Menstrual Problems

Overview

Menstrual problems affect an estimated 50 percent of all women in the United States between the age when puberty begins and menopause starts. Menstrual problems refer to any irregularities in the normal menstrual cycle, which can include a wide range of symptoms.

Types of Menstrual Problems
There are three major kinds of menstrual problems: absence of menstruation, known as amenorrhea, excessive menstruation, known as menorrhea, and painful menstrual cramps, known as dysmenorrhea.

Symptoms

Amenorrhea: Amenorrhea is characterized by a stoppage of menstruation or a failure of the menstrual cycle to begin once a woman has reached the age of 16 that is not due to pregnancy or menopause. A diagnosis of amenorrhea is usually not given until three or more months have passed without a woman having her period.

Dysmenorrhea: Dysmenorrhea is the most common type of menstrual problem, with the widest range of symptoms. Symptoms include pain and cramping during the menstruation cycle, abdominal pain, low back pain, pain in the inner thighs, spasmodic pain, bloating, breast tenderness, weight gain, headaches, anxiety, and mood swings.

Menorrhagia: Menorrhagia is characterized by excessively heavy blood flow during a woman’s period and/or periods that last longer than usual.

Causes

The primary causes of menstrual problems are hormonal imbalances (diminished levels of progesterone, and especially excessive levels of estrogen and prostaglandins, which are fatty acids that act like hormones in the body), nutritional imbalances, poor diet, stress, and, in many cases, the unwarranted belief by women that menstruation is somehow unnatural and revolting. Such a belief is primarily due to social conditioning and completely false, since menstruation is in fact a vital and natural part of every healthy woman’s life cycle and evidence of her innate feminine power.

Contributing factors for amenorrhea include poor function of the ovaries and pituitary glands, drained adrenal glands, hypothyroidism, extreme emotional anxiety or stress, calorie-restricted diets, and excessive exercise and/or physical activity. Menorrhagia can be caused by hypothyroidism as well as the use of intrauterine devices (devices designed to be used inside the womb) and abnormalities in the inner lining of the uterus (endometrium).

Do

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Diet

Avoid all commercial, processed, fried, and nonorganic food, as well as alcohol, coffee, caffeine, sugars, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, food dyes, milk and dairy products, wheat and wheat products, and refined carbohydrates. Do not eat saturated, trans-, hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated fats and oils. Instead choose from virgin coconut butter/oil, extra virgin olive oil, high lignin flax seed oil, and unrefined hemp seed, walnut, and sunflower oils.

Drink plenty of pure, filtered water throughout the day. Emphasize organic, fresh fruits and vegetables, organic whole grains and legumes, nuts and seeds, and (sparingly) organic, free-range poultry and wild-caught fish. Fermented soy products such as miso soup and tempeh are also advised, but avoid other soy products such as uncooked tofu, soy milk, and soy powder, which have been shown to be over-hyped and of dubious nutritional value. Also limit your intake of oils to unrefined flaxseed, olive oil, sunflower, and walnut.

Women who suffer from amenorrhea should also try to increase their daily food intake by 500 calories for one month to see if this helps rectify the problem. This strategy is particularly advised for women who exercise for extended amounts of time.

Women with menorrhagia should minimize their consumption of carbohydrates, eating only complex carbohydrates and, until their period returns to normal, limit carbohydrate intake to one meal per day.

Certain seafoods, such as mackerel, salmon, and trout, are excellent foods for women who suffer from menstrual cramps. Women with this condition should also avoid eating red meat.

In addition, undergo testing for potential food allergies and sensitivities and avoid those foods to which you test positive. Consider a rotation diet or elimination diet in order to further reduce the likelihood of food allergies.

Nutrition and diet are key players in the healing and elimination of imbalance and disease. For a complete, nutrition packed, whole foods eating plan, read the Whole Foods Diet. In many cases, a raw food eating plan can be extremely beneficial. To learn more, read Raw Food Diet. You can printout these full articles for easy reference.

Supplements:

The following nutrients can help relieve and prevent menstrual problems: vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin B-complex, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin C, flavonoids, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, omega-3 oils, evening primrose oil, and gamma linolenic acid (GLA).

For mennorrhagia, mixed bioflavonoids and, in some cases, iron can also be helpful.

Prescription and non-prescription medication:

What non-prescription and prescription drugs are you taking? Your non-prescription and prescription are partially the reason that you have this illness or disease – you need to get off these medications, but do so only under the guidance of a licensed health care practitioner.

Mind

Stress is estimated to be a primary contributing factor in over 95 percent of all disease conditions, and is especially responsible for increased susceptibility to the common cold and flu. When you are experiencing stress, your body releases hormones that cause your thymus gland to shrink. Since the thymus gland helps to maintain a strong immune system, as it shrinks, your immunity is lessened, thus increasing your risk of cold and flu viral infection. Among the most common causes of stress are anger, anxiety, depression, divorce, the death of a loved one, fear, job loss or a new job, moving to a new location, and nervousness. Lack of or fitful sleep is also a major source of stress. When you fail to get enough healthy sleep, your body’s natural killer (NK) cells, a vital part of your immune system, can be impaired, making it easier for invading viruses and other pathogens to escape being attacked and destroyed. We know that when the body is out of balance, energy doesn’t flow, leading blockages and eventually dis-ease. Here are some things you can do to combat stress and restore balance:

Go to a Dr Morter BEST (Bio-Energetic Synchronisation Technique) Practitioner.
Sign up for Energetic Re-Balancing: 2 practitioners to consider are:

Stephen Lewis, founder of the Aim Program. Find out more by clicking here.

. Find out more by clicking here.

Consider using Mary Millers Iching System Products – ichingsystemsinstruments.com
Reiki healing is very powerful in releasing stress and emotional baggage. Find a practitioner here.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) has had remarkable results in dissolving stress. Find a local practitioner here or go to www.thetappingsolution.com or www.tftrx.com
Try Hypnotherapy to relax the mind. Find a practitioner here.
Meditation has been proven to help alleviate menstrual problems