YOU NEED TO HAVE OMEGA-3
Rashi Chowdhary
Q AI am vegan and have been struggling with irregular menstrual cycles for the past three months. I’ve heard adding vitamin supplements like omega-3 and 6 to my diet can help – is this true? I wouldn’t recommend omega-6 – which you get from vegetable oils, nuts and salad dressings – for your condition. On average we get over nine times the recommended omega-6 we need from our diets because we tend to eat out a lot and the food is prepared in refined vegetable oil. This causes an imbalance in the ideal omega 3-omega-6 ratio. Omega-3 is available from eggs, fish and fish oil, nuts like flaxseeds and walnuts, and olive oil. Ideally this ratio should be 3:1. Any disturbance in this balance can drastically contribute to hormonal issues. You do need to start supplementing your diet, but only with omega-3. Low levels of omega-3 acids in the blood have been found to cause issues related to the menstrual cycle. Omega-3 is superior-quality fatty acid that your body uses to build the outer layer of every cell.
It will take around three months for you to feel or see a difference but cells start to function better, absorb nutrients efficiently and your metabolism gets a boost. Your blood work, mainly lipid profile – cholesterol levels – should drastically improve.
In short, management of sugar levels, shedding of excess fat, good hormonal health, and glowing skin are just some of the effects you’ll see with omega-3 supplements. However, you must consult a physician for your irregular menstrual cycle.