Menstruation or periods, as we know it colloquially, is a natural phenomenon for us women. After puberty around 12 or 13 years of age till the next three odd decades, periods occupy a significant chunk of our lives. Regular cycle depicts good health; however, there are times when you would want to delay periods for occasions such as a wedding or a vacation.
Caution: Delaying periods, naturally or medically, isn’t recommended. You shouldn’t obstruct the flow of nature and nature demands that we bleed every month!
If you still want to know the methods of delaying period, we have devoted a full article to this.
Table of Contents
Delaying Periods Naturally
Throughout different cultures, there have been natural ways with which periods could be skipped for a month and resumed the next, without any worrisome side effects.
We have mentioned a handful of these methods.
1. Physical Exercise
If you start exercising or increase the strenuousness, periods get delayed. Why? Any change in our body impacts our menstrual cycle. Vigorous exercise for half a day is also useful in delaying periods. Remember to exercise only as much as the body can handle the toiling.
As you continue to exercise, the body will become habituated and lead to long-term benefits such as a less abdominal pain during periods, better sleep, and reduction in the length of periods.
2. Avoid Spicy Food
Concrete scientific proof doesn’t exist to prove the efficacy of spicy food in delaying periods, but a lot of people have experienced a delay in periods when they stop eating spicy foods.
The logical assumption goes that spicy foods produce heat in the body, and the heat triggers periods. Spices like black pepper, garlic, hot pepper, ginger and paprika induce onset of the menstrual cycle. Stay away from spicy foods if you want to delay periods.
3. Eat Gram Lentil
Take a handful of gram lentils and roast it until golden brown. Grind it and store in a glass jar. A week before the periods, mix equal proportion of the gram lentil powder and hot water, and blend smoothly.
Drink this soup early morning on an empty stomach for seven days. This will delay the period for few days effectively.
4. Drink Parsley Juice
Crush handful of parsley leaves in half a litre of water and bring it to a boil. Strain the water, add few drops of honey, and sip on the warm water. Repeat the process twice or thrice a day to postpone the cycle.
Parsley is a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin C and Vitamin B12. It helps to strengthen bones, improve the nervous system and the immune system.
5. Drink Gelatin
The easiest way to delay periods by a couple of hours is to drink a glass of gelatin. Gelatin, made of animal collagen, helps to reduce estrogen. Add warm water to a packet of gelatin and drink it instantly.
6. Suck on Lemon
Remember, how our grandmother used to advise against eating or drinking anything sour during periods because it causes more pain? Lemon, yoghurt and pickle would be an absolute no-no.
However, sucking on a lemon when your period is due works like a charm to delay periods. But, for the next cycle, be ready for some extra pain.
Points to Remember
Keep these pointers in mind if you plan on delaying periods naturally.
- Start the process 15-days before the next period cycle. For example, if your periods are scheduled to begin on 21 July, you should begin the process for delaying periods on 6-7 July.
- By delaying periods, you’re changing the hormonal balance in the body. Therefore, when the period cycle begins, expect more cramps, mood swings and hot flashes.
- Do NOT resort to delaying periods, naturally or medically, often. If you have a medical record of irregular periods or painful periods, consult a doctor before trying any of the written methods.
Delaying Periods Medically
Norethisterone is a prescription-only medicine often recommended to delay periods for around 17 days
A second option is to consume birth control pills. The pack of pills contains 28 tablets. Out of these, 21 are active, and the remaining seven are inactive. You can consume the inactive pills for delaying periods.
Conclusion
Delaying periods is NOT recommended because playing with the normal hormonal cycle of the body can cause problems later on. However, if it is mandatory, the best way would be to consult a medical practitioner to understand the pros and cons of delaying periods before attempting it.
Leave a Reply Cancel reply