5 Foods That Make Your Menstrual Cycle Regular
What Are the Best Foods to Regulate Your Menstrual Cycle?
Yes, certain foods can make your menstrual cycle regular! If you struggle with irregular periods or amenorrhea (no periods at all), don’t skip these tips.
“When estrogen is high during their cycle, women are more at ease with themselves,” writes Rebecca Booth in The Venus Week. “They are more confident performing tasks and accomplishing goals and more socially agile and bale to articulate themselves more fully and clearly.”
But, if your period is irregular or nonexistent, you won’t benefit from the effects of high estrogen. The point of highest estrogen is your pre-ovulatory stage.
If you’re on a 28 day cycle, ovulation occurs from days 12-16 (though it varies, depending on your stress level, the foods you eat, the exercise you’re doing, etc). This means that pre-ovulation occurs on about days 8-11 (but again, it varies from woman to woman).
For more facts about your period – and how amazing it is! – read The Venus Week: Discover the Powerful Secret of Your Cycle…at Any Age by Rebecca Booth, MD.
And, here are five foods to that can help you get regular periods…
5 Foods That Make Your Menstrual Cycle Regular
Your first step in regulating your periods is figuring out what’s causing an irregular menstrual cycle. Once you determine the cause, you’ll be better able to find an effective treatment. Read 6 Things That Cause Irregular Periods.
Omega-3 fatty acids – salmon, sardines, etc
The blood vessels in your ovaries are tiny, which makes them vulnerable to damage and poor circulation. Smoking, obesity, and high cholesterol can negatively affect your ovarian blood vessels, which blocks hormones and blood flow. Fish oils enhance blood circulation, reduce damage from free radicals, fight the effects of aging, and increase dopamine (which improves your mood!).
Dr Booth recommends adding a fish oil supplement to your diet, instead of eating a high fish diet (because of the mercury in some tuna, swordfish, mackerel, etc).
Non-white foods
Most natural foods are not white, so you can assume that if a food is white, it is probably processed to the point of being unhealthy! To make your menstrual cycle regular, avoid white flour, sugar, white potatoes, white bread, white pasta, and white rice. They disrupt your menstrual cycle by creating insulin surges that result in fat storage. This excess fat storage negatively affects ovulation and your periods – and can cause irregular periods.
Protein – cottage cheese, lean meats, nuts
“Finding sources of balanced protein can be a challenge for busy women, but it is a must for hormonal balance, writes Dr Booth in The Venus Week. The more you balance your hormones, the more regular your menstrual cycle will be. Plant proteins are especially good for enhancing fertility and hormonal balance: almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cheese, hard boiled eggs, soy chips, hummus, canned sardines, and edamame.
Vitamin D – perhaps take a supplement
This vitamin improves communication between your cells, which stabilizes your hormones. Vitamin D is also vital in cancer protection – especially breast, colon, ovarian, and prostate cancers. “Vitamin D is a little hard to come by in food,” writes Dr Booth. Eat vitamin D-fortified milk products, tuna, egg yolks, salmon, sardines, and (yuck) cod liver oil.
To increase your vitamin D and make your menstrual cycle regular, make sure you getting enough sunlight. Where you live and the color of your skin determines how much time you should spend in the sun, but my research tells me that the average North American should spend about 10 minutes in the sun about 2-3 times per week.
Dark chocolate!
“Chocolate contains flavenoids, which have estrogen-like activity and help improve circulation by reducing platelet clumping, writes Dr Booth in The Venus Week. Flavenoids also enhance microcirculation in the ovaries and endocrine glands, and increase dopamine (a “feel good” hormone).
Not just any old chocolate will do: eat dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa solids.
Help for Different Types of Menstrual Problems
For more tips for making your menstrual cycle regular, read 8 Natural Ways to Regulate Your Period.
Do you want to get pregnant? Read How Food Affects Female Fertility.
