problem, especially in the absence of other problematic symptoms. Moreover, many practitioners now use keto as a cornerstone in their treatment of thyroid disorders.

What Should I Take From These Findings?

The first takeaway: there just isn’t much direct evidence about how keto might affect your menstrual cycle, positively or negatively. We have some studies suggesting that low-carb diets improve some aspects of menstruation and reproductive health, but keto is more than just another low-carb diet. Ketones themselves have important physiological properties, such as being directly anti-inflammatory, which might positively impact women’s reproductive health.

Second, the ways that keto is likely to (negatively) affect menstruation aren’t unique to keto, they’re common to any diet: hormone shifts mediated by energy balance, stress, and weight loss.

Furthermore, since keto is so often combined with caloric restriction, time-restricted eating, and fasting, even the anecdotal evidence might not be able to tell us all that much. If a woman is eating ketogenically, in a big caloric deficit, and doing OMAD (one meal a day), and her leptin plummets, how are we to know what really caused it? We don’t have good evidence that otherwise healthy women start a well-executed ketogenic diet and end up messing up their menstrual cycles.

That said, women do need to be cognizant of the sum total of the signals they are sending their bodies when it comes to energy availability and stress. A lot of women come to the keto diet with a history of adrenal, thyroid, metabolic, and reproductive issues. It’s important that they’re extra careful about how they approach keto. Done correctly, it might be just what the doctor ordered. I encourage any woman who’s dealing with other hormonal issues to work with a medical practitioner to tailor a keto diet to her unique needs.

But I’m Telling You, Keto Made My Period Go Haywire!

Ok, I believe you, really! But changes do not necessarily equal dysfunction. It is normal to experience hormone fluctuations when you make a massive—or even a relatively small but important—shift in your nutrition. Sometimes those fluctuations are unpleasant or unwanted, such as a period that lasts 14 days or one that arrives a week before you planned while you’re on vacation. However, that doesn’t make them bad from a health perspective. We need to respect that our bodies are dynamic systems. Changing the input will invariably change the output, and the system might need a few months to adapt to a new normal.

If your cycle goes wonky but you’re otherwise feeling good, give it a few months to sort itself out. If after a few months it’s still all over the place (or definitely if you’re having other disruptive symptoms), enlist help. In the meantime, check to make sure you’re not short-changing yourself nutritionally or calorically. Scale back on fasting efforts, and consider shifting more toward a traditional Primal way of eating.

At the end of the day, if you go keto and experience negative effects, stop. Keto is super hyped right now, but if your body is sending you clear signals that keto is not a good approach for you at this time, don’t do it. You can always try again later. It might be that your first attempt at keto didn’t work, but with a few adjustments and some experimentation over time you can find a version of keto that works for you.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Do you have comments, questions, or feedback? Let me know below.

References:

Comninos AN, Jayasena CN, Dhillo WS. The relationship between gut and adipose hormones, and reproduction. Human Reproduction Update 2014; 20(2): 153–174.

Fontana R, Della Torre S. The Deep Correlation between Energy Metabolism and Reproduction: A View on the Effects of Nutrition for Women Fertility. Nutrients. 2016;8(2):87.

Klok MD, Jakobsdottir S, Drent ML. The role of leptin and ghrelin in the regulation of food intake and body weight in humans: a review. Obesity Reviews 2007;8(1):21-34.

Meczekalski B, Katulski K, Czyzyk A, Podfigurna-Stopa A, Maciejewska-Jeske M. Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea and its influence on women’s health. J Endocrinol Invest. 2014;37(11):1049–1056.

Tena-Sempere M. Roles of Ghrelin and Leptin in the Control of Reproductive Function. Neuroendocrinology 2007;86:229-241.

