Health

what should pregnant women eat

  • Dairy products

During pregnancy, you need to consume extra protein and calcium to meet the needs of your growing little one. Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt should be on the docket.

Dairy products contain two types of high-quality protein: casein and whey. Dairy is the best dietary source of calcium and provides high amounts of phosphorus, B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc.

Yogurt, especially Greek yogurt, contains more calcium than most other dairy products and is especially beneficial. Some varieties also contain probiotic bacteria, which support digestive health.

  • Legumes

This group of food includes lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, soybeans, and peanuts (aka all kinds of fabulous recipe ingredients!).

Legumes are great plant-based sources of fiber, protein, iron, folate, and calcium — all of which your body needs more of during pregnancy.

Folate is one of the most essential B vitamins (B9). It’s very important for you and your baby, especially during the first trimester, and even before.

  • Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are not only delicious cooked about a thousand ways, but they’re also rich in beta carotene, a plant compound that is converted into vitamin A in your body.

Vitamin A is essential for a baby’s development. Just watch out for excessive amounts of animal-based sources of vitamin A, such as organ meats, which can causes toxicity in high amounts.

  • Salmon

Smoked on a whole wheat bagel, teriyaki grilled, or slathered in pesto, salmon is a welcome addition to this list. Salmon is rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids that have a host of benefits.

These are found in high amounts in seafood, and help build the brain and eyes of your baby, and can even help increase gestational length.

But wait: Have you been told to limit your seafood intake due to the mercury and other contaminants found in high mercury fish? You can still eat fatty fish like salmon.

  • Eggs

Those incredible, edible eggs are the ultimate health food, as they contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. A large egg contains about 80 calories, high-quality protein, fat, and many vitamins and minerals.

Eggs are a great source of choline, a vital nutrient during pregnancy. It’s important in a baby’s brain development and helps prevent developmental abnormalities of the brain and spine.

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Hormones and Hair Fall Connection: Why Your Hair Is Falling Out (And What Your Hormones Have to Do With It)

Description: Losing more hair than usual? Hormones might be the real culprit. Here's an honest breakdown of the hormones-hair fall connection — and what you can actually do about it.

Let me paint a picture you might recognize.

You're in the shower. You run your fingers through your hair, and way more strands come out than they used to. You look at the drain and there's a clump of hair that definitely wasn't there a few months ago. You check your brush and it's full. You notice your ponytail feels thinner. You see more scalp than you'd like when you part your hair.

And you're thinking — what the hell is happening?

You're eating well. You're using good hair products. You're not doing anything differently. So why is your hair suddenly abandoning ship?

Here's what nobody tells you until you're already Googling at 2 AM in a panic: hair fall is almost always connected to your hormones.

Not always. But almost always. Especially if the hair loss came on suddenly, or if it's happening alongside other weird symptoms you can't quite explain.

So let's talk about it. Honestly. Clearly. Let's break down exactly how hormones affect hair fall, which hormones are the main culprits, what signs to look for, and — most importantly — what you can actually do about it.


First Things First — How Hair Growth Actually Works

Before we get into the hormones part, you need to understand how hair growth works. Because hair fall isn't random. It's part of a cycle.

Every hair on your head goes through three phases:

Anagen (Growth Phase) — This lasts 2-7 years. Your hair is actively growing during this phase. About 85-90% of your hair is in this phase at any given time.

Catagen (Transition Phase) — This lasts about 2-3 weeks. Hair stops growing and detaches from the blood supply. About 1-2% of your hair is in this phase.

Telogen (Resting Phase) — This lasts about 3-4 months. The hair is just sitting there, resting, before it falls out and a new hair starts growing in its place. About 10-15% of your hair is in this phase.

Normal hair fall is about 50-100 strands per day. That's just the natural cycle. Hair in the telogen phase falls out, and new hair grows to replace it.

But here's where hormones come in. Hormones control how long each phase lasts, how many hairs are in each phase, and how thick each hair grows.

When your hormones get out of balance, they can:

  • Push way more hairs into the telogen phase at once (which means more hair falling out all at once a few months later)
  • Shorten the anagen phase (so hair doesn't grow as long or as thick)
  • Shrink hair follicles (so new hairs grow back thinner and weaker)
  • Stop hair growth entirely in some follicles

That's the hormones-hair fall connection. And once you understand it, a lot of things start making sense.


