Well, there are several natural products that can help with hormone support, which can help with various aspects including PMS, period concerns, and other "monthly issues". Some of the most popular would be Dong Quai, Black Cohosh, Vitex (also called Chasteberry), Wild Yam, Damiana Leaf, Motherwort, GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid, commonly in Borage Oil and Evening Primrose Oil), and some Soy germ products. If you don’t mind creams, there are also Progesterone creams and Wild Yam creams that many women get a lot of benefits from as well. Good luck and I hope I helped!

Progesterone is a key hormone that determines the amount of bleeding and also length of bleeding time. So if progesterone levels are low then that might mean your period is longer or heavier. However, having said that you might expect some inbetween spotting other than at your period, and also your luteal phase [post ovulation] you would expect to be short….meaning your cycles may be a little shorter than normal.

But as you said: it is not out of the ordinary to have a nine day period. If you don’t want to go on the pill then you could try the herb Agnus castus [Chasteberry/Vitex]. This is supposed to have active constituents that act at the level of the pituitary gland to help regulate the menstrual cycle and hormone levels. It is taken by many women who are trying to conceive for that very purpose….to boost progesterone levels and normalise the menstrual cycle. You would need to try this for a few months before you may notice some effect. Join a forum and talk to other women who may have used this.

You could also try astringent herbs when on your period. These include nettle leaf, raspberry leaf and horsetail. You can buy the first two as a tea. But all three come in capsule form. I would only use them as and when needed….i.e. at period time for their astringent effect. Astrigent herbs as well as helping to curb bleeding are also diuretic…so may also benefit water retention….I would not take them all the time because of their diuretic action, though it may be mild.

If you have any medical condition or are on prescribed medications….talk to your pharmacist or doctor first before taking anything herbal.

Probably the best herb to start off with is Vitex. It is a hormone balancer. Buy either a liquid extract or powdered extract in a capsule and take it every day for a couple of months. If you don’t see the desired result, try adding Raspberry Leaf tea every day for the next month. This is a mild uterine astringent and good source of needed minerals. In severe cases, Shepherd’s Purse in liquid extract will stop menstrual bleeding.

Also add iron rich foods to your diet, prunes, kelp.