Your comments or questions on foods to regulate your menstrual cycle are welcome below. But, note that I can’t offer personal medical advice! Please talk to a gynecologist or your family doctor in person if you’re having problems with irregular periods.
Category: Female Infertility Tips, Health & Wellness, Periods and Menstrual Cycles
mam
i m suffering with the irregular period problem since i was 20 yrs old..now i got married and 26yrs old..suffering from the same problem ,..now i want to conceive but ..having irregular periods..sometimes for 2 months gap..so plz advice wat r the changes in my diet and lifestyle i take to get rid of this problem…also i want to be pregnant now
well i tried and tried from the time i was 18 til i was 21 i found out i was pregnant and it surprised me cuz it was when i stopped tryin and ive always had irregular periods my son is three now almost four ive been tryin to get pregnant again for a year now but since my periods have stopped altogether i havent had one since august 2011 i guess ill talk to my doctor i hope god blesses you with beautiful children good luck
Im 22 years old and ever since i can remember ive had irregular periods.
Sometimes i wouldnt come on for two months but even if they were coming on time they would go for as long as 9 days, longest was 12. Ive never had a miscarriage, or any health issues so i went to the dr and he said that i had poly-cystic ovary syndrome, they continued to do more test but because they took so long to get bac kto me i decided to go to a gynecologist and he said that there is no sign of that syndrome in me so i dont know what is going on now.
My last period was on the 29.October 2011, it lasted until 3.November 2011 and since then i havent had a period. I did 2 pregnancy tests and they both came back negative, so i have decided to buy ovulation tests and test my self to see if i actually am ovulating EVER, if i fail to spot anything i will go dr again to try and get them to help me find out what is wrong with me because there is nothing more that i want in future but to have children and atm this seems very unlikely to achieve.
Do you have any suggestions in what might be wrong with my cycle?
Hi Laurie,
I am in a big dilemma…and scared too….this month i missed my periods. I got physically active with my fiancee on 2nd october…after i had my periods on 10th October. But in November till now i didn’t get my periods. I checked myself with pregnancy test kit on 21st and found the result to be negative.
I am very much affraid if i am pregnant….as i don’t wan’t to be…..
please tell is this possible to get pregnant even after having periods once….
Please help.
Waiting for you reply.
Dear Laurie,
ive been to my Gynecologist today for some test to get pregnant; because my period is irregular since then;and this last two years my period come every 7 months. my last period was last May. but until now i never got my period again. and the Doctor told me that im going to menopause & no egg that can produce a baby… it was so shock! i was only 38 years Old and its difficult to accept especially i always hoping to get pregnant or having a baby. i was operated 6 years ago to take the small cyst left & right in my ovary. do you think that operation can affect for my early menopause? im so depress… i cry all the time and my husband also was dissapointed for what the doctor said.please give me some advice if there’s any possible or treatment or food what do & dont’s need to eat? please…i hope u can give me some advice that can heal what i feel right now.
thank u so much & more power!
Mernalyn
I have a few conserns about my period. My friend and mother in law told me to try taking prenatal vitamins to help my body get ready for pregnancy an to help me conceve. I have been taking the vitamins for about 4 months now, but for the last 3 months myperiods have been real strange. The first month after starting the prenatal vitamins my period was six days late, when it finally came the first two days all it was was light spotting of a light pinkish orange color. The last two period have been about two days late but also real light the first few days. Could this be pregnancy or is their something wrong with my cycle. I do have a history of ovarian an falopuan cysts. Should i take a pregnancy test or should i go see a doctor?! Please help me. Any thing will help.
Some women have a regular menstrual cycle, just like clockwork. Other women have irregularities all the time – so not being regular is normal for them! And still other women have menstrual cycles that react to their lives: their weight, the food they eat, the lifestyle they’re living, the stress they’re under, etc.
I can’t give you the solution for making your menstrual cycle regular. The best way to get medical advice for your body is to see a doctor in person, and get examined. The doctor can help you uncover the possible reasons for your irregular cycle or missing period, by talking to you and asking you questions.
