Herbal Remedies for Delayed Menstruation There are other mild herbs which can be used safely and
r mild herbs which can be used safely and effectively as
For Women who are Not Pregnant
When your period does not show up on schedule it can be a bit un-
nerving, especially if a woman is sexually active. There are however many
factors both within our bodies and in our lives that can cause ovulation and
menstruation to be delayed. Most often when pregnancy is not a factor,
the cause for delay is that ovulation did not occur on schedule. In order for
menstruation to occur, ovulation has to happen first, then menstruation
follows by 14 days unless conception occurs. The 14 days between
ovulation and menstruation is pretty consistent for everyone. If ovulation
has not yet occurred then it is unlikely that herbs will cause menstruation
to begin. The body has to complete it's cycle before it will be able to bleed.
In cases where menstruation is simply late, I think it is best to support the
body in whatever it needs to do, some liver cleansing herbs like dandelion
root and burdock root might help get things headed in the right direction.
Someone with a history of cycle irregularity and unpredictability might
want to include some chaste-tree berries (vitex) as a morning supplement,
giving those ovaries some tender-lovin-care. Looking for some outside
professional help can only help your healing process, a herbalist or
naturopathic doctor will help correct the imbalances naturally and gently,
and allow you to take an active role in the process.
Most of all, what message is your body trying to send you? There's a
reason why menstruation is late, if its not pregnancy, then it is either
related to physical reasons or emotional ones. Its not always possible to
figure out why your body is doing this, its just part of our mystery. Fertility
is magical and mysterious, it is our curse our bane, but the perceived
enemy can become our greatest friend and strongest ally. It is the essence
of who we are, the source of our power, and mystique. T'is a shame that
we are taught to deny it. {had a poetic moment there. :) } Sometimes our
bodies just do the unexpected for no apparent reason.
For women who want to see if an herb can help get their period started,
one of my favorites is parsley. Its a very mild herb, and is actually pretty
good for you, plus it has worked really well for me in the past and the
flavor is not bad, a bit green, and a tad spicy, over-all its fairly tasty, I
really don't mind it at all. Drinking 3 or 4 cups a day to see if you can coax
your period on should be fine, I've often had it start by the next day. But if
your body isn't ready and it doesn't start, just give it a week and give it
another try. I did say it was good for you.... I'm just looking it up here, its
high in calcium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, vitamin c, and very high
in potassium and vitamin A, good stuff!
well. These herbs are collectively called emmenagogues, which means
they have the ability to stimulate menstruation. Each herb has its own
properties and its own way of encouraging menstruation to begin, but
again, the uterus needs to be ready to bleed before it will be able to,
otherwise the blood just isn't there.
There are many herbs which have emmenagogual properties, there are
mild ones and there are strong ones. 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 are abortifacients. In fact, the more mild ones are
safe to use (but not abuse) 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, and the authors want to get their books
published! So keep this in mind as you see herbs like pennyroyal and tansy
listed as emmenagogues, yes they will help start menstruation but they
are much stronger and more toxic than herbs like parsley; pennyroyal and
tansy are both abortifacients, but its pretty rare that you'll see it listed as
such in a herb book. Whenever I find a herb book that has abortifacients
listed in the index, it automatically gets my attention, because most
authors are afraid of the subject.
The term 'emmenagogue' is a catch all category for any herb that can be
used to start menstruation and/or end pregnancy. Here on this website, I
will refer to the 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. The ones I discuss here on this
page are of a mild nature, and should pregnancy be the reason for delayed
menstruation they should not damage the developing embryo, provided
the herbs are used correctly and not excessively.
Before I get into the herbs, lets talk a little about the possible causes of
why menstruation is not showing up, as I mentioned there are many
possible causes here are a few possible reasons: stress, travel, illness,
excessive exercise, body weight changes, lack of rest, depression and poor
diet. There can also be numerous health and/or reproductive health
reasons why menstruation could be late, usually women who have health
issues at the root of their missing period, will often have a recurring
history of menstruation being unpredictable. Christiane Northrup has a
really great book that addresses all the reproductive health issues that can
cause cycle irregularity, I highly recommend it to all women, even if your
reproductive health is perfect. Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom. A great
book.

When menstruation has been absent for 3 months or longer it is called
Amenorrhea, this can be caused by the reasons listed above or by
something more serious such as malnutrition, eating disorders, abnormal
body weight either obesity or low body weight, diabetes, thyroid
deficiency, depression, lack of ovulation due to the pill or deprovera or
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 can try these herbs, but it might be a
wiser decision to enlist the aid of a health care professional to help you
determine the reason your period is absent.
Please keep in mind, I am a person who loves herbs, but have not had any
formal training. If you use any of these remedies you do so at your own
risk. Please use herbs responsibly, natural does not mean harmless. Please
seek professional advice when necessary, it can only help you in correcting
your problem. If you are unfamiliar with using herbs, please consent
someone knowledgeable in your community.
Herbs for Absent Menstruation
Two to four cups of any of these teas can be taken per day. More can be
taken if desired, as these teas are considered non-toxic to adults, unless
otherwise noted.
