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For Women who are Not Pregnant
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!! 1
There are other mild herbs which can be used safely and effectively as 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.
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.
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.
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, 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. You can also purchase dried parsley to have on hand. I would suggest obtaining it from Mountain Rose Herbs, thus far, I've been very pleased with their quality of herbs. Purchase organic dried parsley from MountainRose.com
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. Purchase Ginger root from MountainRose.
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." organic Yarrow leaf and flower from MountainRose.
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.
Order herbs online
October 19, 2011
Hello, I just wanted to write you an email to express my gratitude for your advice and also tell you how great your website is! I stumbled upon it 3 days ago while grasping for some help on a 2 month late period. I knew I was not pregnant, (three pregnancy tests confirmed this), but I was still worried. When I found your recommendation about trying out parsley I went out to the grocery store right away. I cut up some parsley and brewed it as tea. For 2 days straight I drank it religiously, along with eating oranges. Low and behold my period came today! I am so happy and have only you and the parsley tea to thank. I have been curious about herbal remedies for some time now but have never tested them out. I truly believe in them now and will think twice before turning first to western medicine.
Sincerely,
Alyssa
September 6, 2011
I am so glad I found your site. I have an irregular cycle but it always starts within 4 or 5 days of the last. This time I went past a week late and I was very concerned. Yesterday, I found your site and learned about parsley and it's effects on menses. I drank 4 cups of very strong parsley tea and today I started my period. Thank you so much.
Alex
July 30, 2011
I must say I was quite impressed with the parsley tea. I wasn't 100% sure it would work, even though we practice homeopathy at home.
I have been on one of those "no period" birth control pills for two years, then switched to a regular cycle pill for 6 months, but still had no periods even then. Finally I got fed up with all the hormones in my system (and the chemicals) and gave up hormonal birth control. Plus fiancee and I are going to be married in September and would like to conceive then... but for the life of me I could not have a period -- Which sort of freaked me out. I figured I would get back to a normal cycle by now. Finally this month I saw your parsley tea writing and decided to give it a try. Sure enough after four mugs of parsley tea, that night I finally had a period after almost three years!
One thing I don't get though... We actually eat tabbouleh a lot in our house, and that has never caused me to get my period (and we eat it in mass quantities on pita bread with humus)... do you know why it only works as a tea and not ingested as food whole? I certainly didn't use as much parsley as I eat to make my tea.
Thanks again for your wonderful website...it's bookmarked :-)
Sarah
February 13, 2011
Hello, I just wanted to thank you for sharing your knowledge. My period is very irregular, taking sometimes 30 and to 45 days between cycles. I drank parsley tea to induce it after 30 days this month, and it worked. I drank 3 cups per day for 3 days, and got my period on the fourth day. I also drunk a lot of vitamin C during this time, as I read elsewhere on the web that it may help.
Thank you very much,
Donna
January 18, 2011
I had a delayed Period of about two weeks and I was very worried, after finding your website I saw about Parsley Tea. So the next day I bought some fresh Parsley and made some tea. I had cramps the whole day and felt very tender and emotional. The next day nothing was there, I wasn't even spotting. I was still very worried. However that night around 1 in the morning the cramps stopped and became less intense and I went to the toilet and there it was the Period I had been so concerned over.
Thank you for this herbal advice, I don't know what I would have done without it.
December 19, 2010
Just had to say a quick thank-you for the Parsley advice. This month, I was late without pregnancy (took 2 tests to be sure). I think it was related to the massive amounts of exercise I've been doing. But I started taking that parsley tea a couple of days ago, and I'm all fixed up now.
This really took a weight off of me, as in my area we broke people have almost no access to doctors and I was kind of worried about diseases. But I'm also the closest thing many of us have to health care, and I'm always looking for more info. This and your website will be spread to all of my crowd. Thank you again.
Angela
September 1, 2010
Hello, I just wanted to thankyou for all your knowledge about herbs & remedies online. It helped me to find out about the parsley tea method. I had been worried for a week that i was late. Hoping i was not pregnant, today i decided to search online about herbal abortion methods and found your websites... I found the Parsley tea and gave it a try, to my surprise about 4 hours later i had gotten my period. I just wanted to thank you for your webpage. I'm sure i would have gotten it sooner or later, but this has given me peace of mind. And i find it very cool to be able to control my body in that way. Now my interest is intrigued and i am looking forward to learning more about herbal tea's, & medicines that can help with other things - for myself and people i know. Thanks
Ayla
August 27, 2010
dear sister zeus,
just want to thank you for the information about herbs for late period. i'm 1 week delay and so worried. i used to take pills for 3 months and i stop using pills in my last period july 20. after 28 days my period didn't came, and i'm not ready to be pregnant or not plan at all because i have already 2 girls. 3 day after my due i've done home pregnancy test and the result is negative. i immediately search the net for the medicine i should take, i saw provera but i know i cant buy it over the counter because i need to show med prescription. so i search again and find out your site. at first i brew ginger about 3 cups for 1 day coz that only available i have but i can't take the smell and the taste. so on the 2nd day i buy fresh parsley and made 4 cups of tea for the whole day, it taste better than the ginger. i just repeat it for 3rd and 4th day, then on my fifth day at last my period came... i'm so thankful that i found you sister zeus..
best regards,
juliana
July 12, 2010
Thank you so much for your website!
