Delayed menstruation is a problem called amenorrhea. There are many different reasons that can cause a lack of menstruation. Stress can be an enormous contributing factor, but besides this, inadequate nutrition or excessive exercising can also cause a missed period. A woman with this problem should eat properly and concentrate on food and herbs that nourish the body and help alleviate the stress in life. A woman should also pamper herself a bit. There is nothing wrong with indulging in a warm, soothing bath every evening about the time that your menstrual period should begin. You could also add a little lavender oil or perhaps some Ylang Ylang. It would be nice to burn some candles, play some soothing music, and be nice to yourself. Lavender is a herb known for its soothing and relaxing properties. In the same time, Ylang Ylang is a powerful uterine contractor. If possible, it would be good to be around other women who are menstruating. It is a known fact among women that we seem to cycle together. Pheromones released during menstruation seem to trigger a response in other women. Even science has proven this claim, so you try to establish your own menstrual cycle this way. There are also some aromatic botanical baths which will make the discomforts of a woman’s pre-monthly cycle easier.
What could cause a delayed menstruation?
The first thought of every woman after her first delayed menstruation is pregnancy. In such moments, the home pregnancy tests are the best solution. However, if the woman is not pregnant, then it could be something else. When your period does not show up on schedule, it can be a bit un-nerving, especially for a sexually active woman.
Pregnancy, of course, is not the only possible cause of a delayed menstruation. There are many factors both within our bodies and in our lives that can cause ovulation as well as menstruation to be delayed. Most often when pregnancy is not a factor, the cause for delay is that ovulation did not occur on schedule, which is why menstruation is delayed as well. In order for menstruation to occur, ovulation has to happen first. Then menstruation follows 14 days later – unless conception occurs. The 14 day period between ovulation and menstruation is pretty consistent for everyone, but if ovulation has not yet occurred, it is unlikely that herbs will cause menstruation to begin. The body has to complete its cycle before it will be able to bleed. In cases where menstruation is just late, it is recommended to relax and wait, supporting the body reactions in whatever it needs to do.
Herbal remedies for delayed menstruation
It is well known that herbs could alleviate the problem of delayed menstruation. Specifically, liver-cleansing herbs like dandelion root and burdock root might help. You could try to get things heading in the right direction this way. Someone with a history of cycle irregularity and unpredictability might want to include some chaste-tree berries as a morning supplement to give those ovaries some tender-loving-care.
Looking for some outside professional help can only help your healing process. An herbalist or naturopathic doctor will help correct the imbalances naturally and gently, and allow you to take an active role in the process. Actually, many people believe delayed menstruation is a message that the body is trying to send. There must be a reason why menstruation is late, or why a woman has delayed menstruation. If the cause is not pregnancy, then it is either related to physical reasons or emotional ones. It is not always possible to figure out why a woman’s body is doing this. Actually, it is just part of our mystery, because the process of fertility is magical and mysterious.
For women who want to see if an herb can help get their period started, they could start with parsley, a very mild herb and actually pretty good for health. Plus, it has worked really well for many people in the past, and the flavor is not bad. Drinking 3 or 4 cups a day to see if you can coax your period on should be fine. Women often had it start by the next day, but if your body is not ready and it does not start, just give it a week and try again. The point is this herb is high in calcium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, vitamin C, and very high in potassium and vitamin A.
There are other mild herbs which can be used safely and effectively as well to relieve the problem of delayed menstruation. These herbs are collectively called emmenagogues, which mean they have the ability to stimulate menstruation. Each herb has its own properties and its own way of encouraging menstruation to begin. However, the uterus needs to be ready to bleed, otherwise the blood is just not there. There are many herbs which have emmenagogual properties, mild ones and stronger ones both. The stronger ones are also classified as abortifacients, meaning they have the ability to disrupt pregnancy. Almost all abortifacient herbs are also classified as emmenagogues, but not all emmenagogues herbs are abortifacients. In fact, the mild ones are safe to use in the early stages of pregnancy. It is very rare that a general herb book will list any abortifacient herbs. Most if not all will be classed as emmenagogues, because of the taboos associated with abortion.
That is why it is important to understand some herbs that are not likely to end pregnancy on their own as emmenagogues, and the stronger ones which can interfere with pregnancy or damage the fetus as abortifacients. If a woman uses herbs of a mild nature, and pregnancy is the reason for delayed menstruation, these should not damage the developing embryo.
When does a delayed menstruation occur?
When menstruation has been absent for 3 months or longer, it is called amenorrhea, or delayed menstruation. Everything shorter than that is just menstruation that is late. Really delayed menstruation can be caused by many reasons. Some of those are more serious then others, such as malnutrition, eating disorders, abnormal body weight (either obesity or low body weight). Sometimes diabetes, thyroid deficiency, depression, lack of ovulation due to the pill or deprovera, could also cause a delayed menstruation. In some cases the reason for delayed menstruation is insufficient hormone production, polycystic ovaries, and sometimes even tumors.
If your period has been absent for 3 months or more and pregnancy has been ruled out, you should visit the doctor. You can use herbs, but health care professional should help you determine the real cause of your problem. The irregular periods and delayed menstruation since the beginning of your periods are most probably because of hormonal imbalance or polycystic ovarian disease. You should get hormonal assays and then trans-vaginal ultrasound to see the ovaries. With these reports, consult your gynecologist who will be able to diagnose you.
How does sport affect menstruation?
The physiological and aesthetic demands of synchronized swimming are similar to those of gymnastics and dance. However, synchronized swimmers are known to suffer menstrual disturbance to the same extent as female gymnasts and dancers, or they have even more common women’s problems. They experience disordered eating, amenorrhea, as well as osteoporosis. Some analysis revealed that only three of the subjects were oligomenorrhoeic, which means they had menstrual cycles longer than 35 days. In these studies none were suffering from amenorrhea or delayed menstruation. However, synchronized swimmers share certain physiological characteristics with gymnasts and dancers. It is questioned why synchronized swimmers and swimmers in general seem to be protected from menstrual abnormalities.
The researchers point to three main theories, which are:
* Immersion in cool water during exercise may allow swimmers to control their core temperature in such a way as to prevent disruption to the intricate physiological systems, which control menstruation.
* A high level of body fat is diagnosed in both conventional and synchronized swimmers. This is known to protect against amenorrhea.
* Nutrition is an important factor, since swimmers do not engage in the combination of disordered eating and intensive training to the same extent as other athletes with menstrual disturbances.
* Finally, synchronized swimming, does not compromise bone density, since training for this sport is mainly non-weight bearing. That is why it does not build stronger bones either.