[Everyday Miracles]

I think I might have chosen the wrong time to start changing the way that I eat. My hormones have been doing some strange things anyway. I have noticed that my hair isn't growing as fast (I average roughly 1.3 inches a month, which is phenomenal!) and after that I noticed that my nails aren't really growing at all. Since at first I thought my hair might be terminal (length; It will only grow for so long in terms of time), it really surprised me to take a look at my nails.

So here I was in the midst of being miserable over strange hair (I'm on my way to bum-length right now) and then food came up and whapped me across the face. Hard.

I've been doing pretty well with a mixture of fasting (to shrink the stomach) and eating small, regular meals. I'm eating fruit daily as well as yogurt (for my stomach). I've cut out almost all non-Kosher foods, though I slipped today and had bacon. It was an accident, but I felt terrible afterward. I'm exercising five times a week to daily, depending on the situation.

Okay, but here's the thing: My cyclical hormones are driving me bonkers right now. I am not hungry (at all?) but when I start to eat, I feel as though I can't stop. I fill up *very* fast, but once I start eating, I don't want to stop. I've only been doing this for two and a half weeks. This strikes me as odd since I'm not really an overeater in the way that most people think of over eaters. I don't gorge myself, even when I binge. I just eat the *wrong* stuff. I'm binging now on tuna and almonds and fruit!

I guess this is a good thing, but I don't want to stretch my stomach back out

[shcirerf]

I understand the hormone thing, but....

How old are you? Pushing menopause?

Hormones can wreak havoc.

But with the fasting, are you getting all the nutrition you need. Hair and nails suffer from bad nutrition.

I would recommend a visit to a good gyno, and examine the nutrition you're getting from your current food intake and maybe even see a nutritionist.

I suffered from endemetriosis (sp?) and had crappy ovaries. My hormones raged and I was a wreak for about a year in my early 30's. Thanks gramma for your crappy female stuffs.

Anyway, I found a great gyno and had a total ovariohysterctomy at 31. Never felt better!

[Everyday Miracles]

I shouldn't be pushing menopause. I sure hope not anyway. I'm only in my early thirties and am hoping to have another child (or several) before I'm done. My hair and nail growth changed about eight weeks ago, before I changed the way that I was eating. Around that time I *think* I might have had a miscarriage, which would affect my hormones. I'm also getting plenty of protein, which is the main factor in hair and nail growth.

I may need to see a nutritionist, but it hasn't been long since I've seen an OB/GYN.

What is really driving me crazy in terms of nutrition is the cravings. I'm mostly wanting salty (sodium)-laden foods and that isn't normally like me. I cut my salt intake a long time ago. I'm at that point in my monthly cycle when the cravings naturally come, and I'm wondering whether or not they will ever completely stop?

BTW, I'm not having a big problem with hair and nail strength, which is another aspect of nutrition. That's doing just fine, though I'm going through a shed. I'm taking Biotin again for those things and am hoping to see a quick improvement, as I normally do. I've also changed my hair-care routine again, which hopefully will affect the growth.

I won't be fasting for forever, by the way. It just isn't sustainable