Amenorrhea, delayed menustral periods, primary and secondary amenorrhea, causes of amenorrhea: How can I delay my menses naturally?
Delayed menstrual periods or cycles is a condition medically known as amenorrhea. Amenorrhea is divided into two types – primary amenorrhea and secondary amenorrhea. Primary amenorrhea is a condition where no menstrual period occurs by the age of 16. Secondary amenorrhea is a condition where a previously menstruating person stops having periods.
Primary amenorrhea may be caused by one or more of the following causes: chromosomal abnormalities, malfunction of hypothalamus, disease of pituitary gland, abnormal reproductive organs. You have not mentioned your age or whether you have been menstruating normally until now, but from your question, it seems that you have, which would indicate secondary amenorrhea. Pregnancy is of course the most cited cause for secondary amenorrhea. However, there can be several other reasons as well. Hormonal imbalance, malnutrition, excessive exercise, thyroid malfunction, stress, low body weight, use of contraceptives, and certain other medications can also cause secondary amenorrhea.
Medical help should be sought for both the cases of amenorrhea. If the menstrual period doesn’t start by the age of 16, or if the menstrual period is absent for 3 or more cycles, you will need to get yourself checked by a doctor. Treatment usually depends on correcting the problem that is causing delayed menstruation. On your part, you can try to follow a healthy lifestyle to avoid an interruption in your menstrual cycle. Try to maintain a healthy body weight by eating and exercising regularly. Avoid getting stressed too much – maintain a healthy balance between work and rest. Also, try and keep an accurate record of your menstrual cycle, so that any abnormality you observe can be checked with your doctor at the earliest.
There are no known natural ways to delay the menstrual cycle. You should understand that the menstrual cycle runs in accordance with a body clock depending on the hormonal changes occurring in the body. It is best not to tamper with the regular menstrual cycle at any cost. You may come across techniques and concoctions claiming to help delay the menstruation cycle, but none of them are proven medically and they should not be practiced. Trying to delay the natural menstrual cycle can cause hormonal imbalances in the body, which in turn may cause several other complications. There are women who claim to practice delayed menstruation by forcing themselves into conditions of excessive stress or going on a severe diet to bring about hormonal changes for delaying the menstruation. Please bear in mind that these techniques are utterly unhealthy and may cause great damage to your body and mind. Therefore, it is best to allow your body to follow its natural menstrual cycle and not try to change it.
