HouseCall: Painful Cysts, Infradian Rhythm, Periods Too Far Apart, Inflamed Organs, Sensitive Hearing/ Misophonia

Welcome back to our weekend Cabral HouseCall shows!

This is where we answer our community’s wellness, weight loss, and anti-aging questions to help people get back on track!

Check out today’s questions:

Jill: Hi, Dr. Cabral! I am so grateful to have found you and your invaluable resources! I stopped taking hormonal birth control approx 18 mos ago after using it for 10 yrs. Cycle returned normally, but within 2 mos, I began having breakouts on my face and back which have gotten worse. I have consistent painful cysts just under my cheek bones and generally clogged pores on my forehead/chin, too. Sometimes slight improvement for a few days just after my period, but fairly relentless. Never had breakouts before starting/while taking BC. Also have a day or two of slight headache/brain fog/low mood usually just before my period, I think. Other than lowered confidence and libido due to acne, I feel good/balanced mentally and physically.About me…I am 33, 5’3/consistent 113lbs, I think pitta/vatta body type. Have always had a serious appetite/fast metabolism and struggle to make it between meals w/o a snack. Never snack after dinner and do a 12hr overnight fast. Typically 2 bowel movements/day and no digestive issues as long as I pay attention to food combining/timing. I do a fasted CrossFit workout 3-4 days/week at 5:00 am and yoga 1-2 days/week. Barely get 7 hrs of sleep Su-R (due to work/workout schedule, working to improve!) and get 7-8.5 hrs F-Sa. Recently swapped from coffee to matcha. Try to avoid dairy, gluten, refined sugar, soy, and unhealthy oils M-F with a few cheats on the weekend. Rarely drink aIcohol. I have a daily smoothie w/DNS and supplement with omega-3, bone broth, and a berries/greens probiotic/digestive enzyme blend. I took Vit C and Zinc for a period and it may have helped, but skin may have worsened since starting the probiotic. Not 100% sure! I practice good facial hygeine with a fairly clean salicylic acid-based acne treatment kit. I am way overdue for PCP, OBGYN, & dentist visits, so I will schedule these. I am also planning my first 21-day detox w/in the next 2 mos. If it doesn’t solve the problem, what should I do next? I would love to hear your ideal recommendation, and also a more budget conscious alternative. Thank you so much!Jill

Cynthia: I’m a 41 yo female and I’ve been reading Alisa Vitti’s new book about female hormones. In this book she suggests that women should eat, work out and basically plan their whole life not according to the 24-hour circadian rhythm, but a 28-day infradian rhythm. This means changing the way you eat, exercise work, social interactions, etc. almost every week. I really love working out and intermittent fasting every day, but she says this is basically destroying my hormones.. What do you think about that? Thanks a million for your answer! C.

Carolina: Dear doctor Cabral, I’m a fit, happy and healthy 43 year old woman. My only heath problem is that my periods are super far apart. I get one every 40-50 days.I work out (moderate-pace resistance training and walk 15.000 steps) 6 days a week and I do 16:8 intermittent fasting for about 5-6 days as well. I eat super healthy, organic and mostly vegan food.I really feel and look amazing, people always think I’m in my early 30s 🙂 But I’ve read that this way of life might be the reason my period is all messed up.I really don’t want to give up training because it’s not super intense and I don’t want to lose my muscle mass as I’m getting older.And according to my Oura ring, I sleep and have much higher HRV when I’m fasting.So what would you suggest for me to change in order regulate my female hormones? I would really like to still keep my workouts and IF fasting, just because I feel so good doing them. But in the end, I’ve been listening to your podcast for 3 years now, I trust you fully and I will follow your advise, whatever it is.Thanks for all you do! Much love, Carolina

Corrie: Hello,For almost 8 years I’ve been experiencing various symptoms that affect all systems in my body. Multiple food intolerances, medication intolerances that cause me to feel either dizzy, heart races, headaches, hand tremors, abdominal bloating and gas, pelvic pain, blood in stool, hypoglycemia( pre diabetic A1C 5.7), constipation, reflux and heart burn, fatigue, achy muscles, bad breath, constant urination, TMJ discomfort. I’ve seen over 50 doctors, from specialists to holistic care, emergency room physicians etc. I have been diagnosed with SIBO, endometriosis, colitis and fructose malabsorption but non of the treatments have resolved any of the above symptoms. I’ve had functional medicines labs/test which only shows fat in my stool, low vitamin d and b, and a bacteria in my urine that shows I do not break down carbohydrates. At one point I have eliminated the foods that caused symptoms but then I not only lost 50lbs I was not keeping on any weight from the foods I was able to tolerate. Now I’ve gained all my weight back and more and I am intolerant to almost all foods and even feel dizzy drinking water. I can’t eat any fruit because I get dizzy, sweet potatoes oats pasta quinoa drop my sugar. Bread makes my heart race. I have to eat every 2 hours. My muscles shake after exercise Sometimes my heart rate does not increase with exercise. My heart rate can be 58 at rest. Ive had multiple test done MRI pancreas,brain, EKG, EMG, EEG, CT scans of abdomen and pelvis, glucose intolerance test which dropped my sugar to 52 after an hour, ultrasound of abdominal organs, urine test, nuclear med scans to see if I have a dumping syndrome or gallbladder problems, cytograms , etc all test negative. I went to NYU Dysautonomia center and tested negative for those test. I’m told I’m a medical mystery. To stop seeing doctors and practice tai chi. That it’s all related to anxiety so to see a therapist. Psycho somatic. I had a body scan that’s used for people in NASA and it shows I have a parasite, bladder issues, intestinal problems. Can you please help? Corrie

Ryan: I have a friend with really sensitive hearing and things like chewing and other background noises can really aggravate her. She says it is misophonia, which seems to fit the symptoms, but from a FM perspective is obviously just a name. Any insight into potential imbalances or root causes for misophonia? Thank you!

Thank you for tuning into today’s Cabral HouseCall and be sure to check back tomorrow where we answer more of our community’s questions!