Control over Menstrual Cycle

Q: Hi, I am looking for some information to stop menses alltogether. I think the herb or herbs that do that are hidden and I'd like to uncover what that is. I'd like to have control over my own body and decide for myself whether I'd like to bleed or not. I have had a lot of problems in my life because of this cycle and I would like to stop it naturally. I don't need to hear anything that would change my mind, this is how I truly feel. I cannot pretend to like bleeding and what is associated with it. I usually am a health nut, but recently decided to use the mini-pill, progestin only, because my lows were too severe and scary. I contemplated suicide each month and came too close to hating my life, so decided that the pill would be okay for me. I don't like some of the side affects so far, but they sure beat the lows. But, I'd rather find an herbal way to stop menses. I am doing research on the web and sending emails to as many herbalists as possible so I can find my answer. I believe that we had this power perhaps in medieval times and the church took away that herb or herbs from women to take their power away and their choices. If you can help me find what I am looking for, please let me know, Thank You, L.

 

A: Hello L., I hear you want to find an herb to stop your menses. I can understand you would like more control over your body, and see your bleeding times as more than even a nuisance. I hear you do not want to hear different opinions from me, so I will not offer them. I understand why you think herbs used to suppress menses may have been hidden from us. If so I do not know what they are. I do believe much of women's herbal knowledge has been suppressed. I am not sure if this is the case in this situation or if women then did not have use for herbs in this way. I wish I could help you in your search, but truthfully do not know of an answer for you.

Blessings,
Karen Joy
wisewoman@herbshealing.com
www.wisewomanweb.com

Comments

[sharon]

I am also looking for a natural herbal way to suppress menstruation. It is just a ridiculous painful way to spend 2 weeks each month.. thats half of a lifetime spent upset and full of pain.

I am doing research also, and will gladly share my findings. I am certain there is a natural herb for this.
Thanks.

Two weeks IS to long to be bleeding each month!

So many women are not taught the magic and beauty of their cycles, the power to be gained from them, the mystery to explore.

"Natural Herb" is an interesting term. I suppose by nature an herb is natural, and perhaps everything is, as it always starts with nature. This depends on your definition and your line of what point in processing what is natural becomes unnatural.

Herbs can kill, they can do great harm. Just because they are a plant affecting us does not mean the effect is in the best interest of our deep health, nor does it mean our use of it means we are nourishing health.

Not all strive to nourish health the same, nor define it the same. And of course we all can decide what we wish to experience of life. I think it is each woman's prerogative to choose to suppress menstruation, and to find it a burden.... just as it is another woman's prerogative to feel adamantly about the magic and beauty of bleeding, and the necessity to let the blood flow.

I too used to have horrible menstruation, pain to the point of throwing up and passing out, in bed for two days, and recovering for more, bleeding for at least 7 days straight, heavily. I too used to hate this and want it gone.

with love and sisterhood,
Karen Joy

[sharon]

I have found this info about a herb:

Squaw Mint ... (hedeoma pulegiodes) makes a flavorful tea. Got it's name from the mountain men, who many times co-habitated with Indian women. Although this is usually not thought of as a pleasant reference to Native woman, the name has stayed. 
Native American women used it to help suppress menstruation. Many believed it could prevent pregnancy by drinking the hot tea daily.

[Sara]

I can understand wanting to shorten and make your menses less painful, but to stop it completely?

Young women tend to have irregular periods until their bodies finally adapt over time. i have had periods that went for 6 months of bleeding and one year without bleeding. until i tried birth control. i did that for 3-4 months so that way it served as a guideline for my body. i agree, bc pills have horrible side effects ranging from moodswings to ovarian cancer. but for that temporary usage it did what i wanted it to do and my body found its cycle thanks to the pills assistance.

there are many ways to stop the menstrual cramping though without the use of medications...my favorite technique is to have an orgasm either from masturbating or getting help from a partner.

The menstrual cycle is what ties us to the earth, eachother, and ourselves. It is what makes us receptive to what goes outside and inside of us. Other cultures believed that menstrual blood was powerful and have used it for certain ceremonies. Why get rid of what makes you a woman, powerful, and intuitive?

[CMalene]

DO NOT USE SQUAW MINT

Mentha pulegium (ie, pennyroyal oil, "squaw" mint) teas have been mistaken for other mint teas and have been used intentionally as abortifacients. These teas contain the hepatotoxin, pulegone, which causes hepatocellular necrosis. Pulegone toxicity can result in multisystem organ failure.

[KarenJoy]

Hmm, it is sad to me that fear or reaction over one possible use of one herb can cause people to abandon it altogether! and worse yet abandon anything then with a similar name. Sharon and CMalene are speaking with different plants from different continents, with different uses, but some similar as they are to most mint family plants. H. pulegioides is distilled into an essential oil and yes can be horribly toxic, as can most essential oils. Some have used this plant to abort, and for this reason those who oppose this choice by women dislike the plant, but it has so many other uses. Any plant that can abort a pregnancy is strong and can harm the mother. That goes without saying. Some who don't respect a plant's power have harmed themselves I hear, though I think this was only from the use of essential oil, that which I don't advocate anyway.

Anyway while I do not encourage one to use a plant to suppress our beautiful menses, nor do I accept as fact that Native American women would choose to do so, I have hard time with a statement such as "do not use...." especially in bold letters.

Just my thoughts, especially as I have come to know American Pennyroyal these past years, with great respect and admiration, and myself am reqriting my learning that it is simply an abortifacient.

love and blessings,
Karen Joy

[salem abrham]

i am 30 years old i didn't married yet but now i have i frined he wonte every think dayly but i don't wont be pregnant and i don't wont use birth control i wont control by mensturation so i wont more information
thanks

[KarenJoy]

Salem, what do you wish to do with your menstruation? How important is your health as you decide how?

