Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar has a glittering list of clients with some of the industry's biggest names included in it. Diwekar has a huge following from across the country and has published books about healthy eating, weight management etc. She recently doled out some diet tips to deal with menstrual pain or period pain. Menstrual pain is characterised by cramps that may be mild or severe in nature. The pains occur due to contractions in the womb muscles resulting in discomfort that may range from mild to extreme. Period pains may typically begin from the first day of the period and may last for a day or two. These may or may not indicate underlying diseases and are usually self-treatable with the help of pain killers and other home remedies.

In a post on Instagram, Rujuta Diwekar addressed this condition that most everyone who menstruates goes through, every month. Period pains may be regulated by following some diet tips, indicated Diwekar in her post that said:

"Five quick tips to ease #periodpain -

1. A week before your periods, start your day with soaked raisins and kesar

2. Include a legume (sprouted and cooked) every other day in your meals

3. Have tuber vegetables like suran, sweet potato, etc., at least twice a week.

4. Get regular with exercise. Min 150 mins a week.

5. Take a calcium supplement (calcium citrate) every night before bed."

Painful menstrual cramps are known as dysmenorrhea and although the cramps are typically felt in the lower abdomen and the pelvic region, in some cases menstrual cramps may also affect the lower back, hips, upper thighs and legs. The pains usually last for up to three days but are probably the most severe during the first two days, during a typical five-day period. During this time of the menstrual cycle, it may become difficult to work, exercise or engage in physical activities if the pain gets unbearable.

The pains may be regulated simply by applying heat pads or by applying hot-water bags on the affected areas and by consuming a healthy and nutritious diet. If the pains continue, it is advisable to contact an experienced gynecologist for further examination and advice.

Do you have a go-to period pain home remedy involving quick fix measures that always works for you? Let us know in the comments section below!

Menstruation is a healthy experience of a woman’s life, and it must come habitually every 28 days, for a period of 3-4 days without coagulating, and the blood loss should correspond to about a quarter of a cup. For a woman, menstrual cycle is a virtuous indicator of her overall wellbeing. Some women get irregular periods that appear at longer intervals, an unpredictable discrepancy in the duration of the cycle and the normal twenty-eight day cycle is missing. Some women have very insignificant problems with menstrual cycles, while others experience a monthly torture.

Irregular menses is typical in early puberty and not generally perturbing. Women should be alarmed when periods are spaced out for more than two months, as this may suggest hormonal imbalance and ovulation problems. A woman’s customary hormonal cycle is contingent upon a subtle equilibrium between different hormones. Several potential triggers can stimulate hormonal imbalance leading to irregular menses. If a woman fails to ovulate, her ovaries will not receive a signal to produce a hormone called progesterone. Progesterone is essential in regulating the Uterine lining called endometrium, which is discarded during menstruation. Without progesterone, the endometrium persistently grows until it starts to break down and is disposed off as a very heavy uterine bleeding. The endometrium may also shed partially and intermittently, and bleeding becomes irregular or prolonged.

Causes of Irregular Menses:

Puberty.

Birth control pills.

Stress.

Poor diet due to anorexia, bulimia can influence your hormones.

Excessive weight loss or gain.

Intense exercise.

Breast-feeding.

Anxiety regarding pregnancy.

Anemia.

Menopause.

Excessive production of Androgen (a steroid hormone such as testosterone that controls the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics).

Uterine fibroids, cysts, polyps.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (in this condition the ovary does not make all the hormones needed for any egg to mature fully, due to which some follicles remain as cysts, ovulation does not occur and the hormone progesterone is not made. Without progesterone a woman’s menstrual cycle is irregular or absent).

Endometriosis (this is a condition where cells similar to those found inside the uterus grow and are attached outside the uterus forming implants. This can lead to infertility and irregular menses).

Pelvic infection.

Ovarian cancer.

Inflammatory Bowel disease.

Thyroid disease.

Heart disease.

Symptoms of Irregular Menses:

Inconsistency in the length of menstrual cycle.

Acne.

Bloating.

Low energy levels.

Sore breasts.

Fever.

Chills.

Changes in sexual desire.

Infertility.

Depression.

Osteoporosis.

Uterine cancer.

Endometrial Hyperplasia (excessive cell growth in the inner lining of the uterus due to excessive estrogen production as a result of delayed ovulation).

