| What are your choices? |
| Plan of Action |
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Introduction
Irregular PeriodsSuffering from irregular periods is a fairly clear indication that your cycles have become imbalanced. There are a variety of reasons for this and also many ways to address the imbalance. Many women are unconcerned about having irregular cycles until they begin trying for a baby, but other women find it very difficult to plan without knowing when their periods could appear.
What are irregular periods?
Irregular periods are simply those that are not regular.
If you suffer from irregular periods, you simply will
not know when your period is going to appear. Cycles
can vary from 23 to 35 days, but they are classed
as regular if your periods occur at roughly the same
time each cycle. So, even if your periods are, say,
35 days apart instead of the usual 28, but they always
appear at day 35, they would be classified as being
'normal'. Irregular periods can be extremely difficult
or even impossible to track.
What symptoms could you experience?
Minor cycle irregularities are common. For example,
you may have your period on day 23 of one month and
then the next month on day 35.
You may, however, have a much more irregular cycle, in which case it is important that you have further investigations, so that other problems, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (see polycystic ovary syndrome section) can be ruled out. The following symptoms are characteristic of irregular periods, and you can experience a combination of any or all of these:
1. Large gaps with no periods
2. Some gaps and then periods coming too frequently
for a while (for example, two in one month) followed
by gaps again.
3. Gaps of no periods and then bleeding continuously
for a few weeks.
4. Spotting in between period.
What are your choices?
The natural approach is designed to encourage your
body to re-establish regular ovulation and to get
your hormones back in balance. Given the right tools,
your body has the remarkable ability to balance itself.
The supplements outlined below are designed to ensure
that you are well nourished - in other words, your
body has all the nutrients it needs.
Supplements
The supplements recommended below have been studied
in clinical trials and have been found to be effective
in connection with irregular periods. For best results
you should take them over a period of three months,
at the end of which you should be reassessed in order
to monitor improvements and changes and then adjust
the supplement programme according to your new condition.
Multivitamin and Mineral
A good quality multivitamin and mineral would form
the foundation of your supplement programme to make
sure that you are getting a 'little bit of everything'.
You then add in those nutrients in slightly higher
amounts which are known to be helpful for irregular
periods.
B Vitamins
These are often called the 'stress' vitamins because
they can help you to cope with the pressures of everyday
life. As stress can be such an important factor in
causing irregular periods it is important that you
have some help in dealing with it. Vitamins B2, B3
and B6 are also necessary for thyroid hormone production
and B5 (pantothenic acid) is essential for optimum
adrenal function. Both imbalances in thyroid function
and stress can affect your cycle.
The easiest way to make sure you are getting a good
supply of these vitamins is to take them in the form
of a good B-complex tablet. B vitamins are synergistic,
which means that they work together.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are particularly relevant with irregular
periods. It is believed that antioxidants have the ability
to prevent cells from mutating. In other words, they
prevent cells from becoming 'abnormal'. This is extremely
important if you have been diagnosed with thickening
of the womb lining (endometrial hyperplasia) because
you don't want the cells to mutate. Antioxidants include
vitamins A, C and E and the mineral selenium. Their
effects have been proven: women with womb tumours have
been shown to have less of both selenium and vitamin
E than women without them so make sure you are getting
enough of these valuable nutrients.
Magnesium
This mineral has been classed as 'nature's tranquilliser',
so it is an essential inclusion in the diet of anyone
suffering from irregular periods. In fact, anyone
in today's hectic society will benefit from a magnesium
supplement. Stress is often a factor in period irregularity,
and this mineral will help to redress the balance
of a stressful lifestyle.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
Linseeds, which are an excellent form of both Omega-3
and Omega-6 fatty acids, have been proven to encourage
regularity of the cycle among other things. Even if
hormonal imbalance is not at the root of your condition,
it is worth adding these fatty acids to your diet.
There are many factors that are now known to affect
the way fatty acids are used by our bodies, including
high adrenaline levels (in the case of stress), high
alcohol consumption, and high levels of cholesterol.
If your body is NOT getting or using enough of the
fatty acids consumed, your cycle can be affected.
You can't lose by adding these supplements to your
diet.
Herbs (see caution below)
Herbs have a long tradition of normalising irregular periods. One herb in particular is extremely useful for balancing your cycle and they can be used effectively together:
Agnus castus (Vitex/Chastetree berry)
This herb stimulates and normalises the function of
the pituitary gland which in turn helps to balance
hormone output from the ovaries and to stimulate ovulation.