Karen Joy

[Elle Black]

I used to have a 32 day cycle. then, after being on BC for 3 years now I'm barely 26. I use the fertility awareness method of BC now, and this short cycle is threatening to make it not work. how can I get back to 32 days?
Thanks!

[wanting to stall period]

Hello, I should be getting my period within the next few days, but I am going to see my boyfriend and we are in a long distance relationship. We are looking forward to being intimate, but I am afraid that I will be on my period the entire time that I am with him. Is there anything that I can do to stall my period or make it start as soon as possible?

[KarenJoy]

Elle, have you and I spoken through email? Your question sounds familiar, but I did not receive a reply.

Karen Joy

[KarenJoy]

wanting to stall period, i now my reply now is not timely. In the future you possibly can use an emmenagogue to bring your bleeding on sooner. I have found simply with my thoughts I can influence my bleeding start time one way or another by a few days if I wish. Are you familiar with emmenagogues?

Karen Joy

[oct]

i was wondering if there is a natural birth control out there. or a natural form of the morning after pill thanks for the info

[joy]

I too am interested in bringing my flow early. I am definately not in conception (with child), my cycle varies between 25 and 28 days and I would like it to come a few days early this month. I love and respect my body and my ability as a creator to control/guide the way it functions without the use of chemicals. I am familiar with emmenagogues (blue cohosh tincture, pennyroyal essential oil applied topically only, chasteberry tincture) but would like to know a specific method of taking them to bring about the results I desire. I am also thankful for the reminder that applied thinking can also bring about the result I desire.

[rainbow]

is this working

[cindy]

I too would like to know the results. I am wanting to suppress 1 month as I have a trip planned with my husband and this would not make for a pleasant trip.

[KarenJoy]

Cindy and Rainbow, who are you addressing?

Karen Joy

[witchchic304]

I would also love to know how to stall my monthly "friend" from visiting me. I have been snipped so i cant have kids and really don't want to put up with it now. If any one could please give me some advice. I am taking any of it at all.

[becca]

To encourage your menses I suggest parsley tea..I have also used fresh parsley near the cervix. Both together have worked for me. I dont do often. But the tea has also helped with cramping. Using fresh herbs seems to work best.

I started taking it two days ago and yesterday had light bleeding and woke up today with it going strong.

I believe if you try to start using before your body is ready it just wont happen. Ive always just tried to start a couple days earlier.

I am not a dr. This information was given to me by my nurse midwife. I suggest contacting your midwife or OB :-)

[L]

I believe that menstruation is a pathogen that is caused by being in a paternal society and for all women dealing with that. We have accepted being a victim as we have accepted getting married and even possibly taking the man's name and leaving our own. When men are afraid of women who are not push overs or coating themselves with makeup to gain a man and competing with other women to keep him and them away. This is all rubbish. Once we love ourselves and can rip away the patriarchy, not going back to matriarch, but simply not having any gender separations at all, then women will heal from this stuff that they created as a silent wimper because of male supremacy. Have you had experiences where men make more money and are the head of the household and control the country, etc. and put bullets in people's heads, this is about male/female stuff. I say, chuck all gender role differences. I don't want any part of this society, nor bleeding. The women who bleed must not be athletes or ocean swimmers, or long distant runners or hikers, or things like this. The ones that are okay with sitting have lied to themselves that they like this incapacitation. Try something else, like rigorous moving without a bathroom. Then you will see the points of the women on here that don't want to bleed. if you are just sitting around, you have no right to comment. L

[KarenJoy]

Hmm, not sure I understand your comment L. I hear this is your opinion.

I trust us all to know what is true for ourselves. I think menstruation is one of the gifts of being a woman! For me it is a time where I am closest to a deeper knowing.

with love,
Karen Joy

[Sara]

A friend of mine used some kind of nettle oil to stop her cycle during her honeymoon. While I strongly agree that we live in a male dominated society I do not think that your cycle has anything to do with that. Just my opinion. Also I have been active my whole life (I've teach basketball, it is a very active game I play 5 times a week for 3-5 hours a day) and I still have a cycle some people don't but some athletes do. To each his own though. Research the nettle thing because I don't know anything about the side effects or anything like that I just know she put it in coffee and it stopped her period in less then a day.

[KarenJoy]

I must then speak up for this lovely plant - Nettle is wonderful. The infusions of the leaves harvested before the plant flowers will nourish us deeply, rich in minerals. It is great for those with blood loss or diarrhea, needing a quick infusion of nutrition. For many entering menopause regular use of these infusions can bring back a few more regular cycles.

Karen Joy

[Menstrual Cramp Remedies]

It is impossible to "control" your menstrual cycle. The best you can do is eliminate the symptoms associated with it.

[JustMe]

I've despised my cycle since I started when I was 14. Its been a thron in my side and is always a incoviniance. I agree L, its not cool to bleed for 7 days, and have to make a choice between taking BC(that has the worst side effects) or just dealing with it. Im a female and work in construction, it is almost impossible to use a port-o-potyy and change a tampon. If you wear pads, they shift and move (as I do when im working) and have to worry about leaking and smelling. I also played sports in school, nothing like a good basketball game, sweat and blood and cramping (oh yea, thats the beautiful power of being woman). I mean really, there is nothing beautiful about a period so stop lying to yourself and the other woman on this forum. One woman posted "she uses those days to reflect", are you serious? Reflect on what? Bottom line is period are messy, painfull, inconviniant and etc. I love what God made me, a WOMEN. I dont need to love and embrase my period to co-sign for that. To all the woman that are looking to surpress there period, let me know if you find something safe, im on board.