The Hormones That Control Your Hair (For Better or Worse)

Let's get specific. Here are the hormones that have the biggest impact on whether your hair thrives or falls out.

1. Androgens (Testosterone and DHT)

This is the big one. Androgens — male hormones that both men and women have — are the number one hormonal cause of hair loss.

What they do: Testosterone gets converted into DHT (dihydrotestosterone) by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. DHT binds to hair follicles — especially the ones on the top and front of your scalp — and shrinks them. Over time, those follicles produce thinner, weaker hair, and eventually they stop producing hair altogether.

This is called androgenic alopecia or pattern hair loss. It's the most common type of hair loss in both men and women.

Signs it's androgen-related:

  • Hair thinning on the top of your head and along your part
  • Hairline receding (more common in men, but happens to women too)
  • Hair falling out but not regrowing as thick
  • You have other signs of high androgens — acne, oily skin, unwanted facial hair (in women), irregular periods

Who's affected: Men and women both, but it shows up differently. Men typically get a receding hairline and bald spot on top. Women typically get diffuse thinning across the top of the scalp.

2. Estrogen

Estrogen is the hormone that protects your hair. It keeps hair in the growth phase longer, makes hair thicker, and generally keeps your hair happy.

What happens when estrogen drops: When estrogen levels fall — during menopause, after pregnancy, or when you stop taking birth control — your hair loses that protection. More hairs shift into the resting phase. Growth slows down. And a few months later, you get a wave of hair fall.

Signs it's estrogen-related:

  • Hair fall started after pregnancy (postpartum hair loss)
  • Hair fall started during or after menopause
  • Hair fall started after stopping birth control pills
  • You have other low estrogen symptoms — hot flashes, irregular periods, vaginal dryness, mood swings

Who's affected: Mostly women, especially during major hormonal transitions.

3. Thyroid Hormones (T3 and T4)

Your thyroid controls your metabolism — including the metabolism of your hair follicles. When your thyroid is off, your hair suffers.

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid): Hair becomes dry, brittle, and thin. Hair growth slows down. You lose hair not just on your scalp, but also your eyebrows (especially the outer third).

Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid): Hair becomes thin and fine. You get diffuse hair loss all over your scalp.

Signs it's thyroid-related:

  • Hair is dry, coarse, and breaks easily
  • You're losing hair on your eyebrows too
  • You have other thyroid symptoms — fatigue, weight changes, sensitivity to cold or heat, brain fog, irregular periods

Who's affected: Anyone, but more common in women, especially over 40.

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12 Aug 2025

Signs Your Hormones Are Affecting Your Skin: Why Your Skincare Routine Isn't Working (And What's Really Going On)

Description: Wondering if your hormones are behind your skin problems? Here's an honest guide to the signs your hormones are affecting your skin — and what to do about it.

Let me paint a picture you might recognize.

You've been doing everything right. You've got a solid skincare routine — cleanser, moisturizer, maybe even that expensive serum everyone raves about. You're drinking water. You're getting sleep. You're eating relatively well.

And yet your skin is still acting up. Breakouts that won't quit. Dryness in weird places. Dark patches that seem to appear out of nowhere. Oiliness that has you blotting your face by 10 AM. Redness that flares up for no apparent reason.

You're standing in front of the mirror thinking — what am I doing wrong?

Here's what nobody tells you until you've wasted hundreds of dollars on products that don't work: The problem might not be your skincare routine at all. It might be your hormones.

Your skin isn't just skin. It's an organ that's deeply connected to your hormonal system. When your hormones are out of balance — whether from your menstrual cycle, stress, thyroid issues, PCOS, perimenopause, or a dozen other causes — your skin reacts. Fast.

And no amount of expensive face wash is going to fix a hormone problem.

So let's talk about it. Let's break down the signs that your hormones are affecting your skin, what's actually happening beneath the surface, and what you can do about it that actually addresses the root cause instead of just covering up symptoms.


Why Hormones Affect Your Skin So Much

Before we get into the signs, let's talk about why hormones and skin are so connected.

Your skin has hormone receptors. Specifically, it has receptors for:

  • Androgens (like testosterone) — stimulate oil production
  • Estrogen — supports collagen, moisture, and thickness
  • Cortisol — the stress hormone that triggers inflammation
  • Thyroid hormones — regulate cell turnover and moisture
  • Insulin — affects oil production and inflammation

When these hormones fluctuate or get out of balance, your skin responds — sometimes dramatically.