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ahentyways · 7 years

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@ Non-Black People with Dreadlocks

So you want locs? Fine. Rip and mat and abuse your hair into imitating what coils and kinks do naturally when left alone. That’s no skin off my back. But stop using historical/religious justification for your full follicular overhaul. You think the style is cool or different or pretty? That’s perfectly fine to think, but when it comes down to it and you need a job, or you’re ready to move into a new phase of your life, or you desire to be taken ‘seriously’ by society you can comb out your mats/plats out & viola! You’re instantly de-politiced and ready to take on the world!! Lucky you!!!

I’m not so lucky. My hair will always be political, no matter what I do to it. Wear a natural, unstyled look & I’m coded threatening or militant. Straighten it or put in weave & I’m a traitor who’s ashamed of my own ethnicity. Any way I style it, I’m an exhibition, an exception to the rule, someone to be scrutinized and judged sometimes solely on the integrity of my twist out that day. My dreads, if I were to cultivate them, would speak just as loudly as my voice. When black people loc their hair, it’s a deep commitment. Very few people in the diaspora can simply comb out their locs if they tire of them.

So when non-black dreadlocked folk recoil in horror at the accusation of cultural appropriation, I want them to think about navigating this world with just a modicum of the presumption and expectation placed upon black people for existing & taking up space, especially with a hair style that openly defies and subverts the eurocentric beauty standards we are inundated with on a daily basis. Then tell me again how exactly non-black people aren’t handpicking a key part of a cultural identity they find visually appealing and wearing it while experiencing virtually none of the consequences that choice often is loaded with for black people.

P.S. If you still choose to ‘loc’ your non kinky-curly strands, wash your nasty-ass hair semi-regularly. If you’ve been instructed to avoid a shower as a part of your dread maintenance, it probably means it wasn’t meant to be, Lakynn. Stop fighting nature. Black people wash their locs regularly, almost as if that style occurs naturally on us and letting water hit them won’t cause the actual loc to unravel. B.O. ain’t cute fam.

#can you believe I let this incredible post sit in my drafts for months? let's remedy that immediately

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lauramalchowblog · 5 years

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Keto and the Menstrual Cycle: Is There Reason To Worry?

What gives? Why do some women’s cycles apparently become wacky when they start keto, while others feel like keto is the key to period bliss? Can keto “mess up” the menstrual cycle?

Menstrual Cycle 101

What the Research Tells Us About Keto and Menstruation

So, is there any evidence that keto itself causes changes to menstruation?

The scientific evidence is scant….

To extrapolate the findings of this study and argue that nearly half of teenage girls (or women generally) are likely to experience menstrual problems from going keto is a huge leap.

The fact is, I’m unable to find any studies done in healthy human females (or mice for that matter) demonstrating that otherwise normal menstrual cycles are disturbed by going keto.

5 Ways Keto-Related Factors *Might* Affect Your Menstrual Cycle

Carbohydrate Restriction

Ketones

No studies have looked at the direct effects of ketones on menstruation.

Weight Loss

Stress

Thyroid Function

What Should I Take From These Findings?

Second, the ways that keto is likely to (negatively) affect menstruation aren’t unique to keto, they’re common to any diet: hormone shifts mediated by energy balance, stress, and weight loss.

But I’m Telling You, Keto Made My Period Go Haywire!

Thanks for reading, everyone. Do you have comments, questions, or feedback? Let me know below.

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window.onload=function(){ga('send', { hitType: 'event', eventCategory: 'Ad Impression', eventAction: '84166' });}

References:

Comninos AN, Jayasena CN, Dhillo WS. The relationship between gut and adipose hormones, and reproduction. Human Reproduction Update 2014; 20(2): 153–174.

Fontana R, Della Torre S. The Deep Correlation between Energy Metabolism and Reproduction: A View on the Effects of Nutrition for Women Fertility. Nutrients. 2016;8(2):87.

Klok MD, Jakobsdottir S, Drent ML. The role of leptin and ghrelin in the regulation of food intake and body weight in humans: a review. Obesity Reviews 2007;8(1):21-34.