Homeopathic Approach to Irregular Menses:

Homeopathy offers an extensive range of options than conventional medicine. Homeopathic treatment for Irregular Menstruation is very competent, non-invasive, safe and inexpensive. Homeopathy treats the patient as a whole and looks deeper into the problem, promotes the immune function and maintains uterine health by eliminating the causative factor. Homeopathic Constitutional treatment based on the holistic approach stimulates the natural hormonal balance without administering any harmful hormone preparations. The goal of this Homeopathic approach is to enliven the body's natural healing and self-repair ability to treat the underlying condition, to prevent it and to create the highest state of health and well-being.

Constitutional Homeopathic treatment with the management of an experienced and professional Homeopath is an excellent choice for Irregular Menstruation. Some Homeopathic remedies that are commonly used to treat Menstrual Irregularities are given below. These are just a few of the commonly used Homeopathic remedies and are mentioned only to create awareness about the effectiveness of Homeopathic medicines in Menstrual Irregularity. It is not advisable to resort to self-medication for any disease.

Homeopathic remedies for Irregular Menses:

Pulsatilla: Pulsatilla is one of the first remedies thought of, in affection, peculiar to women. It's essentially feminine disposition of gentleness timidity, mildness, docility – “excellent thing in woman” – is most characteristic of the drug; even tearfulness, another feminine attribute, strongly points to Pulsatilla. Then, we have fickleness, indecision and changeableness, which are certainly characteristic of Pulsatilla and of some women. Dark menses which are delayed and accompanied with this severe menstrual colic and the characteristic temperament will be the indications. The menses of Pulsatilla, besides being scanty, are quite apt to appear too late.

Caulophyllum: This is a valuable remedy in treating irregular periods, difficulty becoming pregnant or slow childbirth due to weak muscle tone of the uterus. The patient feels menstrual discomfort with heavy bleeding and drawing pains in the pelvic region, thighs, and legs. These patients complain of habitual abortion due to uterine debility.

Cimicifuga Racemosa: This remedy is intended for irregular and painful menses, with shooting pains that go down the hips and thighs, or cramps similar to labor-pains that are felt in the pelvic area. Women become restless, fearful, and depressed before a menstrual period. These women are strong, talkative, depressed, they try to injure themselves, and have dreams of impending evil, with fear of riding in a closed carriage.

Lachesis: This remedy is suggested to women who are passionate, with a tremendous need for an outlet, both physically and mentally. The menstrual flow is irregular, heavy and brings relief of tension. These patients are very outspoken with strong feelings of suspicion or jealousy. They have an intolerance of restrictive clothing around the waist or neck.

Lycopodium: This is an outstanding remedy for delayed menses that follows a heavy flow lasting more days. These patients have a ravenous appetite with a strong craving for sweets. They complain of abdominal bloating and flatulence, and always have a worried look with lack of confidence, though they may be bossy with their family.

Murex Purpurea: This remedy works amazingly in Irregular Menstruation with large clots and feeling of protrusion. These patients feel very weak, are very conscious of a womb, and feel as if something is pressing on a sore spot in the pelvis. This sore feeling is worse on sitting, hence the patient always sits with legs tightly crossed. Least contact of parts causes violent sexual excitement in these women.

Secale Cornutum: This is a useful remedy for Irregular menses in thin, shriveled skinned women. Their whole body is pervaded by a sense of great heat and they have burning pains in the uterus. Menses is irregular, dark and at times, there is continous oozing of watery blood until the next period. Their pregnancy concludes in a threatened abortion in the third month

Sepia: This remedy is best suited to women who feel weary and dragged-out, and are indifferent to their own family members. She feels taken for granted and overworked, becomes irritable and sarcastic if demands are made. Menses is delayed with a feeling that the pelvic floor is weak, or as if the uterus is sagging.
Self-care measures for Irregular Menses:

Relax and ease stress.

Avoid exhausting physical exercise.

Eliminate any eating disorders.

Eat a balanced diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Reduce your intake of salt and caffeine.

Hence, appreciate a natural way to a healthy uterus, convalesce healthy living and curtail the changes that happen during your menstrual years.

Some women’s menstrual cycles run like clockwork, predictably starting every four weeks and lasting around five days or so. If your period does not follow this pattern, should you be concerned? Not necessarily. "Normal" menstrual cycles can range from as little as 21 days to as long as 35 days, with menstrual flow at about 2 to 3 teaspoons per cycle, says Jonathan Espana, MD, an ob-gyn at the Pavilion for Women at Texas Children’s Hospital and the Women’s Specialists of Houston. But if your periods are way off that mark, your body could be trying to tell you something.

