Pollution! Ok, so for all the people out there suffering with menstrual issues, I've just made a major discovery: pollution levels have a MASSIVE effect on my symptoms. I've made the connection before, but I assumed it was one of a number of factors that affected me. But I got the chance to go for a break recently and instead of a week where I usually live (one of the most polluted areas in the whole of the UK next to a motorway in London), I was in the Cairngorms (one of the least polluted areas in the UK). The difference was unbelievable: by the end of the week I was doing things I never thought I'd be able to do again. (One of my primary symptoms is loose joints which cause a lot of pain, fatigue and mean I injure easily. I usually have trouble walking more than 50 yards. by the end of the week, I was ziplining and hill walking, and had stopped sleeping 18 hours a day.) I knew it affected me, but I've never before been to a truly unpolluted area and seen the full difference. (I've always lived in areas of mid-high pollution and noticed modest improvements when I visit family who lived in areas with slightly better air quality.) When I first realised it was a factor, there wasn't a lot of meaningful research available. But now I revisit the subject online, there are more studies linking pollution levels to hormone disruption. The main culprits are probably PAHs (polycyclic aromatic compounds) that are produced by industry and vehicle emissions. (In other words, not the compounds you can filter out with a mask.) They can disrupt or mimic hormones. Some of them hang around in your body for a few days, others can take up to a year to fully clear from your system. I'd love to know just how many other women are suffering messed up periods because of this. Have you ever noticed a connection? Have you ever tried visiting somewhere truly unpolluted? I'd love to hear other experiences, or maybe spark an epiphany for someone else.