This is why:

  • Your skin breaks out before your period (estrogen drops, androgens spike)
  • Stress causes breakouts (cortisol increases oil and inflammation)
  • Pregnancy and menopause change your skin completely (massive hormone shifts)
  • PCOS causes persistent acne and oily skin (high androgens)
  • Thyroid problems cause dry, dull, or puffy skin

Your skin isn't just reacting to what you put on it. It's reacting to what's happening inside your body.


Sign #1: Your Acne Follows a Pattern (Especially Around Your Jawline and Chin)

This is the number one sign that hormones are involved.

What hormonal acne looks like:

  • Location: Concentrated on the lower third of your face — jawline, chin, sometimes neck
  • Timing: Gets worse in the week before your period
  • Type: Deep, painful cysts that sit under the skin (not just surface whiteheads)
  • Duration: Sticks around for weeks, leaves dark marks or scars
  • Recurrence: Comes back in the same spots over and over

What's happening:

In the week before your period, estrogen drops and androgens (like testosterone) become relatively higher. Androgens stimulate your sebaceous glands to produce more oil. More oil = clogged pores = breakouts.

This is why topical treatments often don't work for hormonal acne. You're not dealing with bacteria or clogged pores alone. You're dealing with an internal hormone fluctuation.

Red flag combo:

  • Jawline/chin acne + irregular periods + unwanted facial hair = possible PCOS
  • Jawline acne + starting/stopping birth control = hormone adjustment
  • Jawline acne + perimenopause symptoms = shifting hormone ratios

If your breakouts have a calendar pattern or a specific location pattern, hormones are almost definitely involved.


Sign #2: Your Skin Changes Throughout Your Menstrual Cycle

If you're still getting periods, pay attention to how your skin behaves across the month.

Typical hormonal skin cycle:

Week 1 (Period):

  • Skin might feel dry or sensitive
  • Redness or inflammation from previous breakouts

Week 2 (Follicular phase — estrogen rising):

  • Skin looks its best
  • Glowy, plump, even-toned
  • This is your "good skin week"

Week 3 (Ovulation — estrogen peaks):

  • Skin still looks good
  • Might be slightly oilier as ovulation approaches

Week 4 (Luteal phase — progesterone rises, estrogen drops):

  • Oil production increases
  • Breakouts start appearing
  • Skin feels more congested
  • Inflammation and redness increase

If this pattern sounds familiar, your skin is directly responding to hormone fluctuations.

Women with hormonal skin issues often report that they have one "good skin week" per month (right after their period) and three weeks of managing breakouts, oiliness, or sensitivity.


Sign #3: Your Skin Suddenly Changed When You Started or Stopped Birth Control

Birth control pills, IUDs, and implants all affect your hormones. And when you start or stop them, your skin often reacts — dramatically.

Common scenarios:

Starting birth control:

  • Some people's skin clears up (because the pill regulates hormones and reduces androgens)
  • Some people's skin gets worse initially before improving
  • Some people break out from certain types of birth control (especially progesterone-heavy ones)

Stopping birth control:

  • Post-pill acne is real and can be severe
  • Your natural hormones take months to regulate after stopping
  • Skin that was clear on the pill might suddenly break out when you stop

What's happening:

Birth control suppresses your natural hormone production. When you stop, your body has to "remember" how to make its own hormones again. During that adjustment period (which can last 6-12 months), hormone fluctuations cause skin issues.

If your skin changed dramatically within 2-6 months of starting or stopping hormonal contraception, that's a clear hormonal signal.


Sign #4: You Have Dark Patches on Your Skin (Melasma or Hyperpigmentation)

Dark, blotchy patches — usually on your cheeks, forehead, upper lip, or chin — that won't fade with regular brightening products.

What it looks like:

  • Brown or grayish patches
  • Symmetrical (appears on both sides of your face)
  • Gets darker with sun exposure
  • Doesn't respond to vitamin C serums or exfoliants

What's happening:

Hormonal fluctuations (especially estrogen and progesterone) trigger your melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) to overproduce melanin.

Common triggers:

  • Pregnancy ("the mask of pregnancy")
  • Birth control pills
  • Hormone replacement therapy
  • Perimenopause and menopause

This is different from post-acne dark spots (which are localized to where breakouts were). Melasma is broader, more diffuse, and harder to treat because it's driven by internal hormones, not external damage.

Red flag: If you developed dark patches during pregnancy, while on birth control, or during perimenopause, hormones are the cause.

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