🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Late menstruation refers to menstrual cycles delayed by more than seven days, or even occurring every 40–50 days. If delayed only three to five days without other discomforts, it is not considered late menstruation.
This condition may be due to deficiency or excess. Deficiency may result from blood deficiency or yang deficiency, leading to insufficient blood source, so the Blood Sea cannot fill timely. Excess may result from qi stagnation obstructing Chong and Ren meridians, or cold congealing blood stasis blocking Chong and Ren meridians, thus delaying menstruation. Common empirical formulas for treating late menstruation are listed below.
[Formula I]
Dasharen, Dafoshou, Dashanzha each 30g, Huangjiu or mijiǔ 500g.
Wash the first three ingredients and soak in a bottle of wine for 3–6 days. Depending on wine quantity, take 15–30g each time, twice daily, morning and evening. For those who dislike alcohol, good vinegar can substitute soaking; add rock sugar appropriately to reduce sourness when taking.
This formula applies to late menstruation due to qi stagnation.
[Formula II]
Daxueteng 30g, River crab 2 pieces (~250g), Mijiǔ 50g. Wash Daxueteng and river crab, place in a ceramic pot, add one bowl and a half of water, simmer gently until cooked, add mijiǔ and stew briefly. One dose daily, eat crab while hot and drink soup.
This formula applies to delayed menstruation due to emotional distress and liver qi stagnation.
[Formula III]
Fresh orange leaf 20g, Su Geng 10g, Red sugar 15g. Place the three ingredients in a thermos, pour boiling water, cover and steep for 15 minutes, drink as tea.
This formula applies to late menstruation accompanied by distension and pain in lower abdomen.
[Formula IV]
Ganyu 30g, Lamb 150g. Cut lamb into chunks, cook together with dried ginger until tender. Season with salt, green onions, Sichuan pepper powder, monosodium glutamate, eat meat and drink soup.
This formula applies to late menstruation due to blood cold.
[Formula V]
Shengjiang 6g, Aiye 6g, Red sugar 15g. Wash ginger and aiye, decoct with red sugar into a drink, take twice daily, one dose per day. Can also be prepared in a thermos with boiling water, steeped for 15–20 minutes before consumption.
This formula applies to late menstruation due to blood cold.
[Formula VI]
Shengjiang 10g, Bai Hujiaozi 7 grains, Red sugar 3 spoons. Wash ginger, slice thinly, crush white pepper seeds, place red sugar, ginger, and pepper in a small stainless steel pot, add half bowl of cold water, simmer over low heat for 3 minutes, then remove from heat, filter out the liquid, discard residue.
This formula applies to late menstruation due to blood cold.
[Formula VII]
Ejiao 6g, Huangjiu 50ml. Powder Ejiao by stir-frying with shell powder, mix with Huangjiu and warm water, take orally.
This formula applies to late menstruation due to blood deficiency, with scanty flow, pale color, and empty pain in lower abdomen.
[Formula VIII]
Danggui 60–80g (whole Danggui, uncut), Shengjiang 15g, Lamb 1kg, vegetable oil, fine salt, Huangjiu, dry tangerine peel as needed. Wash whole Danggui, drain, wash Shengjiang, slice thickly, wash lamb, drain, cut into medium pieces. Heat oil in wok, add 3 spoons of vegetable oil, fry until hot, add Shengjiang first, then lamb, stir-fry for 5 minutes, add 3 spoons Huangjiu, then simmer for another 5 minutes, transfer to clay pot, add Danggui, pour cold water to soak lamb and Danggui for about half an hour, bring to boil over high heat, add 1 spoon fine salt, 1 spoon Huangjiu, 1 piece dry tangerine peel, then reduce heat and simmer slowly for 2 hours until lamb is tender. Remove from heat, discard Danggui when serving.
This formula applies to late menstruation due to blood deficiency and cold constitution.
[Formula IX]
Baiyao Hua (white variety, air-dried) 6g, Jingmi 50g, a little rock sugar. Cook rice into porridge, after 1–2 boils, add Baiyao Hua and continue cooking until porridge is ready, add rock sugar and consume.
This formula applies to late menstruation due to blood deficiency.
[Formula X]
Heidou 60g, egg 2 pieces, Mijiǔ 120ml. Boil Heidou and eggs together over low heat (after eggs are cooked, remove shells and re-boil), add Mijiǔ and drink.
This formula applies to late menstruation due to deficiency-cold.
[Formula XI]
Aiye 10g, Shengjiang 15g, egg 2 pieces, water as needed. Boil eggs with shell until cooked, remove shells, place back in pot and re-cook. After cooking, drink the broth and eat the eggs.
This formula applies to late menstruation due to deficiency-cold.
[Formula XII]
Sheng Shan Zha 50g, Red sugar 40g. Decoct Shan Zha, remove residue, dissolve red sugar in hot decoction and drink.
This formula applies to delayed menstruation.<late menstruation