Meczekalski B, Katulski K, Czyzyk A, Podfigurna-Stopa A, Maciejewska-Jeske M. Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea and its influence on women’s health. J Endocrinol Invest. 2014;37(11):1049–1056.

Tena-Sempere M. Roles of Ghrelin and Leptin in the Control of Reproductive Function. Neuroendocrinology 2007;86:229-241.

The post Keto and the Menstrual Cycle: Is There Reason To Worry? appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

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0 notes

jesseneufeld · 5 years

Text

Keto and the Menstrual Cycle: Is There Reason To Worry?

What gives? Why do some women’s cycles apparently become wacky when they start keto, while others feel like keto is the key to period bliss? Can keto “mess up” the menstrual cycle?

Menstrual Cycle 101

What the Research Tells Us About Keto and Menstruation

So, is there any evidence that keto itself causes changes to menstruation?

The scientific evidence is scant….

To extrapolate the findings of this study and argue that nearly half of teenage girls (or women generally) are likely to experience menstrual problems from going keto is a huge leap.

The fact is, I’m unable to find any studies done in healthy human females (or mice for that matter) demonstrating that otherwise normal menstrual cycles are disturbed by going keto.

5 Ways Keto-Related Factors *Might* Affect Your Menstrual Cycle

Carbohydrate Restriction

Ketones

No studies have looked at the direct effects of ketones on menstruation.

Weight Loss

Stress

Thyroid Function

What Should I Take From These Findings?

Second, the ways that keto is likely to (negatively) affect menstruation aren’t unique to keto, they’re common to any diet: hormone shifts mediated by energy balance, stress, and weight loss.

But I’m Telling You, Keto Made My Period Go Haywire!

Thanks for reading, everyone. Do you have comments, questions, or feedback? Let me know below.

(function($) { $("#dfMQaOS").load("https://www.marksdailyapple.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=dfads_ajax_load_ads&groups=674&limit=1&orderby=random&order=ASC&container_id=&container_html=none&container_class=&ad_html=div&ad_class=&callback_function=&return_javascript=0&_block_id=dfMQaOS" ); })( jQuery );

window.onload=function(){ga('send', { hitType: 'event', eventCategory: 'Ad Impression', eventAction: '84157' });}

References:

Comninos AN, Jayasena CN, Dhillo WS. The relationship between gut and adipose hormones, and reproduction. Human Reproduction Update 2014; 20(2): 153–174.

Fontana R, Della Torre S. The Deep Correlation between Energy Metabolism and Reproduction: A View on the Effects of Nutrition for Women Fertility. Nutrients. 2016;8(2):87.

Klok MD, Jakobsdottir S, Drent ML. The role of leptin and ghrelin in the regulation of food intake and body weight in humans: a review. Obesity Reviews 2007;8(1):21-34.

Meczekalski B, Katulski K, Czyzyk A, Podfigurna-Stopa A, Maciejewska-Jeske M. Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea and its influence on women’s health. J Endocrinol Invest. 2014;37(11):1049–1056.

Tena-Sempere M. Roles of Ghrelin and Leptin in the Control of Reproductive Function. Neuroendocrinology 2007;86:229-241.

The post Keto and the Menstrual Cycle: Is There Reason To Worry? appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

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0 notes

weightloss18-blog1 · 6 years

Text

Cycle Synching With Food & Fitness

New Post has been published on https://designweightloss.com/cycle-synching-with-food-fitness/

Cycle Synching With Food & Fitness

Hi, guys!

So, I’m talking about hormones today! Woohoo! Aren’t they a blast for us gals, especially during *that* time of the month? While I don’t believe that there’s any woman who can say she loves alllllll of the fun side effects that come with the menstrual cycle, I DO believe that taking the time to learn about our bodies and our hormones can make a world of a difference in how we feel!