I have had an issue with spotting before my actual period starts and thought I would try the parsley tea. This has been going on since about the age of 26 and I am now 33.
I've been to see the doctor about it and tried hormones and a D&C. Neither worked. Generally what happens is I spot for 3 or 4 days and then have an actual period for 5 or 6 days. The spotting is just heavy enough that I have to wear a pad. I came across your site and have been using the parsley tea for 3 months. My new routine is to start the parsley after the first spotting appears and it generally only takes about 24 hours to work. I make the tea with fresh parsley and have a large mug of it four times a day. I don't wake in the night to take any. Then my period is about 3 or 4 days. The flow is a little heavier but seems such a small price to pay for a shorter period. I just wanted to share so that maybe someone else with this problem could try it.
Thank you so much,
Danica
July 1, 2010
Dear Sister Zeus,
My boyfriend and I recently spent some time apart. We go to university together, but he lives in a different state many miles away. We are now together again but we are both employed. Recently I made plans so that we could spend our first night together next thursday, only to realize with dismay after the plans were set in stone that I was supposed to have my period around that time as well.
I happened upon your website while looking for ways to bring about my period a few days earlier than expected. I was very skeptical about herbal remedies, but the information you provided on your website seemed pretty convincing, and you yourself came across as very knowledgeable in your discussion of herbal remedies.
I made a trip to my local market today and starting brewing myself parsley tea at 5:00. By 10:00, I got my period. This is very unusual as my period almost never starts any other time than very early in the morning, so I know it is probably not a coincidence. I cannot thank you enough!
Sincerely,
Kathleen
June 23, 2010
Dear Sister Zeus,
My period is extremely regular, but for the second time in my life it was late (by 5 days and that is A LOT for me). I know it is due to stress because there are a million things happening to me and around me and I am not coping like much of a soldier on the inside, although I can fool many.
Anyway, I was frantically searching for a solution before I made my way to see the doctor only to be laughed at and came across your parsley solution.
I made my way to the supermarket at 5am this morning (24 hours place). Made and drank about 2 small pot fulls by 7am and got my period at 7pm. It may well be that it was going to come anyway, but I feel that the parsley helped.
Thanks very much for your wonderful advice. God bless you.
June 17, 2010
Just wanted to say thank you for the information on drinking parsley tea to induce a period. I read the information on your site and prepared 4 cups of tea. I drank the parsley tea in the evening before bed and my period came by the next morning. Wow, I was so impressed. I was over 10 days late and although I kept feeling like it was coming it didn�t but your tea did the trick. THANK YOU!!!
Here is what I did: I bought a bunch of fresh parsley at the supermarket. Boiled a pot of water. Filled 4 mugs each with about a handful of the parsley. When the water came to a boil I poured it into the mugs. I covered the mugs with a small dish and let them steep for 30 minutes to an hour. I then drank the tea throughout the evening. I can�t say it was the best tasting tea I ever had but it wasn�t bad and I was so grateful that it worked I would do it again in a heartbeat! Thanks again.
April 3, 2010
Dear Sister Zeus,
I'm really thankfull for your information on Herbal to medication. I also having late menstruation problem, so i start to check the internet. I was doubtful when reading your site at first, especially on other people email's about the parsley benefit. I think i hold the record among your reader. I brewed a cup of parsley and drank it at 8 p.and i got my period by 10.30 pm just now. Anyway, thanks once again...
February 10, 2010
Dear sister zeus,
I just wanted to thank you so much for all your information on herbs that can help for a delayed period. After my father passed away in early december, I hadn't had my period since. I was especially worried since I am sexually active. After taking four negative pregnancy tests, I started looking for ways to get my period to come. With your help, I decided to make the parsley teas, and within four days my period started.
Thank you so so much for everything!!!
Christina :)
January 5, 2010
Hi! I just wanted to say thank you SOOOOO much for this website. I used the parsley and ginger tea to help induce my period that was almost a week late. I brewed a pot of parsley tea last night and drank about 3-4 cups before I went to sleep. I woke up, drank another cupful, then brewed the ginger tea and drank a cup of that an hour after. I immediately started menstruating when I got to work, I am so relieved, and really impressed that it started so quickly.
This is such a great site, I have already told some friends about it and will continue to refer this website to others! I was so nervous and scared, and this information is not only helpful, it�s comforting as well. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
-Nina
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
References:
1. Pederson, Mark. Nutritional Herbology - A Reference Guide to Herbs.
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