A Naturopaths Advice for Missing, Painful & Heavy Periods

If you have found your way here, chances are that in your lifetime you have experienced either a period that has gone M.I.A, one that’s caused so much pain you’ve had to call in sick, or a heavy bleed that has you wanting to be home bound. Missing, painful and heavy periods are a common (not normal!) presentation in clinic that can indicate there is some form of disharmony within the hormonal network. Here, I briefly explain the definition, some causes and naturopathic advice to supporting the hormones back into balance.

Missing periods (Amenorrhea)

Secondary amenorrhea is the absence of menstruation in a woman of reproductive age, who has previously had an established menstrual cycle. The reproductive system is smart, in times of stress or famine, it senses that it is not safe to bring a baby into the world so the brain suppresses reproduction and puts a halt to your period. Another common reason your period may be missing is if you’ve recently come off the pill as it takes time for the body’s natural rhythm to return.

Naturopaths Advice:

• Rule out pregnancy – first & foremost.

• Speak with your doctor – conditions such as coeliac disease, thyroid conditions & polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) can contribute to amenorrhea.

• Address stress – swap running & HIIT classes for yoga, ensure enough sleep, reduce study load, see where you may be able to adjust your schedule to create more space.

• Nourish your lovely self – women need appropriate calorie intake & carbohydrates to ovulate & menstruate.

• Book in with a naturopath – for a holistic assessment of how amenorrhea is manifesting for you.

• If you have recently come off the pill, try a herbal supplement such as Balance Hormone Support

 Painful periods (Dysmenorrhea)

There are two types of period pain. Primary dysmenorrhea is pain located in the pelvic area which precedes menstruation and generally dissipates around day one or two of the cycle once menstruation is established. Secondary dysmenorrhea is pelvic pain that may occur during other parts of the cycle and is often associated with underlying pathology such as endometriosis, which deserves its own blog post (stay tuned).

In primary dysmenorrhea strong and frequent uterine contractions occur due to an imbalance of progesterone to oestrogen, which results in increased pro-inflammatory mediators called prostaglandins. These chemicals are responsible for the pain & swelling that you experience.

Naturopaths advice:

• Cruciferous vegetables are a girl’s best friend and help metabolise excess hormones – broccoli, kale, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, bok choy, cabbage. Eat daily for best results.

• Increase fibre to help bind to excess hormones & carry them out of the body– flaxseeds, oats, psyllium husk, fruit & vegetables, chia seeds.

• Eat magnesium rich foods for smooth muscle relaxation – dark chocolate (yep, you read that right!), dark leafy greens, avocado, nuts, seeds.

• Reduce inflammatory foods & beverages – high saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, alcohol.

• Reduce (cut out) caffeine – sorry! it constricts blood vessels which worsens pain.

• Exercise – gentle exercise on your period promotes blood flow and can reduce pain.

• Rest – grab a hot water bottle, curl up on the couch and just be.

In clinical practice, I work on addressing the root cause of inflammation and hormonal imbalances that contribute to period pain. I often find that dietary changes, simple supplementation & some herbal medicines can have a profound effect at reducing pain.

 Heavy periods (Menorrhagia)

Menorrhagia refers to a period that is heavy (more than 80mL of blood loss) or the duration of the bleed is long than 7 days. The underlying causes of heavy periods include:

• Uterine fibroids

• Endometriosis

• Oestrogen dominance (excess oestrogen)

• Pelvic inflammatory disease

• Overweight (increases oestrogen levels)

• Thyroid issues- Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism

• Peri-menopause

• Teenage years- when periods are irregular, ovulation can be skipped and this causes a heavy bleed

Naturopaths Advice:

• Rule out underlying causes – speak with your doctor.

• Get an iron test to ensure the heavy loss of blood isn’t causing iron deficiency.

• Consume iron rich foods to replenish loss – beef, sardines, eggs, lentils, tofu, sunflower seeds, cashews.

• Weight management – being overweight can cause heavy bleeding.

• Teas with tannins for their astringent action to reduce blood loss – green, black & oolong tea (note: tannins can impair iron absorption, drink 2 hours away from meals or supplements).

• Increase fibre, cruciferous vegetables and bitters to excrete and metabolise excess oestrogen – include flaxseeds, oats, broccoli, cauliflower, rocket, dandelion in the diet.

• Reduce inflammatory foods – high saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, alcohol & caffeine.

• Take a herbal formula that helps with oestrogen detoxification such as Fem21

Each of these period presentations are symptoms of a deeper cause and there are many herbal medicines that can support women during times of hormonal disharmony. Some herbs act on restoring the body’s natural ebb & flow of hormones, others are anti-inflammatory to reduce pain, some work on liver detoxification to eliminate excess oestrogen. As a naturopath I get results by using herbal medicine in conjunction with dietary & lifestyle changes. If you are wanting to balance hormones for better periods, expect it to take around 100 days (or 3-4 full cycles) due to the length of time it takes an egg to completely develop.

If you’re in need of assistance in any of these areas, please book an appointment for a holistic assessment and treatment plan.