No clue where to start? I highly recommend reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility. It’s crazy to think I didn’t learn how my body really works until I was almost 38 years old! This book should be required reading as a teenager! Anyway…

I’ve talked before about how I went off the pill last August (after some trial and error between switching brands and experiencing all sorts of wackiness). Hormonally, I was not in the best place, but I was committed to staying off the pill to try and learn how to manage my cycle naturally. Needless to say, this quest turned me into a total fertility nerd, and I wanted to know anything and everything about how my body works. Seed cycling was my first jump into a more natural way of balancing hormones – and while I was skeptical at first, I totally noticed a difference. I really thought seeds were magical… until they weren’t, and I stopped noticing all of the awesome effects.

After that, I thought, what else is out there to try? Awhile back, I picked up a book with all sorts of information about cycle synching called Woman Code by Alisa Vitti, a functional nutritionist and women’s hormone expert – and I am super glad that I did! You’re probably asking yourself – what the heck is cycle syncing, you hippy?! It sounds a little out there, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it’s not at all.

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Essentially, cycle syncing is just adjusting your lifestyle (and food!) to match which phase of your cycle you are in. Interesting, right? At first, I was a little hesitate. Plan my schedule around my hormones? Really? But, hey, I’ll try anything once. And, surprisingly, syncing my lifestyle to my cycle didn’t make things more difficult – it actually simplified life because I began working with my body instead of fighting it.

Instead of trying to force our hormones into fitting into our lifestyles (which is basically fighting a losing battle because nature does what it wants), Alisa encourages women to embrace them and adjust their lives as much as possible according to what part of our cycle we are in. There’s a lot of talk about the menstrual phase and all the fun things that come along with it, but there are actually FOUR phases of our cycle, meaning that our hormones are are constantly flowing and changing:

Menstrual – ‘nuff said.

Follicular – post-period, when your body is gearing up to ovulate

Ovulation – when your ovary releases a mature egg cell

Luteal – when your progesterone increases to prepare for possible pregnancy

And rinse and repeat!

During these four phases, your hormones are shifting- and this can impact all aspects of your life – from the food you crave to your energy during workouts, right down to if you feel like cancelling your Friday night plans. Been there, done that!

Alisa encourages women to schedule tougher workouts during the follicular phase and go easy during the luteal and menstrual phases. You guys know I’m a sucker for a kick-ass workout, and when I first began my healthy living journey, I would often go hard even if I wasn’t feeling great. Honestly, I saw going easy or taking a break as just another excuse and would push through even when my body was telling me to do otherwise.

Now, I’ve learned through reading Woman Code and my own hormone story that it is so important to be mindful about how we feel and actually listen when that feeling is “blah.” After tuning into my cycles, I’ve noticed that I generally feel great during the first half of my cycle, so I make an effort to try a little harder during workouts. During the second half of my cycle, if I feel like I have low energy or am generally fatigued, I’ll stick to weights and leave the super high-intensity stuff for later (or just not go as hard). I’ve also noticed that I take more rest during the luteal and menstrual phases – and that’s totally ok!

When it comes to diet, I’ve definitely struggled with some not-so-healthy premenstrual cravings. Chocolate? Cheese? ALLTHECARBS. Obviously, I like to indulge, but I sometimes felt like my cravings around my menstrual cycle were kind of out of control. Did you know that there are foods we can eat throughout our cycle that provide key nutrients so we can minimize those cravings? Oh, yes.

I’ve been using this handy list when I go grocery shopping that details the best foods to eat based on which phase of the month you’re in. It’s broken out into several food groups, which makes meal plans and shopping quite easy. Basically, I use this list as a loose basis for meals and snacks during the week. I’m not nuts about it – if I’m grabbing a drink and someone puts down a bowl of follicular phase olives during my luteal phase, I won’t say no if I really want them. Haha! But I do my best to follow the list to make sure I’m fueling my body with what it needs – and I’ve definitely noticed a difference in reduced cravings and my energy levels!

Beyond diet and exercise, our cycle impacts all facets of our lives – from work to friends and family to our creativity. Ever make weekend plans on a Monday because you’re feeling super social, only to find that come Friday you just want to stay in and curl up with a good book? Yep – that could definitely be related to your hormones changing! Crazy, right?

