Hi Jeff,
I am working to recover from hypothalamic amenorrhea. I have already restored my weight to a BMI of about 20.5 (a weight i used to cycle at), but am still not fully recovered.
I have done my own research about amenorrhea and its causes, and have asked you, Dr. Esselstyn, and Dr. McDougall for their advice. (My doctor believes HA is incurable and that I should be taking hormones...a route I am resisting).
Both Dr. E and Dr. M determined that I should gain weight and eat more calories, and that the dietary fat level of my diet (9-11% usually, eating a whole foods, low fat, starch-based, plant diet) did not contribute to amenorrhea. I have followed their advice, am eating according to hunger/fullness, and my weight gain has plateaued at this spot now. I eat plenty of whole, unrefined starches, and supplement with legumes, fruit, and veggies as hunger dictates. I am only slowly walking (3m/hr), no running at all.
I uncovered this article at pubmed about dietary fat intake and its link to HA.
Functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea: a partial and reversible gonadotrophin deficiency of nutritional origin.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10396367It clearly states that low dietary fat intakes can be responsible for HA. Is this a faulty conclusion? It certainly disagrees with Dr. McDougall's and Dr. Esselstyn's conclusions.
Could you help me to interpret this article? Is their conclusion valid?
Thank you so much
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