"An irregular cycle is never really considered normal," Dr. Espana says. The exceptions are in the few years after a girl’s first period and in the years leading up to menopause. Periods can be unpredictable at those times.

According to Anne Gonzalez, MD, an ob-gyn at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center in Houston, "an occasional irregular cycle can be normal and does not necessarily warrant evaluation in a healthy woman unless it persists." For instance, missing one period because of stress may be okay, but not having a period for three to six months is abnormal and needs medical attention, Dr. Gonzalez says. Of course, if you are sexually active, pregnancy could be the reason for your irregular cycle.

What Causes Irregular Menstrual Cycles?
There are multiple reasons why your cycle may be irregular, but the most common cause is the ovaries’ failure to release an egg every month. However, changes in diet, weight, exercise, stress, travel, and work (like going from a day shift to a night shift) can also mess with your periods, says Laura Whiteley, MD, of the Memorial Hermann Medical Group.

In some cases, irregular periods may be a symptom of a bigger health issue, including:

Thyroid or bleeding problems
Uterine fibroids
Ovarian cysts or polycystic ovarian syndrome
Other health problems that may trigger changes in your menstrual cycle include diabetes, cancer, drug and alcohol abuse, and HIV infection.

Irregular Periods: When to Call the Doctor
Watch out for cycles that have been fairly predictable and then become unpredictable, Espana says. "Having excessive bleeding, bleeding in between periods, or any other abnormality of the cycle that was not present before could be the beginning of a problem," he explains.

You should call your doctor if:

You bleed for more than seven days in two consecutive months
The bleeding is heavy enough to make you feel weak or have a rapid heartbeat
The bleeding is so heavy that you soak through a pad every hour
You bleed heavily between your normal cycles
You have excessive pain or cramps while you are bleeding
You think you may be pregnant and bleeding
Also seek medical attention if you have any bleeding after menopause. "Postmenopausal bleeding is not normal and should always be evaluated by a doctor," Gonzalez warns.

How Are Irregular Periods Treated?
"Hormonal contraception is the first-line treatment for irregular bleeding," Gonzalez says. Options include pills, vaginal rings, patches, devices that are implanted under the skin, and IUDs (intrauterine devices) containing hormones.

If medication does not work, she adds, a procedure called endometrial ablation can be performed in women who no longer want to become pregnant. The operation removes a thin layer of the lining of the uterus and can stop menstruation completely or reduce blood flow significantly. As a last resort, hysterectomy may be necessary to solve the problem.

Dr. Whiteley has this advice for women concerned about their periods: "Do not be afraid to share your concerns with your doctor. I guarantee we have heard it all before — no need to be embarrassed!"

Girls diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes have a high frequency of menstrual irregularities — a symptom of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), finds a study.

PCOS — a hormonal disorder that enlarges ovaries with small cysts on the outer edges — causes insulin resistance, the hallmark of Type-2 diabetes.

“It’s important for girls with Type-2 diabetes to be assessed for menstrual problems,” said lead author Megan Kelsey, from the University of Colorado in Aurora, US.

“Infrequent periods can be associated with heavy and painful periods, increased risk for fatty liver disease, fertility problems and long-term increased risk for endometrial cancer,” Kelsey added.

For the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, the team evaluated the frequency of menstrual irregularity in girls with recently diagnosed diabetes and whether the addition of intensive lifestyle or rosiglitazone to previous treatment with metformin helped to improve symptoms.

These treatments are often used to treat both diabetes and PCOS.

The researchers found that more than 20 per cent of girls had irregular periods. Many of those girls also had high testosterone levels, pointing to PCOS as an underlying cause.

However, not all the girls with irregular periods had elevated testosterone, suggesting other causes for menstrual dysfunction, including pregnancy, hormonal imbalances, infections, diseases, trauma and certain medications.

“Our findings suggest that girls with youth-onset diabetes may need the additional intervention above and beyond their diabetes treatment to improve their menstrual health,” Kelsey said.