While it’s impossible to structure your whole social and work life around your cycle, Alisa gives us plenty of insight into why we feel one way during one week and differently the next. During the menstrual phase, women tend to be a little more withdrawn and introverted. The follicular phase brings an increase of clarity and creativity, while during ovulation you might find yourself being a bit more social and outgoing. In the luteal phase, women generally have a boost in their assertiveness and problem-solving skills. Personally, I feel creatively charged right before ovulation and want to rest and relax at the onset of the menstrual phase. This book provides so much useful information and answered so many of my questions about why I “mysteriously” felt a certain way – turns out, there was an explanation all along! I swear, hormones are related to everything!

Clearly, I’m a tad obsessed with Women Code – and not just the book! Alisa has her own website where she offers a TON of resources for hormonal support as well as a super awesome community of women. There’s also an app called MyFLO that not only tracks your period, but tells you what to eat and how to plan your day based on where you are in your cycle. How cool is that? There’s a quiz on the site as well that offers recommendations for solutions to the type of period-related symptoms you’re experiencing. I’ve taken it three times since coming off birth control – and it’s always spot-on and has shown my progress with hormonal symptoms over the past year!

I’ve really enjoyed playing around with cycle synching these past few months. it’s still fairly new to me, but I like to think that I’m helping to balance my hormones and make them happy. If you’re thinking about trying cycle syncing, just remember to be patient. None of these natural hormone tools produce results overnight, but I swear, it was 100% worth it. It’s taken a year to get where I am today, but I can confidently say that I am in a MUCH better place overall!

Question of the Day

Ever heard of cycle synching?

What I’m Loving Lately 118

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ttctime · 6 years

Text

BBT

Body basal temperature charting. You take your temperature every morning when you wake up, before getting out of bed. You are looking for a temperature shift of at least .2 degrees that is sustained for 3 days. This shift occurs after ovulation due to the production of the heat producing hormone: progesterone. It is a retrospective way of confirming ovulation occurred at a certain time.

Advantages: You can confirm your timing was good (You are only fertile for 3-5 days before ovulation occurs). You can track how long your follicular phase and luteal phase are and confirm both are within normal ranges. You feel a degree of control over the process.

Disadvantages: No amount of staring at your chart is going to make you pregnant or tell you why you aren’t. It’s obsessive. You try to see more in your chart than your chart can tell you. There is no other pattern than the bi-phasic shift - you can’t tell if you are pregnant just from looking at your chart.

I’ve spent so many hours staring at my chart the last 5 months. I am going to try really hard to only temp between day 10 and day 20 - this should be enough to see my biphasic shift, confirm ovulation - then stop. I’m hoping to reduce stress and try and relax.

0 notes

fashiontrendin-blog · 6 years

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I Completely Overhauled My Diet to Tackle PMS

http://fashion-trendin.com/i-completely-overhauled-my-diet-to-tackle-pms/

I Completely Overhauled My Diet to Tackle PMS

When I got my first period at 12, I was home alone. Much like the protagonist of Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret., I had pleaded with the universe to become a woman, a transformation my two older sisters had already undergone. While I was grateful to have some privacy in that moment, what I didn’t realize was that, in some respect, I would feel alone in dealing with my menstrual cycle for most of my life.

I had never compared and contrasted my symptoms with peers (bleeding so heavy I once told my mom I’d “lost an ovary in the toilet,” lightheadedness to the point of fainting in public, acne, crippling cramps), so I thought everything I experienced was normal. I also thought my symptoms could only be fixed with birth control. That model of thinking went uninterrupted until this year, when I came across an enthusiastic wellness blogger who touted the benefits of something she called “cycle syncing,” which she’d learned from a book called WomanCode.

Written by “nutritionist and women’s hormone expert” Alisa Vitti while in search of a holistic approach to treating her Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), WomanCode teaches women how to stave off hormonal, PMS, and period symptoms by eating a certain way, knowing what types of exercise to do (and when), and even managing work and social engagements.

