Parsley and menstruation connect through compounds in the plant’s oils, which are thought to help start a delayed period. Much of the evidence is anecdotal and doses are not yet standardized, but people have taken the herb for centuries for this and additional medicinal purposes. Women who want to try this remedy can use it in several ways, depending on their preferences, but they should be aware of the potential side effects, such as kidney problems and headaches.
About the Plant
Parsley is a common herb people have grown for both medicinal and culinary uses for more than 2,000 years. A member of the carrot family, it is also used as a popular garnish. Botanists recognize more than 30 distinct types, but individuals are most familiar with Petroselinum crispum, which has curly leaves, and Petroselinum crispum neapolitanum or “Italian” parsley, which has flat leaves. It is known for its characteristic spicy-bitter flavor.
Use for Menstruation
Herbalists frequently recommend parsley as an emmenagogue, which is a substance that can induce menstruation. They assert that it can encourage the shedding of the endometrium, which is the inner lining of the uterus, and that it allows the cervix to relax or dilate, allowing menstrual discharge to pass out of the body through the vaginal canal. It might be effective for general period regulation, or for treating the delay caused by stress, fibroids or hormonal disorders.
How It Works
Medical professionals think that parsley might encourage menstruation because the oils in the plant contain two compounds, apiol and myristicin. These substances are both uterine stimulants that can induce mild contractions and dilate the cervix. The amount contained in each parsley plant and species varies, however, and concentrations are different among the roots, leaves and fruit, which contain 0.1%, 0.3% and 2 - 7%, respectively.
How to Use It
Women who want to use parsley to jump-start their periods can ingest the plant as food with their regular diet, or they may steep the leaves to make tea. Less commonly, people go to an herbalist, health food store or general pharmacy and get caplets or tablets to take. Some people like this option because it allows them to be more precise about dosing without the need to measure anything. Even less often, women insert it into the vagina as a suppository, but many herbalists lean away from this practice because of the possibility of encouraging the growth of harmful bacteria. In general, experts do not recommend using the essential oil straight, because there is some concern about possible toxicity.
Dosing
Currently, the amount of evidence available regarding safe and effective dosing with parsley and menstruation is small, so there is not an accepted recommendation for how much to take. It has been administered at 6 grams a day, but even this amount does not have the research behind it to support widespread use. Although medical professionals acknowledge that the plant can work as an emmenagogue at higher doses, the amount someone needs to take to induce her cycle will be different from woman to woman based on age, weight and other factors, and a standardized dose generally is the starting point for these types of adjustments.
Time Frame
There are reports of women who have started their periods just hours after consuming a medicinal dose. Depending on the amount taken and the cause for the delay in menstruation, however, it can take additional time, usually a day or two, for the herb to work. Sometimes, this makes it difficult to tell whether the plant truly was effective or if the body simply finally resolved its cycle problems on its own.
Warnings and Considerations
Although the effects of this herb on the reproductive system are considered mild, the fact that apiol and myristicin can stimulate contractions of the uterus means that pregnant women should avoid medicinal doses. It might cause a miscarriage — in fact, apiol once was used in birth control, and people have used the herb as an abortifacient to induce an abortion. It also has been used to intensify contractions as a way to help labor.
Women who use parsley to start menstruation might need to increase their intake of water, because the compounds in the plant have a diuretic effect. The chemicals can worsen kidney problems, so those who have renal conditions should not take it. Even though it has been used to stimulate appetite and treat digestive issues like flatulence and constipation, in some people, stomach upset occurs. Other reported side effects include fluid retention — which is already a problem for many women during their periods — headache, increased blood pressure, giddiness, hearing problems, loss of balance, and convulsions.
Most people are able to get this plant from a grocery store or grow it from clearly labeled seed, but in many parts of the world, it grows wild and can be harvested successfully. Individuals who want to do this should be aware that it bears a strong resemblance to Aethusa cynapium, also called small hemlock, and Conium maculatum, sometimes known as poison hemlock. The leaves of the first plant are shiny underneath, contrasting the edible version’s dull appearance, and poison hemlock usually is bigger.
Which Women Should Use Parsley to Kick Start Their Periods?
Women may want to kick start their period for many reasons. Whether they sprinkle a lot of fresh parsley on their dishes or steep it to make tea, the chemicals in the herb have been shown to bring on late periods for reasons not caused by pregnancy.
Some women do not like the idea of irregular periods. They are unpredictable and inconvenient, especially when you have already calculated your cycle only to have it arrive on a day you didn’t expect. Women experiencing specific conditions want to find a way to regulate their period to keep it on a set schedule.
High-Stress Levels
If you experience high-stress levels, you may experience irregular periods. This is because stress releases a hormone called cortisol. It not only affects your pituitary and hypothalamus, but it also interacts with your ovaries.
Cortisol throws off your usual period schedule because it causes your hypothalamus to cease your menstrual cycle. While it can cause irregular periods, it could also stop completely if stress levels are too high.
Hormonal Disorders
Hypothyroidism causes the thyroid hormone not to be adequately released into the body. This hinders metabolism and regular menstruation.
Women’s reproductive systems need the thyroid hormone to function correctly. Hence, hypothyroidism makes periods later or heavier than usual.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) will cause follicles to collect around your ovaries and irregular periods. If your cycle is 35 days or more, you may want to eat some parsley to help regulate it.
Uterine Fibroids
Women with uterine fibroids can experience menstruation on all spectrums. Menstruation can be prolonged for more than the usual week because of how the fibroids push against the uterine lining.
Menstrual cycles can also become irregular because fibroids can create additional blood vessels in your uterus. These extra blood vessels prevent your period from coming on time. You may even experience spotting in between your periods.
Can Dried Parsley Start Your Period?
Using fresh or dried parsley can help kick start your period. However, fresh parsley is more potent because the main chemicals that soften your cervix are at their strongest when utilizing fresh parsley. Use dried parsley to start a period only if you are in a pinch. Fresh is always better.
Dried parsley has higher antioxidants than the fresh variety. They are also higher in apigenin which assists with lowering inflammation, has antibacterial benefits, and decreases blood pressure.
Because women experience higher blood pressure during their periods, the higher levels of apigenin in dried parsley can balance overall blood pressure levels during menstruation. If you run out of fresh parsley, always have some dried parsley in your pantry as a backup.
Why Can’t I Put Parsley in My Vagina To Start My Period?
You should not insert fresh parsley in your vagina to start your period. Besides herbalists saying that it can cause harmful bacteria to enter your vaginal canal, it can also induce toxic shock syndrome (TSS) from Staphylococcus aureus (staph).
If not treated immediately, your body could shut down as it attempts to respond to the staph infection in your body. To prevent this deadly disease, do not insert parsley into your vagina for any reason. It’s not worth the risk.
Instead, sprinkle fresh or dried parsley over your favorite meat or pasta dish. Steep the leaves to make your herbal tea and drink it a few times daily to help your period onset naturally.
How Does Heat Remove Staph Bacteria in Parsley?
Because staph bacteria are present in the soil as parsley grows, it must be heated to remove the bacteria for safe consumption. Whether placing parsley on top of a dish or steeping it in tea, staph bacteria will die when parsley is heated between 70 degrees Celsius to 80 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit to 176 degrees Fahrenheit).
The high heat kills the proteins present in the Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, the parsley is safe to eat because the cooking heat removes the bacteria.
Final Thoughts About the Connection Between Parsley and Menstruation
Chemicals in parsley help a woman’s cervix to dilate to the onset period earlier than usual. Do not insert parsley directly into your vagina. Remember to naturally use parsley by garnishing your dishes or steeping in tea for a safer period start.