Why Ovulation Matters For Your Health

Recently, I’ve been receiving messages from women saying their doctors told them that “not ovulating can protect against cancer.”

Can we unpack this for a minute?! 🤯

Ovulation is essential for vital health. It is the only way we make progesterone, which supports our mood, prevents against anxiety, protects heart health, and muscle relaxation.

Ovulation reduces inflammation, supports immune function, as well as thyroid, brain, bones and breast tissue. The production of progesterone also PROTECTS against many cancers.

Because The Pill stops ovulation and thus cell proliferation, it can reduce chances of ovarian cancer. BUT, this is not without cost – suppressing ovulation long term (which is what most hormonal contraceptives do) has serious risks, including:

- increased risk of breast, liver and cervical cancer

-Clitoral and ovarian shrinkage

-persistent HPV and cervical dysplasia

-nutrient deficiencies

-mood disorders

-recurrent yeast infections

-insomnia, depression, anxiety, weight gain

-painful sex, low libido

-headaches and migraines

-increase risk of pulmonary embolism and stroke

-Increased risk of autoimmune disorders and gut dysbiosis

…the list goes on.

Estrogen and ovulation itself isn’t a problem – it’s essential.

What actually increases our risk of cancer is unopposed estrogen: the same thing that contributes to cysts, fibroids, endo, PMS, and fibrocystic breasts.

Unopposed estrogen, or estrogen dominance, is what can happen when we don’t properly metabolize estrogen through the body. This can be due to:

-environmental toxins

-gut and liver health

-nutrient deficiencies and metabolism issues

-chronic stress and blood sugar dysregulation

…not ovulation itself.

Some women do not ovulate due to a variety of hormonal or other health disorders, but it doesn't mean that they can't. Typically, we're not addressing the root cause.

While rare disorders can cause permanent anovulation, the majority of the time, regular ovulation can resume, especially when we focus on:

-pro-metabolic eating (deep nourishment, not skipping meals)

-down-regulating the nervous system (ovulation can be suppressed by stress)

-addressing nutrient deficiencies, especially key minerals

-hands-on body work to free up blood flow and oxygenation in the pelvis

-addressing the psycho-spiritual elements of the menstrual cycle and resolving past conflicts

We are brilliantly designed to cycle for a PURPOSE.

Please save and share wisely, and if you want more radical body literacy, join us in The Womb Room. 🥰

Sources:

Ovulation, A Sign of Health

Progesterone vs. synthetic progestins and the risk of breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Estradiol and progesterone regulate proliferation and apoptosis in colon cancer