Periods are a natural, albeit annoying and sometimes painful, part of any woman’s life, and the menstrual cycle is something that women have to deal with in their own way, as periods will vary from one female to the next. However, not all periods are the same, and comparing one person’s periods to another is an impossible task, so what one person may interpret as heavy or painful may be quite normal for another. But you shouldn’t suffer with your menstrual cycle, and there are ways in which you can make your periods more bearable and things that can be done to help with heavy bleeding.
Heavy periods can be classed as bleeding for more than 7 days, or heavy bleeding, where you have to change your sanitary protection hourly to prevent you from soaking through. Large blood clots about the size of a 10-cent coin or larger are also cause for concern as excess bleeding can lead to anaemia. If you want to know how to stop heavy periods you need to know what the cause is, or at least what the cause isn’t.
There are certain tests I can do to rule out specific causes for heavy bleeding, and these can include having blood tests to check your hormonal levels, because when the balance between oestrogen and progesterone is upset, it may cause heavy bleeding. The most frequent causes of hormonal imbalances are often endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and thyroid problems, together with being obese. Other reasons for prolonged or heavier-than-usual periods can include having benign growths in the uterus such as polyps or fibroids, and these are often discovered through ultrasound imaging. Certain medications like blood thinners or anti-inflammatory drugs may result in heavy bleeding during your period, or existing medical conditions such as liver and kidney disease are also potential factors. Less common causes like bleeding disorders or cancers of the reproductive system can also be the reason, but these are rarer compared to the other causes.
How to Reduce Period Flow Naturally
If you have ruled out the main medical reasons for your heavy period, it is worth considering that there are ais a whole array of other problems that your doctor may not be able to test for so easily. This is where a holistic approach comes in handy, and where your naturopath can look at you as a whole and try to discover what’s going on in your body and mind.
Stress has a lot to answer for in our modern, busy lives, and can cause a whole lot of problems for our health and well-being if it is not managed properly and kept under control. Today, elevated stress levels have become the norm and because it is not something we can see or feel, it is often overlooked as the root cause for many medical issues. Aside from causing high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, high stress levels can also cause hormonal imbalances, which can lead to prolonged periods. Managing stress through activities such as yoga, meditation and breathwork can help regulate hormones and thus reduce the duration of your period.
Doctors often don’t have the time to talk to their patients and find out how they are actually feeling, they base their medical findings on the results of tests they perform and prescribe drugs to correct those results, but sometimes despite this text-book approach, when your results come back as “normal” or you are taking the right medication without seeing any improvement, you know you don’t feel right but nobody can tell you why. If you are wondering how to slow down periods naturally then talking to a naturopath and choosing the best way forward for you may be the answer.
A Naturopathic Approach to Heavy Periods
Naturopathy encompasses the practice of nutrition, herbal medicine and homeopathy and places an emphasis on a preventative approach to healing, and treating the cause of the disease, not just the symptoms. Wondering how to stop heavy periods will depend on what your naturopath believes is causing the heavy bleeding. A comprehensive consultation of your physical and mental wellness will give your therapist a good insight as to how they can help.
Health and nutrition are of great concern today, and the explosion of fast foods, highly processed meals and convenience snacks delivered directly to your doorstep has exacerbated the global obesity pandemic and all the subsequent problems that go with it. It is no secret that a healthy, balanced diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a good daily dose of wholegrains or beans will do wonders for the modern human body that is so starved of nutrients today. Yet with cheap, ultra-processed foods everywhere you turn, they can be very difficult to refuse, especially when you’re hungry!
How to reduce period flow naturally may not be that simple, but the simplest approach to begin with can be by changing your diet. Not everyone can afford to buy organic produce, but it is worth remembering that a lot of the cheaper fruits and vegetables we buy today are full of harmful toxins, chemicals and pesticides, and are generally much less dense in nutritional value than their organic counterparts, especially because they have been forced to grow in unnatural environments using these nasty chemicals and pesticides. Constantly feeding your body with highly processed foods and toxins will eventually have a detrimental effect on your health and well-being and can also cause hormonal imbalances which could lead to heavy, or prolonged periods.
If you do bleed heavily during your menstrual cycle, it is worth being aware of some of the symptoms of anaemia, which can occur when you don’t have enough red blood cells that carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. Look out for signs like extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, pale skin and dizziness or light-headedness. If you do notice any of these symptoms then eating foods rich in iron and potassium like bananas, leafy greens and lentils can help. Foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwis and broccoli can help your body to absorb iron, which you may be losing during heavy bleeding.
Dehydration is another one of those easily forgotten problems like stress and is all too often overlooked. In fact, stress and dehydration go hand in hand; a fast-paced lifestyle often means grabbing a coffee on the go, often drinking too much caffeine which can increase heart rates and stress levels and dehydrate you too because it acts as a diuretic. Water is the best liquid to drink for rehydration, and staying well hydrated can help maintain blood volume and overall health during menstruation.
Try replacing coffee with herbal teas, as certain herbs such as ginger, cinnamon and yarrow contain astringent and anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce excessive bleeding and ease discomfort. Raspberry leaf tea is a great-tasting drink that is well-known for its benefits to women. The high tannin content can help tone and tighten the uterine muscle and can help to reduce period flow naturally, and the phytochemicals it contains can help balance hormones and are rich in nutrients.
Home Remedies to Help Ease Period Symptoms
Pelvic pain can be one of the worst symptoms of a period, and this can be extremely painful during times of heavy bleeding. The pain can affect your normal day-to-day routine, and leave you feeling tired, exhausted and short of breath. Heat therapy is a proven remedy for helping ease menstrual cramps. The heat therapy works by relaxing the muscles of the uterus, which increases blood flow to the area and eases pain. Applying heat pads or hot water bottles to your lower back or lower abdomen can help you to relax and ease your discomfort, as can soaking in a hot bath with some relaxing essential oils like lavender, sage or rose. Adding Epsom salts may also help relieve muscle pain, and it is important to try to relax in a hot bath for at least 15 minutes to get the most benefit from it.
Herbal Supplements
When looking at how to reduce period flow naturally it is always worth considering taking supplements. Herbs have powerful properties and are beneficial to us in so many ways. Certain herbs like ginger, turmeric and raspberry leaf have anti-inflammatory properties that can help regulate hormones and reduce the duration of your period. You can choose to use them in your cooking, use them as herbal teas or take supplements.
The Natural Conclusion
Heavy periods may be a sign of an underlying health issue, and it is always important to rule this out first. A naturopathic approach to your health and well-being can only ever be a beneficial thing. Eating a well-balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetables, and reducing the number of fast foods, takeaway and processed food that you consume will never be a bad thing, and should be something we all try to do regardless of whether or not we are concerned about how to stop heavy periods.
Exercise is a must, especially with our modern, sedentary lifestyles. Try walking instead of driving or taking the bus, join a gym or a fitness group to get motivation from others, and try to make exercise a regular habit – it will help you tone up, lose weight and may regulate your periods too.
Seek out advice from a women’s health naturopath about which supplements, herbs and remedies may be most beneficial to you, especially if you want to know how to slow down periods immediately with home remedies.
And finally, listen to your body – you know if something feels good or bad, if certain foods make you feel gassy, if a type of tea makes you feel nauseous, or if exercise makes you feel faint then avoid it. Prolonged or heavy periods affect a lot of women, but there are many women’s health and holistic pms remedies that are very useful.
