Feeding Smart from the Start to prevent early Periods

While the onset of puberty is a completely natural process, it is indeed a very unsettling phase in every girl’s life. It can be quite worrisome if it occurs when she is still busy in her world of dolls and kitchen play-sets. This is an alarming trend in urban areas. Some girls from rural areas are still getting their periods at 15-16 years but girls from urban areas are getting their periods as early as 8 years!

The number of girls experiencing early puberty has increased dramatically over the last few years and continues to grow with time. Many factors contribute to the rise of early onset of puberty among girls. Let’s understand the cause behind this in detail:

• Childhood overweight and obesity: Too much body fat can alter the levels of hormones responsible for the acceleration of pubertal timing. Zero physical activity will decrease melatonin levels, which can also trigger pubertal development.
• Increased animal protein intake: Higher total protein, animal protein, and meat intake in children ages 3 to 7 have been associated with earlier onset of periods. High protein intake elevates IGF-1 levels and promotes growth, which could contribute to the onset of early puberty.
• Poor diet: Children with low nutrient-rich diets tend to enter puberty earlier. A diet rich in processed foods and meats, dairy, and fast food can be disruptive to normal physical development.
• Exposure to EDCs (endocrine-disrupting chemicals): EDCs are synthetic chemicals found in plastics, pesticides, fuels, and other industrial chemicals that alter the role of natural hormones. Since EDCs accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals, animal foods contain higher levels of these chemicals than plant foods.
• Exposure to BPA (bisphenol A): BPA is an industrial petrochemical found in many products including plastics, tin-can linings, and even cash register receipts. It acts as a synthetic estrogen, so it can speed up pubertal development.
• Soy products consumption: Soy consumed from natural food sources is likely safe and will not cause abnormal hormone levels. However, when consumed in large amounts, such as soy supplements or in more processed foods, there have been links to chronic medical problems due to elevated estrogen levels among girls.

Ways to prevent early onset of periods:

Parents can help lessen the environmental causes of the condition, although some genetic factors can’t be controlled but managed effectively with dietary interventions:

• Children’s diets should focus on whole plant foods rather than animal foods because this will keep protein intake in a safe range and reduce their consumption of EDCs.
• Minimize dairy products in children’s diets and start using almond milk instead of cows’ milk.
• Encourage children to exercise and stay active. You can boost their confidence by being their workout partner.
• Minimize processed foods since these are calorie-dense and nutrient-poor, and they promote obesity and other diseases.
• Children’s diets should be loaded with a wide variety of natural plant foods including, green vegetables, squashes, corn, carrots, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, avocados, beans, fruits, and whole grains.
• Go for organic produce when possible to avoid synthetic pesticides.
• Avoid using plastic bottles in any way to minimize children’s exposure to BPA.

Over to you:

The early occurrence of puberty is an ominous event that we can stop effectively. The answer, however, is in the way we feed ourselves and our children. The most effective type of health care is vigilant and excellent self-care with the help of the right feeding practices. Follow the above-mentioned feeding practices from the start to prevent early periods.