Agnus castus is also useful when there is an excess
of prolactin which can be suppressing ovulation. Furthermore,
it has been shown to reduce thickening of the lining
of the womb (endometrial hyperplasia) and can be used
on a preventative basis.
You should not take any of the above herbs if you are taking, The Pill, Fertillity drugs, HRT or any other hormonal treatment or other medication unless they are recommended by a registered, experienced practitioner.
Tests are extremely useful, in that they can tell you what deficiencies you have at the moment and then for you to know what supplements would be useful to take to correct those deficiencies. You would then be re-tested after three to four months to monitor your progress and to adjust the supplement programme accordingly.
Mineral Analysis Test
with Supplement and Nutritional Assessment Programme
This test measures the deficiency and excess levels
of 7 different minerals and 5 heavy toxic metals that
may be present in your body.
Online Personalised
Supplement Assessment Programme
The analysis of this comprehensive questionnaire will
give you a three monthly supplement programme to help
balance any vitamin and mineral deficiencies you may
have.
After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition.
If you need help in obtaining any of the supplements, herbs or tests mentioned above, click, Irregular Periods options at The Natural Health Practice. They can supply all of them for you online or if you prefer to talk to somebody first you can also order by mail order on the telephone. The products supplied by this company are always of the highest quality.
Plan of Action
Nutrition
Ensure you are getting the right nutrition:
Follow dietary recommendations outlined on the Foundation
of Health page.
And for more information on the special dietary recommendations
for irregular periods, see the rest of the Irregular Periods e-book at The Natural Health Practice
The supplement programme below should be taken for at least three months in order to achieve best results
- A good multivitamin and mineral tablet
- B-complex vitamin (containing 100 mg of each B vitamin)
- Magnesium (300mg per day)
- Linseed oil (also known as flaxseed oil at 1000mg per day)
- Vitamin C (1000mg per day)
- An antioxidant tablet, containing vitamin A and selenium)
Plus the herb Agnus castus
At the end of three months you should reassess your condition and adjust your supplement programme accordingly.
The tests below have been specially selected to be the most helpful if you are concerned about irregular periods.
Mineral Analysis Test with Supplement and Nutritional Assessment Programme
Online Personalised
Supplement Assessment Programme
After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition.
If you need help in obtaining any of the supplements, herbs or tests mentioned above, click, Irregular Periods options at The Natural Health Practice. They can supply all of them for you online or if you prefer to talk to somebody first you can also order by mail order on the telephone. The products supplied by this company are always of the highest quality.
The section above forms part of a larger complete e-book on Irregular Periods. In the rest of the e-book you will learn what the medical approaches to irregular periods are and how to combine them with the natural approach. This is called Integrated Medicine and is the way that healthier of the future is moving towards. You will also learn what medical tests will give you an accurate diagnosis of your condition and if you really need to have them. The medical treatments for irregular periods are then examined which can include looking at either drugs or surgery. Each treatment is then discussed and the pros and cons of the options explained. The Integrated Approach to irregular periods is considered in some detail so that if appropriate you can know how to combine the best of both conventional and natural medicine.
At the end of the e-book is a practical step by step summary of what you can do to help yourself.
If you would like to read the rest of this e-book click, Irregular Periods e-book at The Natural Health Practice and you will be given details of how you can download the whole e-book.
Or if you would like even more in depth advice about Irregular Periods you should read my New book "Getting Pregnant Faster".
| Introduction | What are your choices? | Plan of Action |
The contents of this site are for information only and are intended to assist readers in identifying symptoms and conditions they may be experiencing. This site is not intended to be a substitute for taking proper medical advice and should not be relied upon in this way. Always consult a qualified doctor or health practitioner, especially if you are pregnant, taking the pill or on any medication. Your situation will need to be looked at individually and you should not attempt to self treat. The author and publisher cannot accept responsibility for illness arising out of the failure to seek medical advice from a doctor.
The views expressed by third parties placing material on these pages are not representative of the views of the author or publisher. The Author and Publisher cannot monitor the content not produced by us and has not reviewed all the third party material published on this site and the Author and Publisher accept no liability whatsoever in relation to the content of third party material placed on these pages.