Make sure you write down the dates of your period, and when you’re spotting. Make notes of when you have menstrual cramps or discharge. Don’t rely on your memory! Write everything down, and take your notes with you when you see the doctor.
I hope this helps. I’m sorry I don’t have any easy answers or quick fixes. I wish I did!
Blessings,
Laurie
Hi I am 15 yrs old girl. my weight is about 48 kgs. I did’t got menstrual period till yet. only once when i was 14, it happened for a single day. so i am worried. is this normal or not ? if not, pls give me the perfect suggession. thank you…………………
hi im sakshi and my age is 17 and im still a virgin .. my periods very often get delayed and once in a while evn sumtmes get skipped.. im very diet concious and many a times i do miss my meals.. i was supposed to get my periods last month but i dint get .. is anything wrong with me? should i consult gnec ??
Hi Laurie
i have read ur article abt periods.i want to ask that i have very irrugular periods last 3 month i have take medication abt it approx. 7 month ago for one month after treat mont they become normal but now thay are very irregular like firstly 5 days ago then next mnt als 5 days ago and now there is 10 days i m realy scared now and worry i cant understand why this happen is this a very bad decease, my age is 22 and i m unmarried.plz rely me i ‘ll be thankful
hi friend,
i am 27 yrs old i am mother of twin daughters. i have regular periods from my teenage bt last month it got delayed i consult the doctor i took the medicines and i got periods after a week. but again this month also it delays and i dont have the symptoms too. i dont know wat to do and wats the reason for dis too. can u pls help me? and tell me the tips for these to be regular.
thank u waiting for ur reply
I do get periods every month but its lighter and only for 2 days. Before i used to get it for 5 days and was heavy also but after DNC my periods are very lighter. Its not getting better even with estrogen tablets . Please help me and let me know what has to be done. Can i again get pregnant if my periods are lighter? Is there any treatment to increase cavity also Please let me know.
Expecting your reply at the earliest.
Dear Christina,
The best way to make your menstrual cycle more regular is to see a gynecologist, family doctor, or naturopathic physician — in person. It’s not normal to only get 3 or 4 light periods a year, and it could definitely affect your ability to get pregnant in the future.
How are your iron levels? Are you too thin for your height (underweight women often don’t have regular cycles)? Are your hormones balanced?
Those are the types of questions your doctor will help you figure out. Once you know the answers to those questions, you’ll be better able to regulate your periods…and get pregnant one day!
I hope this helps, and wish you all the best.
Laurie
Dear Harshu and Mae,
If your menstrual cycle is odd or abnormal for you for more than a month or two, then you need to see a doctor in person. You can’t get a diagnosis or the proper help over the internet.
I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful, but I can’t do more than give tips and facts about menstrual cycles (such as the best foods to eat!). I can’t tell you what’s happening in your body, or how to fix it.
Blessings,
Laurie
Dear Anie,
Stress can definitely affect your menstrual cycle, and even make you miss a period.
What can you do to alleviate or cope with your stress? That’s the best way to get your hormones balanced again.
If your menstrual cycle isn’t back to normal next month, go see a gynecologist or your family doctor. It’d be good to talk to a doctor in person, to see if there’s anything else that you should be doing.
Also, remember that missed and irregular periods are normal for most women. Even women with the most predictable menstrual cycles can have late or early periods. Our bodies are organic and dynamic – constantly changing!
