The new fitness key

The gynaecologist points out some examples of infradian rhythm — menstruation, hibernation, breeding, hair growth or seasonal variations, the most commonly discussed one of these being menstrual cycles. “The infradian rhythm is created by the interplay between the cyclical hormones. If you understand the phases of your cycle, you can better understand the physical and mental changes during the menstrual cycle. Disruption of this rhythm can lead to premenstrual syndrome, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), altered menstrual cycle, sleep patterns, fertility issues.”

MEDICAL HEALTH

Hormonal imbalances have important effects on various medical health conditions. The changing hormones throughout the menstrual cycle can have a huge impact on mental and physical health. Additionally, factors such as stress, low body weight, obesity, consumption of contraceptives, chronic diseases such as diabetes, thyroid and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), could adversely affect the menstruation cycle. This could possibly impact your infradian rhythm.

“To help tide over the crisis,

If you know your body works with a rhythm, it can help you plan your diet accordingly. “Diet demands during menstruation, for example, are slightly different from normal days. Addressing cravings, increased appetite and having warming foods helps,” says Ishi Khosla, practising clinical nutritionist

you must have ‘me time’, reduce stress levels and understand your cycle so you can plan your works around the less stressful days of the cycle,” states Dr Vimee. “The metabolism is affected during different menstrual phases, with you possibly feeling bloated just before periods and during periods. So, diet needs to be modified according to your rhythm; similarly, exercise but don’t push yourself if you feel low in energy during periods. In other words, listen to and understand your body.” In other words, if one follows the infradian rhythm, one may have more balance with the body adjusting better. “Every month there can be little fluctuations but listen to your body and plan accordingly. If there are frequent fluctuations in your cycle, talk to your gynaecologist as it may indicate a hormonal imbalance and most commonly it could be PCOS,” says Dr Vimee.

FOOD AND NUTRITION

Studies show that women’s appetite and metabolism decrease in the first half of their cycle and increase in the second half.

Dr Siddhant Bhargava, fitness and nutritional scientist and CoFounder, Food Darzee, points out how the most well-known and studied is a women’s menstrual cycle. The body’s immune, reproductive and metabolic systems are ruled by the infradian rhythm; therefore, any abnormalities can have adverse impacts on your overall wellbeing. “The dip and rise in hormones like oestrogen and progesterone could directly impede your emotional and physical well-being. Hence, it becomes crucial to be aware of and in tune with your body,” advises Dr Siddhant. “For instance, one might experience physical and emotive irregularities like indigestion, insomnia, feeling sleepy at odd hours, mood swings or bouts of depression.”

PLAN DIET

According to Ishi Khosla, practising clinical nutritionist, consultant, columnist, researcher, writer and an entrepreneur, the root cause of these issues is a breakdown of our gut integrity. “It is where the ‘control panel’ resides. Any unhealthy lifestyle changes impact the health of the gut, which can lead to dysbiosis (loss of beneficial bacteria), dysregulation (poor ability to manage emotional responses), deficiencies, disorders and diseases. Chrono nutrition is certainly a powerful tool and addressing the body clock and eating in rhythm with the day, month, lunar cycles and seasons is important. While the traditional systems respected these modern science is

just about

waking up to it,” she says adding that gluten sensitivity is one the most important causes of imbalanced gut microbiome. “Jaggery, sesame, eggs, tea and coffee helps. Also, reducing salt and processed foods is important,” adds Ishi.

According to Dr Siddhant, some dietary requirements must be maximised during this phase. “These include anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric, olive oil, iron-rich foods like meats and green vegetables, whole grains and comfort foods like sweet potatoes, porridge and mashed potatoes, and gluten-free edibles,” he elaborates. “In addition to consuming these energyboosting foods, it’s equally important to give your body the amount of rest and physical activity it deserves to function well with your infradian rhythm.”

We often tend to ignore our biological patterns but turning into our natural rhythms, can facilitate us to live healthier, restored, and more balanced lives. The dip and rise in hormones like oestrogen and progesterone could directly impede your emotional and physical well-being. Hence, it becomes crucial to be aware of and in tune with your body — Dr Siddhant Bhargava, fitness and nutritional scientist