Problem With Periods

What sort of factors influence the menstrual cycle?

1) Emotional upsets and stress

- can produce at least a temporary change in your periods. A few cycles may be longer or shorter, heavier or lighter.

- You may miss a few periods or may completely stop for a while.

2) Body weight and nutrition

Weight and eating habits play a part in the menstrual cycle and periods. Woman who lose a lot of weight through deliberate, severe dieting or vomiting almost always stop having periods. Women with erratic eating habits, sometimes eating a lot, sometimes hardly eating at all, often have erratic periods.

3) Exercise

Long distance runners, athletes, gymnasts, dancers and swimmers undergoing rigorous and strenuous exercise programmes commonly have irregular periods. Sometimes stop completely for a while. Milder exercise can also affect your menstrual cycle or periods, especially when you start to take more exercise than usual.

4) No periods (Amenorrhea)

1. Pregnancy and the menopause are the commonest reason for women's periods to stop.
2. After a pregnancy - even if you are not breast feeding, your periods may not return immediately. This can also happen after a miscarriage or abortion.
3. Breast feeding - It may take a while for your periods to settle down again whilst weaning your baby off breast milk.
4. Contraceptive pill - may affect your bleeding.
5. Illness and drugs.
6. Accidents, injuries or operations - especially in pelvic area.
   

Note:

During stress and change, your body is directing energy into dealing with the stresses. In these cases, try not to be over-concerned or worried about not having periods.

5) Irregular Periods

In the year just after menarche and before your periods stop at the menopause irregular periods are fairly common, this may be because you do not ovulate during some of your menstrual cycles at these times. Stress and changes in life can make your periods temporarily less regular.

6) Heavy periods

1. Reaching menopause
2. Emotional upset and stress
3. Coming off the contraceptive pill
4. Fibroids - small, non-cancerous tumors inside the womb. (Can be surgical removed)
5. Pelvic infection - due to VD (sexually transmitted disease) In this case it is treated with antibiotics
6. Hormone imbalance - if you are not making enough progesterone after ovulation.
   

Importance Note
Iron deficiency can cause as well as result from heavy bleeding.
Vitamin C - help your body to absorb iron.
Calcium - may help heavy periods. (Best take calcium with magnesium)
Iodine may also help. Seafoods have good source of iodine.
Vitamin A deficiency may also cause heavy bleeding.