Blessings,
Laurie
I am 20 years of age, I became a vegetarian when I was 15 and my periods were regular up until I became sexual active with my husband at 18. I am 5’7 and weigh about 115lbs, I am not pregnant but I have maybe three to four light periods a year. We eventually would like to conceive but I do not believe I would be able to considering I have not got pregnant over the past two years when we use no protection to avoid pregancy. Is there any advise anyone could provide for me to regulate my period to become pregnant?
hi good day! Just want to have more information and answers about this problem of mine. I already have my menstrual cycle only one a year lately. Why is this? Please answer me. Im really worried about this.
hi…i m 25 yrs old gal….wana ask u tht this yr i had 3 improper bleeding…wanna ask u tht does dieting affect it….n hw 2 icrease bleeding i jst hav maximum bleeding for 4 days only…..suggest me something
hello, I am vegeterian (sp?) and i am 13. this month should be my 4th period. but i am a week late. i have never been late before. i have never had sex, so it is not possible for me to be pregnant. i have been under alot of stress at home, but that never changed anything before. please help. it is truly scaring me. thank you,
signed,
Anie Belle
Dear Kathryn,
Every woman’s cycle is different — and some women’s cycles change every month! Some women have regular menstrual cycles, like clockwork, while others skip their periods regularly. The only way to find out if yours will be regular or not is to wait and see what happens.
Yes, discharge is normal. If last month was your first period, it may be that your body is just getting adjusted to menstruating. I think your period could still come this month…but again, each woman is different and the first few months or year of getting your period may be a bit unpredictable.
Here’s a great website for a bunch of tips on menstruation:
http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/menstruation.html
I hope this helps, and that you get regular periods!
Blessings,
Laurie
Dear Roopa,
Sometimes women miss periods, or periods come late because of stress, hormone changes, or prescription medications. If you haven’t gotten your period in a month, please go see a doctor. You might want to take another pregnancy test, just to be sure the first one gave you the right results!
Blessings,
Laurie
I got my period a little over a month ago, and should have gotten it a week ago. Is it gone, or could it come anytime? Also I am getting a lot of vaginal dischange. Is the normal for teens?
I m getting menses rugularly ……. in this month i didn’t get i checked the pregnency also with kit (home) its negative only, still i m not getting menses what to do (it should be come before 30 sept only.
Please help me
Hi Simi,
Sometimes, unbalanced hormones are caused by health issues. If so, then balancing your hormones may require medications or supplements. That’s why you need to see a doctor! You need to find out what the cause of your menstrual issues are, before you can find the solution.
But here’s some general advice for balancing your hormones and making your menstrual cycle regular:
Eat foods that are nutritious, healthy, and as natural as possible. Avoid white sugar, white flour, white bread — anything processed.
Exercise at least 20 minutes a day — even just walking! Get fresh air, and try to do yoga or other strength building exercises.
Are you overweight or underweight? Extra weight – or too little weight – can cause problems with your hormones. Or, perhaps excess or a lack of certain hormones are causing weight issues.
See why it’s so important to get an in-person exam from a doctor? It’s not possible to get good medical advice over the internet.
Go to a doctor — let me know what he or she says!
Blessings,
Laurie
Hi Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen
Plz tell me how to balance my hormones,any suggestion
Dear Simi,
I think it’s a good idea to try to balance your hormones and make your menstrual cycle as regular as possible. This isn’t just good for fertility, it’s good for your overall physical and emotional health!
You need to learn why your cycle isn’t regular, which means going to the doctor. Maybe you’re just irregular because some women are – that’s just the way their bodies are. Or maybe you’re irregular because of some underlying health issue, which you need to 1) become aware of; and 2) take care of.
Go to the gynecologist, and get a pap smear or pelvic exam (or both!). Find out the cause of your irregular menstrual cycle.
Blessings,
Laurie
Hi Hanna,
You CAN get pregnant even if your menstrual cycle is irregular!
Here’s an article about that:
How to Get Pregnant When You Have Irregular Periods
I hope it helps, and wish you all the best.
Blessings,
Laurie
i am a 24 year old woman and single….since i have my menstruation i already have that irregular period…2 months before i got my menstruation…but still i don’t have my mensuration .can you tell me what is the best thing I’m going to do….i am just worried because I’m afraid that if i got married….i won’t get pregnant i don’t want that it will happen to me…can you help me please…
i cant have my mensuration regulary so please because of that i cant become pregnant so i dont knwo what to so please help me thank
Dear Jessica,
Have you seen a gynecologist? I don’t know what slimming pills you’re taking, and I don’t know if they are why your menstrual cycle isn’t regular.
