The duration of menses varies from woman to woman. While most women have periods from three to five days, to have them anywhere between two to seven days is considered normal. Less than two days or more than seven days can be a matter of concern. Menstrual cycle also differs in different women. Usually, a cycle is 28 days long but it can be anywhere between 23 days to 35 days. When a girl gains puberty, she may have longer menstrual cycle, which shortens and becomes more regular as she grows older. And, a woman in menopausal transition (two to six years before menopause) may experience a shorter duration of periods. There are many conditions like amenorrhea, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, uterine fibroids, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or cancer that cause absent or short periods or prolonged periods. In any case, a woman needs to consult a gynecologist to know what is causing the problem. There are many reasons for someone to have irregular periods, which include prolonged or shorter periods, getting them too frequently or after long gaps, and excessive bleeding during periods. Hormonal imbalances, medication, surgery, being overweight or underweight, stress, general bad health, and bad lifestyle all contribute to irregular periods. A woman must seek medical advice if she starts experiencing irregular periods frequently.
To have regular periods is a sign of good health. One of the best ways to ensure there are absolutely no problems with periods, a woman must eat healthy, exercise regularly, and keep emotional and physical stress at bay. Even if a woman starts brisk walking for an hour everyday, she will experience a vast improvement in her condition. Consuming beetroot juice everyday tones up a woman’s reproductive organs. The sufferer can also consume one teaspoon of sesame seeds daily a fortnight before the periods are due, to regularize menses. To treat prolonged or excessive menstruation, a woman can cook one banana flower and consume it with one cup yogurt. Boiling six grams of coriander seeds in a liter of water till the decoction is reduced to half, and consuming it after it has become lukewarm also treats prolonged periods. A decoction of 75 ml parsley juice mixed with beetroot juice, carrot juice, and cucumber juice each also deals with menstrual problems especially if bleeding is too little or the periods are too short. Parsley contains apiol, a component of female sex hormone estrogen, which has positive effects on the periods.