At first I scoffed at this blogger’s over-sharing of the details of her menstrual cycle (“Off to yoga — I’m in my luteal phase!” she’d say, swigging a superfood-spiked matcha). In a hateful, premenstrual bout, I seethed at her cheery demeanor and clear skin. What could she possibly know about the torture that I endured on a monthly basis? Then it hit me: What did I know? So I dug in further.

WomanCode focuses on healing the endocrine system, which controls your hormones. In addition to the more widely known period systems like cramps, mood swings, and bloating, hormones can cause of a whole host of issues: dandruff, anxiety, cravings, hair loss, and hair growth, loss of sex drive.

Vitti has also created an app, MyFlo, which you can use to predict your period, track your symptoms and get feedback on what to eat, what exercises to do, and even how your significant other can better tend to your needs. Despite the fact I had long ago accepted the fact that getting my period means being tortured on a monthly basis, I figured I had nothing to lose (besides the $1.99) so I uploaded MyFlo and embarked upon a month-long experiment, focused specifically on the dietary suggestions.

Before I share my food diary, let me tell you the basics. The dietary guidance is split up among four phases: follicular, ovulation, luteal, menstruation; I began during my luteal. They don’t perfectly map by week — some are longer than others and they’ll vary by person — but I estimated mine based on the provided info. Also, this isn’t an actual “diet.” The app is structured in a way that, in addition to sharing general nutrition info that corresponds to each phase, you can punch in your various symptoms (sadly, I didn’t see road rage as an option) to customize food suggestions even further. It’s different for everyone. As a nutritionist, Vitta’s food selections are based on their ability to optimize bodily functions. It’s nothing weird — arguably things we should all be eating anyway. That said, from the get-go I nixed (or tried to, at least) a few things that the author explains can cause hormones to go haywire: caffeine (noooooo!), refined sugar, soy, red meat, and dairy. Here’s how it went.

Luteal Phase (Duration: 7-14 days)

The luteal phase “occurs after ovulation (when your ovaries release an egg) and before your period starts.” In other words, it’s the latter two weeks of a four-week cycle.

Recommended Food: B vitamin-rich foods including eggs, seafood, and leafy greens; baked root vegetables; probiotic foods like kimchi and sauerkraut; cilantro; vitamin E-packed foods like almonds and avocados.

The Science: According to my app, this is when “estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone reach their peak concentrations, and then begin to fall to their lowest levels right before bleeding.” Vitamin B foods help manage blood sugar, while the root veggies can cleanse the liver, flushing out excess estrogen. Probiotics reduce bloat, chlorophyll-packed cilantro can clear the skin, and Vitamin E is an anti-inflammatory that can aid breast pain. (All the research is cited in the app.)

How I felt: Leaving Whole Foods with heavy bags full of hormone-friendly ingredients for the week, I felt hopeful—especially after examining my ever-present chin/jawline acne. Eating dishes like baked sweet potatoes topped with black beans and guacamole or scrambled eggs with fermented veggies wasn’t terribly out of my comfort zone (I tend to cook healthfully at home) but a life without caffeine was. I opted to keep up my two-cups-day coffee routine seeing as giving up pastries was hard enough. LET ME LIVE!

Menstruation (Duration: 3-7 days)

Menstruation is, duh, when you’re actually bleeding. After your unfertilized egg unceremoniously exits the Fallopian tube, it breaks apart and your uterine lining begins to shed. A fun time!

Recommended Food: Low-glycemic fruits and veggies; protein; seaweed; Omega 3 fatty acids; beets.

The Science: According to Vitti, if you regularly struggle with cramping, diet could be a part of the problem. The app explains, “your body isn’t making enough of the right type of prostaglandins […] and too much of another type” as a result of a lack of essential fatty acids, which also help fight inflammation. The low-glycemic foods will supposedly keep my blood sugar in check, while beets boost iron for anemic folks like myself, and seaweed can replaces minerals lost.