The best way to get help is to get examined by a doctor in person. Articles about making your menstrual cycle regular are good for general advice, but not for specific individual health advice.
I wish you all the best – go see a doctor, and let me know how it goes!
Blessings,
Laurie
Hi, i checked all your comments i think you could help me.im taking slimming pills for 2 months now and just this month, im expecting it 1st week but now we are almost on the 2nd week im still waiting..mens cramps, and all other period signs are all here.is it because of the slimming pills im taking thats why my period is delayed? Can somebody help me? On what i must do?
Dear Anna,
I’m so sorry you’re having these problems with your menstrual cycle! It’s so difficult for some women — you are definitely not alone.
If you have reservations about taking the homeopathic remedy, then don’t take it. Trust your gut – you’re picking up on something, a red flag or warning signal, and you need to honor that. Don’t take anything just because somebody tells you to! That could lead to even worse problems.
Did you get your test results? Finding the reason your cycle is irregular will help you figure out a solution.
If I were you, I’d talk to a naturopathic physician for ways to balance your hormones. Do NOT take naturopathic remedies unless they are prescribed by a naturopathic doctor you know and trust. Just because a supplement or remedy is natural or organic doesn’t mean it can’t harm you!
So, wait for your test results so you know what you’re dealing with. If the results show nothing, then ask another doctor – get a second opinion. And, see a certified naturopathic physician in person – not over the internet. I wouldn’t recommend combining therapies (both from a traditional doctor and a naturopath). Instead, try to go one route at a time when it comes to medications or supplements. You can get examined by a naturopath, and get his or her recommendations — but don’t take anything until you hear about your test results, or get a second batch of test results.
I hope this helps, and wish you all the best in making your menstrual cycle regular! Let me know how it goes.
Blessings,
Laurie
Hi Laurie.
BIG SIGH*
was reading the article you wrote and is helpful but have to apply it. I haven’t had my period say maybe 1.5 years now. Well only when i take birth control pills (which is not realyy menstruation) i get my period and when my doctor gave me pills just to go for test but other than that nothing. I am trying to find alternative or natural way to get my period back and i am hopeless as i am trying now to get pregnant. my mother in-law gave me a homeopathic remedies. im scared about that. i would like to try as natural as possible. cold you enlighten me on this please.
Desperately,
Anna
Wahira ~ I think the most reliable way to control your menstrual cycle is the birth control pill. You have to talk to a doctor, or visit a walk in clinic for a prescription.
Atasi ~ Yes, women who have irregular periods can still get pregnant. The best way to make your menstrual cycle regular is to balance your hormones, which the foods in this article do for many women. If your cycle is irregular, your hormones may be out of balance. How to balance your hormones depends on the reason your hormones are out of balance! You need to get a doctor’s help for this.
Hannah ~ Exercise regularly, eat nutritious foods, learn how to deal with stress in healthy ways, and make sure your body weight is in the healthy range for a girl of your height. Other than staying as healthy as possible, I don’t know how to make your period come. Have you been checked by a gynecologist?
Blessings,
Laurie
I have never had my menstruation period before and i’m 14.how can i make it come as soon as possible?
Actually few years back i have pcos problem but in recent time after doing the ultrasonography test doctor found that currently i am not having any cyst but the problem is while treating my cyst doctor prescribed me some birth control pill but After cure my cyst problem doctor told me to stop those pills i am almost stop taking those pills for 2 months but now the problem is my periods is not in a regular cycle it just stopped.so my query is how to again get my periods in normal cycle and is there any problem in future if i wanted to get pregnant just because of this problem.
please do reply me.
