Irregular Periods: 5 Superfoods That Can Induce Menstruation

Irregular periods can be a nightmare for women. Hormonal imbalance, being overweight or underweight and sedentary lifestyle are the top causes of women having irregular periods. Irregularities in menstrual cycle can cause weight gain, facial hair, mood swings, bloating, breast tenderness and bloating. The most effective way to deal with irregular periods is by improving your lifestyle, losing weight, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Also, there are a few superfoods that can induce menstruation or periods. Talking about these foods is nutritionist Monisha Ashokan on Instagram.

Superfoods that can induce periods

In her post, Monisha mentions that menstruation is a vital sign of reproductive health. "Many woman experience delayed or missed periods. This can be due to hormonal imbalances, stress, medications, weight changes, etc. Delayed periods can be worrisome and really irritating. But the good news is you can really induce your menses in a natural way," she writes.

Also read: This Is The Workout You Should Do When You Are On Your Period

She goes on to mention that emmenagogues are foods that can help in inducing menses. Emmenagogues are herbs which stimulate blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus. Some of these herbs stimulate menstruation.

Emmenagogues (also spelled emmenagogs) are herbs which stimulate blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus; some stimulate menstruation. Menstrual cycle of a woman usually takes 28 days, but all woman bodies are different and have different menstrual cycles. Delay of 4-5 days in menstrual cycle is considered normal, but not more than that. Thus, the right food choices can help you induce your menstruation, making your periods come on its scheduled time.

Also read: Irregular Periods Strongly Linked To Type 2 Diabetes In Girls; 7 Causes Of Irregular Periods

Following are the foods you should eat if you have irregular periods

1. Vitamin C-rich fruits

Vitamin-C rich foods can be beneficial for inducing menstruation. Papaya, for instance, is a fruit which consists carotene-that can stimulate oestrogen hormone. This can in turn prepone periods or induce them. Pineapple is another Vitamin-C rich fruit which can reduce inflammation-which is also considered to be responsible for causing irregular periods. Other Vitamin-c rich fruits include oranges, lemon, kiwi and mangoes. Eating them regularly can reduce irregularities in periods and even prepone them.

2. Ginger

Ginger is a known emmenagogue. Regular inclusion of ginger in your diet can reduce onset of menstrual irregularities. You can have grated ginger with a tsp of honey to induce periods. When you face irregularities in periods, make sure you are consuming sufficient ginger.

Also read: Ginger And Turmeric: Medicinal Kitchen Ingredients You Should Eat Daily- Their Health Benefits Will Leave You Surprised

3. Turmeric

Turmeric is also an emmengagogue which can stimulate blood flow in uterus and pelvic region. Turmeric has antispasmodic effect on the body, which expands uterus and induces menstruation. To reduce menstrual irregularities, drink haldi doodh or turmeric latte regularly.

4. Jaggery

Monisha includes jaggery in her list of foods that can induce periods. You can mix jaggery with ginger, sesame seeds, turmeric and carom seeds and chew it with a glass of warm water. Drinking this regularly can induce periods and even prepone them.

5. Beetroots

Beetroot is a powerhouse of iron, calcium and folic acid amongst others. This vegetable can reduce water retention and bloating, something which women commonly experience during periods. Monisha includes them in her list of foods that can induce menstruation.

Also read: Beetroot And Spinach: Your Go-To Food For Healthy Eyes; Health Benefits And Nutrition Facts You Must Know

So, if irregular periods are giving you a hard time, try these superfoods. However, note that these eating these superfoods might only help in inducing periods but they are not a remedy or treatment for irregular periods. Delayed periods that are caused because of an underlying medical condition, should be diagnosed and treated by a gynaecologist.

(Monisha Ashokan is nutritionist at Nourish Me)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.