How I Felt: Out the gate I have cramping that’s not unlike getting a womb massage from Edward Scissorhands, extreme nausea, heavy bleeding, and a shooting pain in my left breast. Fun times all around. I still haven’t kicked my coffee habit but I’m starting to seriously consider because this is one doozy of a period. In short: not only do I not notice any improvement just yet (given, it’s early), but I could swear some symptoms are even worse.

Follicular Phase (Duration: 7-10 days)

The follicular phase is when the follicles in your ovary mature, just before you enter ovulation.

Recommended Foods: Fresh fruits and vegetables; hearty whole grains (like buckwheat); lean protein (seafood or beans, since I’m not doing red meat).

The Science: According to MyFlo, my hormones are at low levels post-menstruation and nutrient-packed foods will get my energy back on track.

How I Felt: Though I was tired as hell, I woke up around 4 a.m. every night (WHY), so I finally vowed to swap out coffee for matcha (that’s something, no?). To help me sleep and curb sugar cravings, I’d have a cup of Four Sigmatic’s adaptogenic hot cocoa after dinner every night, which was a trick I learned during the one-and-only cleanse I’ve done in my life. This tasty little elixir has reishi mushrooms to soothe the stress monster that had taken over my body and cinnamon and coconut palm sugar to give me the sweet fix I’d been hankering for without spiking my blood sugar.

Ovulation (Duration: 3-5 days)

Ovulation occurs when your matured egg is released from the ovary, travels down the Fallopian tube, and patiently awaits being fertilized. This is the phase where those who want to — or don’t want to — get pregnant should be on high alert.

Recommended Foods: Fibrous fruits and veggies and light grains, like corn and quinoa.

The Science: During this phase, testosterone surges, then drops. According to Vitti, “elimination” (read: poop) is an important part of ridding your body of the surplus of estrogen, hence all that fiber. Eating lots of raw fruits and veggies gives you the vitamins and antioxidants for high-functioning and healthy ovaries.

How I Felt: Something strange happened. By this stage in the game, I honestly started to believe that my usual symptoms in each cycle had been magnified. My breast pain returned, but in the form of overall swollen tenderness, and already I was experiencing some cramping. My joints were sore, my chin still hadn’t totally cleared and my bloat was like that last party guest who refused to leave. WHY?!

Right around the 30-day mark, I felt like I was falling apart. Were my hormones totally confused? What the hell had I done?

Out of desperation, I finally cut out caffeine completely, supplementing with herbal chicory coffee. Additionally, I started taking evening primrose oil capsules daily and drinking tea with dong quai — both of which balance hormones and are recommended by Vitti’s text. Then, the clouds parted: my omnipresent chin acne dissipated for the first time in I don’t even know and I began waking up to a (relatively) flat tummy. Some symptoms still have a ways to go (a full night of uninterrupted sleep would still be nice) as I imagine breaking the cycle probably takes a bit longer than a month.

As woo-woo as it sounds, I believe I’ve experienced a powerful transformation in simply being this tuned-in to my body and considerate of what goes into it. As time goes by, and I’m given physiological clues as to what’s benefitting — and not benefitting — my health, I may have (okay, I will have) a cup of coffee or a slice of pizza again. To be honest, what MyFlo has taught me to do is not wholly radical: I ate all the things I should probably have been eating anyways — but perhaps never knew how foods could so directly affect my hormonal health and aid in symptoms I thought I’d never kick for good. But beyond that, I believe it’s been invaluable to have this experiment as a way of engaging with friends about their own “period problems,” knowing that — at the very least — I’m definitely not in this alone.

Ashley Tibbits is an LA-based freelance writer. She’s still not sure whether it’s appropriate to mention her cats in these things. Follow her on Instagram here and check out her website here.

Photos by Louisiana Mei Gelpi; Creative Direction by Emily Zirimis.

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