I want to change my menstrual cycle from the regular date to a date after 1 & a half weeks….This is mainly to participate in a tour programme…..Please reply me, what should I do at the earliest???
Sally ~ Finding the right tips (eg, food, supplements, exercises, etc) to make your cycle regular really depends on WHY you’re not regular! This is why it’s so important to get checked in person by a gynecologist, and not look for medical advice on the internet. If you have endometriosis, for instance, and someone on the internet doesn’t know that, then you could take their advice…which would be wrong.
I encourage you to get a second opinion from a different gynecologist. I know this can be expensive, but it’s worth it. You might also consider talking to a naturopathic physician. They don’t use prescription medications, but have lots of ways to balance your hormones. The more balanced your hormones are, the more likely your period will be regular.
Jean ~ Have you been checked by a gynecologist? There may be a medical reason for your irregular cycle, and you need to try to uncover that.
But the good news is that you CAN get pregnant even if you have irregular menstrual cycle! And, it’s good that you’re thinking about it now.
You might find this article helpful:
How to Prepare Your Body for Pregnancy
I wish you all the best, and again encourage you to get medical help in person!
Blessings,
Laurie
i am a 20 year old woman and single….since i have my menstruation i already have that irregular period…but for only 1 or 2 months…my problem now is that it takes 4 months or more than before i got my menstruation….can you tell me what is the best thing I’m going to do….i am just worried because I’m afraid that if i got married….i won’t get pregnant i don’t want that it will happen to me…can you help me please…..
i had an ultra scan last month and they said if there was anyhting wrong they would arrange an appointment but i have heard nothing from them. the cramps have gone but it still hasn’t come yet any tips?
Silvia,
I know how stressful it is, to keep trying to get pregnant and being disappointed! It’s very frustrating and disappointing. And, the amount stress you feel – and not eating properly – can further affect your menstrual cycle and ability to get pregnant.
That’s great that you went to the doctor. Has your husband had a sperm test?
And, have you tried tracking your ovulation? You need to time intercourse so the egg meets the sperm.
Here’s an article about ovulation:
How to Know When You’re Ovulating
An ovulation predictor kit will help you get pregnant, even if your menstrual cycle isn’t regular.
I wish you all the best, and hope you come back soon and tell me you’re pregnant! It WILL happen — it just takes time. Most couples take a year on average to get pregnant. So, you’re still in the normal range!
Blessings,
Laurie
Kanny ~ Get a second opinion! From your comment, I couldn’t tell if you got the hormonal test from the same doctor or not. But it’s always a good idea to get a second opinion from a different doctor, especially if the pill didn’t work to regulate your menstrual cycle the first time. No, it’s not because you’re a virgin. Your irregular cycle is because of the hormonal imbalance. Did the doctor say how to correct the hormonal imbalance? How to fix it depends on which hormones are out of balance, and how badly they’re out of whack. You need to find out what exactly the problem is, and figure out if you need a different doctor. Different docs will prescribe different types of medications…and it’s up to you to talk to them and figure out what’s best for you. I know it’s a pain and even a bit scary, but your health is in your hands, my friend.
Sally ~ When was the last time you visited a gynecologist? There’s obviously something wrong with your menstrual cycle, but I don’t know what it is or how to fix it. You need to go back to your doctor, be clear about the pains and cramps you feel, and ask if he or she can do anything to regulate your cycle.
I hope this helps – I’m sorry I don’t have all the answers! Believe me, I wish I did.
Blessings,
Laurie
i have never taken birth control pill in my life , but i tried one whole month advice advice from the doctor , i had my period light heavy it stop then came again that same month . i been checking my periods in a calendar and they berserk .. they went more berserk when i try putting some hormonal shots but i only put one not all three one shot each month for three month . but got scare ,that shot made my period last more days when i only lasted for 4 to 5 days the most .. did i caused damage in my system i miss my period on the 2 of auguast then it came on the 11 how that im confused help give me some advice