Parsley - my personal favorite for stimulating a delayed period, I
discovered it while traveling in Mexico, after not having a period for two
months, when my period would have been due on the third month I used
the dried herb and brewed a tea, I drank 3 maybe 4 cups that afternoon
and the next morning I had begun to bleed.
Parsley is easily obtained at just about any local market or grocery store in
the produce section, It can be used fresh or dried, I've used it successfully
both ways. Just throw a handful of the fresh herb in a pot of freshly boiled
water, cover and let steep for 20-30 minutes, strain and drink. Recently I
tried a parsley tincture that I made, and it did not seem to have any
effect.
Ginger Another easily obtained herb, again right from the grocery store, or
many kitchens are already stocked with the powdered herb, I like fresh
ginger, but you can use either. It is a stimulating herb, so it might not be a
good choice right before bedtime. It may make you sweat, or you might
experience a hot flash, this is normal for ginger. Chop the fresh root and
boil in water for 20 minutes, remove from heat, allow to cool a bit and
drink. If you experience nausea while using ginger tea you may be
pregnant.
Caution: those with a history of gall stones should use ginger with caution.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Grows in most of the northern hemisphere
and is easily identified with the use of a good field guide, and is carried by
most herb shops. One of my visitors says "the cold herb tea, 3-4 cups
taken a day when menstruation is late. It works perfectly for me. I know I
can count on it."
Sage a common garden herb, taken as an infusion.
Rosemary a common garden herb, used as an infusion.
Feverfew another herb commonly found in an herb garden, taken as an
infusion. Not exceeding four cups per day.
Preparing medicinal teas basic instructions on brewing infusions and
decoctions.
Mountain Rose Herbs. A herbs, health and harmony company. Since 1987
Order herbs online
Personal Experiences emailed to me:
July 12, 2005
Hi, Thanks to the information on the website, I was able to bring on a late
period. I was late by about a week and the pregnancy test was also
negative. I drank the parsley and ginger root tea - about 4 warm cups-fuls
a day for three days and also used the parsley insert. I also drank some
fresh ginger juice - about 2 tablespoons - before going to bed. On the
morning of the fourth day, my period came - about 10 days late - but it
came alright. and I am thankful to the info on sister zeus.
Best,
Abha
Aug 1 2006
Dear Sister Zeus,
My boyfriend an I had had unprotected sex once. When the time for my
period came, it didn't come. So I thought, "Wait another day. It'll come." I
was on Day 34 and I've never been past Day 30 in my life. I was so scared
of the possibility of me being pregnant. Yesterday, I was frantically
searching around the internet looking for herbs or things to help "bring
about" a late period.
Then I came across your site. I looked through all the herbs you had and I
didn't have any of them except for some dried parsley I kept in the
cupboard in the kitchen. So, I brewed some tea and drank 3 glasses. One
in the morning, one at lunch, then one right before bed. I was having
doubts that it would actually work, but nonetheless i kept my hopes high
that it would.
Next morning, I woke up and checked and I was so relieved that I had
finally gotten my period. The parsley tea worked like a charm! Once again,
I would like to thank you for all of the helpful information you put on your
site. I went to other sites, but they just didn't have the information I was
looking for. Thanks again.
Sincerely,
Kristen
Dec 13, 2006
Hey!!! I just wanted to write to you and say THANKS for the information
on your site. I was browsing Monday night for a way to naturally start my
period (I have a history of irregular periods and ovarian cysts and havent
had a period since August). I had two beautiful twin baby girls on March
6th (Laila Brooke & Jaida Lynn) - they passed away due to sticky lungs and
prematurity (they were born at 24 weeks). Anyway, my fiance and I
thought I was pregnant last month but (to our disappointed) I kept getting
negative pregnancy test results. Plus, with my irregular periods it was hard
to know when/if I was prego. We decided that we are ready to "try again"
but I knew it would be best to wait until AFTER I had a normal period
(since - like I said - I havent had a period since August). I did not want to
take Provera or any other prescription medication to induce my period so I
started browsing the good 'ole world wide web and THANKFULLY came
across your site! I read and read and read - trying to decide which remedy
to use. Since I had an emergency c-section with my beautiful angels - I
didn't want anything "too strong" that might make my uterus contract too
hard or cause any other problems. So I decided on the Parsley tea remedy.
Here is how I did it:
Boiled 4 cups of water
Added 4 teaspoons of Parsley flakes (one tsp of dried herb per cup of
water)
Covered it & let it sit/cool for about 20 min
Strained the flakes out
Ended up with about 2 1/2 cups of tea
Added some sugar & drank up! *It tastes pretty good too!
I drank my first "dose" at about 4:30 am yesterday (Tuesday) morning
and was spotting by noon!!!! I spotted just a little throughout the day but
it was more than I had done in 3 months so I was happy! Then I made
another brew last night following the same recipe and drank about 2 1/2
cups again. Well - it is now 4:30 am on Wednesday morning and I my
period is in full effect!!! (Yay!!) I'm a little bit "crampy" but nothing
abnormal - actually probably more mild cramping than I usually have.
