Have you suspected that your period has gone missing?
Maybe you used to get it like clockwork on a regular interval. But life gets busy, you’re not really paying attention to your cycle. And suddenly you realize that it’s been a few days (or weeks) since you should have had your period.
So what’s going on and where did it go?
Why Do Periods Go Missing?
First, let’s talk about the basics of understanding your cycle.
The endocrine system works due to a cascade of hormones that rise and fall throughout your cycle and specific times.
If your period goes missing and you know you’re not pregnant, it is because of some sort of hormone disruption.
Hormone shifts happen when estrogen levels get too high, progesterone is too low in proportion to other hormones, or if cortisol levels are consistently high from excess stress. Your hormones can become imbalanced with blood sugar dysregulation.
Periods can also become irregular or go missing when you enter into perimenopause. In this advanced stage of your menstruating life, hormone levels start to downshift and can go out of balance in proportion to each other.
Some of the most common hormone disruptors are inflammation, excess stress, and lifestyle changes like extreme weight loss or excessive exercise.
How Do You Get a Missing Period Back?
Your body was designed to have regular, predictable cycles. So if you find that your once-regular periods have suddenly gone missing, you can support your body in making healthier levels of hormones by making lifestyle changes.
If you’ve had missing or irregular periods off and on through your life, and you have a diagnosed menstrual condition, lifestyle changes may work alongside medical treatments recommended. Remember to consult with your doctor.
Reduce inflammation and excess hormones with food
Eating foods that are nutrient dense — rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants — can help you have steady energy and keep your blood sugar balanced. They will also help reduce the inflammation in the body.
- Include leafy greens — they provide fiber and help clear out excess estrogen. Kale, collard greens, chard, and mustard greens are good choices.
- Detox-supportive foods — the liver is the organ of detoxification and elimination. It helps clear out excess hormones and toxins that disrupt your cycle. Artichoke, asparagus, brussel sprouts, cranberry and broccoli support healthy liver function.
- Healthy energy and mood — Healthy fats provide benefits for blood sugar control, heart health, brain health and nutrient absorption.
- Stay energized — Lean protein offers B vitamins, healthy omegas, and a steady source of energy that keep you satisfied throughout the day.
Lower your stress levels naturally
Chronic, low-level stress has been shown to affect cycles. Research shows that women with stressful jobs have double the risk of not ovulating. (1) Other studies found that women who have a high level of stress have a hard time getting pregnant. (2)
Do you give yourself enough down time? And we’re not talking about mindlessly watching streaming TV or scrolling through social media. According to this APA survey, constantly checking cell phones and other devices leads to excess stress. The average American uses their phone around 4 hours a day according to this survey. That’s nearly two months in a year staring at a screen!
You can reduce your stress by stepping away from the distractions:
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Digital Detox: Turn off the devices and limit your screen time. Even just shutting them off for the night can make a big difference.
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Get Green: Take a grounding walk in nature. Surround yourself with trees and greenery or walk near a lake, river or ocean if you can.
- Be Mindful: Even five minutes of meditation per day can have a positive influence on your stress levels and hormones.
Motherwort for period support
Motherwort, or Leonurus cardiaca, is a plant that is native to Central and Southeastern Europe, and parts of Asia. It is a perennial that grows about three feet tall, with dark green leaves and furry purple or pink flowers on the ends of its stalks. It is also known as Lion’s Tail.
Motherwort has been used for thousands of years as a tea or tincture. It is believed to support heart health, promote healthy mood and regular menstruation. (3) Traditionally, it was used as a uterine tonic to help bring on delayed periods and reduce muscle cramping. It has also been used to relieve premenstrual tension.
What are the properties of motherwort?
Motherwort has several plant compounds that have scientifically studied, health-supportive properties.
Cell protection — Flavonoids, sterols, triterpenes, and tannins are all antioxidants that have been shown to reduce inflammation. (4) Antioxidants protect cells from damage by harmful molecules called free radicals. (5)
Heart supportive — Ursolic acid, leonurine, and flavonoids have exhibited heart-protective effects in animal studies. (6, 7, 8). Some European countries have approved motherwort to support heart health and stress levels (9)
Anti-inflammatory — Leonurine in motherwort has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties in lab studies (10)
Motherwort in Perfect Period
Motherwort works well when it is combined with other period-supportive herbs and adaptogens — such as dong quai and chaste tree berry. That’s why we’ve included motherwort in our Perfect Period formula.
The combination with our tincture supports the body to do what it was designed to do — have regular, problem-free periods. Because Perfect Period is a natural herbal formula, it can take time for the body to adjust. So it is recommended to take it daily for at least 60 days to see all the benefits that it can offer.
1. Am J Epidimiol 1999 Jan 15;149(2):127-34. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009777.
2. Stress and pregnancy
3. Acta Pol Pharm 2017 Jan;74(1):31-40.
4. Phytother Res 2013 Aug;27(8):1115-20. doi: 10.1002/ptr.4850. Epub 2012 Oct 8.
5. Int. J Biomed Sci
2008 Jun; 4(2): 89–96.
6. J Nat. Prod. 2011 Jul 22;74(7):1640-4. doi: 10.1021/np200060p. Epub 2011 Jun 7.
7. Phytomedicine. 2010 Aug;17(10):753-9. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2010.01.018. Epub 2010 Feb 24.
8. Planta Med 2014 May;80(7):525-32. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1368426. Epub 2014 May 19.
9. Euro Plant Med report
10. Biomed Res Int. 2019 Apr 17:2019:4303215. doi: 10.1155/2019/4303215.eCollection 2019.