साधारणतः महिलांच्या मासिक पाळीचे चक्र 25 ते 28 दिवसांचे असते. पण अनेकदा वेळेआधीच मासिक पाळी येते किंवा कधीकधी पाळीचे दिवस उलटून गेल्यानंतर बऱ्याच दिवसांनी येते. यामागे बिघडलेली लाइफस्टाइल, असंतुलित आहार आणि तणाव यांसारखी अनेक कारणं असू शकतात. पण जर मासिक पाळी अनियमित असेल तर ताण आणखी वाढतो. तसेच अनेकदा अस्वस्थ वाटू लागतं. अनेकदा डॉक्टर यावर औषधंही देत नाहीत. त्यामुळे आज आम्ही काही घरगुती उपाय सांगणार आहोत. ज्यामुळे तुमची मासिक पाळीमध्ये उद्भवणारी अनियमिततेची समस्या दूर होऊ शकते.


ही असू शकतात कारणं

महिलांमध्ये मासिक पाळी किंवा पिरियड्स अनियमित होणं ही एक नॉर्मल समस्या आहे. यामागे अनेक कारणं असू शकतात. धकाधकीचं दिनक्रम, असंतुलित आहार, अनिमिया, (anemia), मेनोपोज, वजन जास्त वाढणं किंवा घटनं, शरीरात होणारे हार्मोन चेंजेस इत्यादी. त्याचबरोबर मासिक पाळी सुरू होण्यापूर्वी आणि मोनोपॉजच्या आधी हार्मोनसंबंधिच्या समस्यांमुळेही मासिक पाळीमध्ये अनियमिततेची समस्या उद्भवते. या समस्येपासून सुटका करून घेण्यासाठी अनेक औषधं बाजारात उपलब्ध आहेत. परंतु त्याऐवजी घरगुती उपचार कधीही फायदेशीर ठरतात.

हे घरगुती उपाय फायदेशीर

आपली प्रत्येकाची शारीरिक क्षमता वेगवेगळी असते. त्यामुळे कोणत्याही घरगुती उपायांचा वापर करण्याआधी डॉक्टरांचा सल्ला घेणं आवश्यक ठरतं. जेणेकरून तुम्हाला योग्य परिस्थितीचा अंदाज येण्यास मदत होइल.

तीळ आणि गुळ

गुळाला आयर्नचा उत्तम स्त्रोत मानलं जातं आणि तीळामध्ये लिग्नान (lignin) सोबतच शरीरासाठी आवश्यक असणारे फॅटी अॅसिड असतात. जे हार्मोनसंबंधी कोणतीही समस्या ठिक करण्यासाठी मदत करतात. यामुळे शरीराला उष्णता मिळण्यास मदत होते. परिणामी मासिक पाळी वेळेत येण्यास मदत होते. यासाठी एक मुठभर तीळ भाजून घ्या. त्यानंतर एक चमचा गुळासोबत बारिक करून घ्या. त्यानंतर मासिक पाळीच्या येण्याच्या दोन आठवड्यांआधी या मिश्रणाचे अनोशापोटी सेवन करा. काही महिने असं करा. फक्त गुळाच्या सेवनानेही अनियमित मासिक पाळीच्या समस्या दूर होण्यास मदत होते. या मिश्रणाचे सेवन मासिक पाळीदरम्यान करणं टाळा.


हळदही उपयोगी

हळदीचा समावेश प्रामुख्याने मसाल्याच्या पदार्थांमध्ये करण्यात येतो. पण हिच हळद मासिक पाळीमध्ये उद्भवणारी अनियमिततेची समस्या दूर करण्यासाठीही मदत करते. एवढचं नाही तर शरीरामध्ये होणारे हार्मोन चेंजेस दूर करण्यासाठीही हळदीचा उपयोग होतो. हळदीचा इमानेगोज (emmenagogue ) गुणधर्म मासिक पाळीच्या सर्व समस्या दूर करण्यासाठी मदत करतो. तसेच हळदीचे अॅन्टी-इन्फ्लेमटोरी गुणधर्म मासिक पाळीमध्ये होणाऱ्या वेदना दूर करण्यासाठीही मदत करतात. यासाठी एक ग्लास दूधामध्ये चिमूटभर हळद एकत्र करा. त्यामध्ये चवीसाठी थोडीशी मध किंवा गुळ एकत्र करा. मासिक पाळीच्या सर्व समस्या दूर होइपर्यंत या दूधाचेसेवन करा. मासिक पाळीच्या सर्व समस्यांपासून सुटका करून घेण्यासाठी फायदा होइल.