Menstruation reflects the state of internal body directly, while lifestyle habits have a substantial influence on it. A healthy diet, regular exercise, limited consumption of alcohol and stop smoking, a balance between work and rest, and proper recreation activities to relieve stress are all essential for keeping normal menstrual cycles.  

Disharmony of blood and qi play a main role in development of women diseases. We are what we eat; TCM believes a woman's daily diet should provide enough nutrition to ensure blood production and its circulation. Foods that act as blood builders include spinach, pine nuts, walnuts, red dates, chestnuts, apples, grapes, cherries, sea cucumbers, meat and animal livers. In cases where there are menstrual disorders, certain foods or diets are usually recommended; see " Chinese Dietary Advice for Women with Menstrual Problems."

From a TCM perspective, the development of amenorrhea (missed period) is either due to excessive evils or organ deficiency that leads to blockage and improper blood and qi (vital energy) flows in the extra meridians, resulting blood cannot reach the uterus and form menses. In addition to routine treatment, physicians will recommend certain medicinal dishes to aid the overall recovery. Common suggested ingredients are:

• Tonifying organs: Chinese wolfberry, mulberry fruit, chestnut, walnut, Chinese dates, soft-shelled turtle and rice;
• Activating blood: motherwort herb, red sage root, Chinese rose, rose, hawthorn and Szechuan lovage;
• Dispelling dampness: poria, coix seed, hyacinth bean (fried) and dried tangerine peel;
• Dispersing coldness: ginger, turmeric and mutton.

Women suffering from missed period should also have some food taboos;  e.g. raw and frozen foods, or foods in astringent and sour tastes, as these foods have properties that interfere with blood circulation as well as the menses flow. See "What are the energies, flavors and other properties of food." Foods that are greasy and spicy should also be limited as they increase the workload of the spleen and stomach (the TCM digestive system) and give rise to phlegm and dampness accumulation.

Below are some simple recipes for missed period.

Chinese rose	black soybean baked	hyacinth bean

Motherwort Tea

Prepare motherwort herb (15 g) and brown sugar (30 g), boil with 750 ml water, bring to a boil first and then simmer for 30 minutes; or reduce till 250 ml of liquid remained. Add in millet wine (30 ml), and serve hot.  Drink once a day for four to six days. This is suitable for individuals with qi stagnation and blood stasis.

Hawthorn and Brown Sugar Tea

Prepare hawthorn fruit (30 g) and brown sugar (60 g), boil with 750 ml water, bring to a boil first and then simmer for 30 minutes; or reduce till 250 ml of liquid remained. Serve hot, drink once a day for several days. This is suitable for individuals with qi stagnation and blood stasis.

Angelica and Motherwort Porridge

Prepare angelica root (9 g), motherwort herb (15 g), red dates (6 fruits) and black glutinous rice (20 g). The angelica root and motherwort herb are boiled with water to make a solution (1500 ml) first, then used the solution and the other ingredients to cook for porridge, simmer for about one hour. Serve hot, eat once a day for four to six days. This is suitable for individuals with blood insufficiency and along with stasis.

motherwort herb	hawthorn fruit	Chinese safflower

Chinese Rose Tea

Prepare Chinese rose (3-5, fresh and fully bloomed), boil with two cups of water, bring to a boil first and the simmer till the liquid reminds one cup.  Server hot, once a day for four to six days. This is suitable for individuals with blood stasis.

Ginger and Red Dates Tea

Prepare red dates (6 fruits, stone removed), ginger slices (25 g) and brown sugar (60 g). Boil with 400 ml of water for 20 minutes. Server hot, drink once a day until the menses come. This is suitable for missed period due to excessive coldness.

Safflower and Soybean Drink

Prepare Chinese safflower (6 g), black soybean (50 g) and brown sugar (30 g), cook the first two ingredients with 1,500 ml of water, bring to a boil first and then simmer for one hour, add the brown sugar and serve hot. This is suitable for individuals with kidney and liver weakness.

Chicken and  Loofah Soup

Prepare black-bone chicken meat (150 g), loofah 100g, Chicken's gizzard-skin (15 g), boil with 1000 ml of water, stew to fully tender, add salt and ginger to taste, serve hot, eat the meat and drink the soup. This is suitable for  individuals with blood deficiency.

^** The above recipes are not suggested for pregnant women.