So anyway - I wanted to share my experience with you and tell you that
your Parsley tea idea works and it works FAST!!!!! :)
Thanks again for this information. Since I found your site - and since the
herbal emmenagogue worked so well - I plan on using some herbal
remedies while trying to conceive again. Any suggestions? I think I am
going to use the Chasteberry method. Also, is there anything that my
fiance can take to give his "little soldiers" an extra boost?? He does not
have low sperm-count or anything like that - I am just wondering about
fertility herbs for men.
Again - THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH for sharing your herbal
knowledge!!!!
Jennifer
Apr 4, 2006
I found your website when looking for a herbal cure to aid the start of my
period. After 3 months of no period the parsley tea worked within 3 days.
Rhea
Feb 11, 2006
Hi, I just came across your website and found the references to use
parsley for late coming menses. I was two weeks late, not pregnant, and
miserable…the parsley worked like a miracle within 8 hours of consumption
of the tea and the pessary.
I just wanted thank you so much for taking the time and making the effort
to have that information available on the internet. I feel like I have a new
and powerful tool at my disposal! Having had menses with irregular,
painful, long waiting periods for the last 26 years as a result of
endometriosis…parsley may open a whole new door for me.
Thanks so much! Zeta Kelly
Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
Parsley is a wonderful herb for bringing on a late period. It is one of my
personal favorites. The fresh herb is easily obtained at any grocery store in
the produce section or is easily grown. I discovered Parsley's value as an
emmenagogue while traveling in Mexico. I had missed two periods, during
this time I was on the pill, so I didn't think I was pregnant but I was aware
that the pill is not 100% effective. I was concerned and knew abortion was
safest done during the first trimester, which was rapidly drawing to a close.
I searched my herb books for an herb I could make a tea with while
traveling in a foreign country. The problem being that I did not have
access to any of the common menstrual stimulating herbs I was familiar
with. Finally I came across a vague mention of parsley. I scoured the
kitchen cabinet and found some of the dried herb. I drank several cups
through out the day. The next day much to my relief I began to bleed.
Parsley is a mild emmenagogue (an herb which stimulates menstruation),
it works like a charm for starting menstruation when pregnancy is not the
cause for delay. I have used parsley on several occasions to successfully
start menstruation when not pregnant. I prepared and drank a strong tea
made from the fresh plant, bleeding would start in as little as a few of
hours or once took three days to get started, usually after drinking the
parsley tea my period would start by the next day.
For additional information on starting a late period that is not late due to
pregnancy please see Delayed Menstruation.
For terminating pregnancy, I think of parsley as a helper herb. when used
by itself it, its my opinion will not cause abortion, for a woman with a
healthy pregnancy. There is a couple ways that Parsley can be used, either
as a tea (or infusion) or as a pessary (an object or substance placed inside
the vagina ).
As a tea, it has a mild flavor, I think of it as "green" with a spicy flavor. The
tea can be made either from the dried herb (1 tsp per cup of water) or a
tea can be made from the fresh herb. I prefer to work with organic parsley
(especially if i plan on using it as a pessary). When using the fresh herb, 1
tablespoon of chopped herb per cup of water, its ok to make it stronger if
you want.
When working with the fresh herb, i usually brew up a few cups at once,
i'm not to exact on the amounts, usually, i fill a small to medium size pot
with water, bring the water to a boil. While i'm waiting for the water to
boil, I chop up a bunch of parsley leaves put that in a canning jar, then
pour the boiled water over the herb, put the cap on and let it steep for
about 20 minutes. The resulting tea, is green in color, and doesn't taste
bad, you can sweeten it if you like or add milk if you like. I drink a cup
while the tea is still warm (i strain the herb out first), then drink some
later on, taking 2 to 4 cups in a day.
Parsley combines well with vitamin c (ascorbic acid).
A parsley pessary (vaginal insert) can aide in softening the cervix, helping
it to open, to prepare for release. Fresh parsley comes in a bunch, many
sprigs tied together, you can remove the larger part of the stem just below
the first leaf joint, this will make it more comfortable. Don't pick the leaves
off the main stem, it just makes it that much smaller and harder to
remove. Just leave the leaf as it is, and take off the bigger part of the
stem.
When I made my pessaries, I used 3 or 4 sprigs of the fresh herb, I've
read that you can wrap it in cheese cloth, or tie a string to the stems to
help you get them out, but i didn't find that necessary. I just pushed the
parsley leaves in as far as i could, right next to my cervix, (which feels
rounded and kind of hard, the consistency is kind of like the end of your
nose. (just a little cervix info)
It felt bulky at first, but the leaves will soften from your body heat. You
may notice a parsley smell, or taste in your mouth after a while. I changed
it every 12 hours, twice a day, especially leaving it in over night.
When it came time to remove it, i just reached in with two fingers and
scooped it out, checking it for any blood, then discarding. Repeating the
process.
Contradictions: should not be used by individuals with inflammatory kidney
problems or diseases.