menstrual care tips with tcm
TCM mentions three golden opportunities to radically improve your health: menstruation, birth/postpartum, and menopause, suggesting that the way you care for yourself during these transitions shapes how you will feel in future.
Set yourself up to thrive during your menstrual cycle and beyond with these self-care recommendations:
Warm Foods, Soups, and Stews: According to TCM, warmth is key during your period. Opt for comforting, iron-rich foods like beef stew, chicken soup, bone broth, and other hearty, cozy dishes. Avoid raw, cold foods as these can make cramps worse.
Healing Herbs: Integrate warming, anti-inflammatory, spasmodic herbs like ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon into foods or teas to ease menstrual discomfort and support overall wellbeing. Chamomile is a classic to soothe cramping while supporting digestion and promoting relaxation.
Apply Heat: Use a heating pad, hot water bottle, moxa pack, or moxa stick to ease cramping and boost blood circulation. Bundle up, wear socks, and keep your abdomen covered.
Rest & Relaxation: Rest is as vital as nutrition. Give yourself permission to slow down and unwind. Gentle activities like restorative yoga, Qigong, meditation, and breathing exercises can ease tension and relieve pain. Grab a blanket and book (or your latest Netflix guilty pleasure), and get cozy!
Try TCM: Traditional Chinese medicine modalities like acupuncture, moxibustion, and custom herbal protocols offer pain-relief, comfort, and individualized care during your period. With regular treatment throughout the cycle, TCM helps regulate menstruation, reduce cramps, ease PMS, balance hormones, and increase fertility. Book an appointment at Nurture and Flo or Opal Wellness.
