Menstrual Health and Hormonal Balance: Insights from Chinese Medicine
Have you ever taken a good look at your menstrual blood? In Chinese Medicine, it is one of the ways to see if your hormones are out of balance. Let me start by saying, there are many other indicators. This is just one and can be quite helpful. It can be confusing because you may possibly see a mix of many of these patterns at play. For example, you may have Qi and Blood stagnation because you have Qi and Blood deficiency. Imagine a river flowing smoothly and freely as in the case of having that healthy red flow with no clots. Now imagine that same river after a year of very little rain. It doesn’t flow as freely. There isn’t as much water to move around the rocks and flow as smoothly as it did when it was abundant with healthy fresh water. Some areas may not flow at all. It may become yucked up and filled with debris while it stands still with no force to help with the flow. This is one way you can see how one pattern can create another pattern which is often the case. In this particular situation, we want to increase the water (blood) to get things flowing smoothly and effortlessly again.
Ways in which your Menstrual color is telling you something:
Bright Red: When we see bright fresh red flow with little to no clots, this is a sign of a healthy flow. However, bright red can also be an indicator of excessive heat. In this case, we would look for other signs such as short cycles, excessive bleeding and possibly acne and increased anxiety premenstrually.
Treatment: If you don’t have the signs of excessive heat, keep doing what you are doing. If you do, take a look at your diet. Stir clear of foods that cause internal heat such as alcohol and sugar. Be sure to include more cooling foods in your diet such as cucumbers, melons, celery and mint.
Pale Pink: This says there is some Qi and Blood deficiency going on. Other signs you may see are shortened duration of menstrual bleeding, increased fatigue leading up to and during menstruation and possibly excessive shedding of hair and menstrual headaches.
Treatment: Be sure to be eating a lot of blood building foods aka iron rich foods such as grassfed beef, dark leafy greens and my favorite for building blood, beets. Make a pot of Coconut Beet Soup as a ritual every month while you are bleeding. Collagen and Spirulina are two great supplements to help build blood as well. Listen to your body and make sure you are getting a lot of rest.
Dark Red or Brown: Whether it be seeing dark red or brown blood when spotting before or after menstruation or during your bleed, this is a sign of Qi Stagnation. Other signs may be irritability and anger premenstrually as well as menstrual headaches and breast tenderness. There may also be menstrual cramping associated with Qi Stagnation.
Treatment: Be sure to move your body all month but especially in the luteal phase, the phase just before you bleed. Express your emotions and have orgasms, yes orgasms move Qi. Dandelion tea along with DIM, a supplement containing a component of cruciferous vegetables that helps your body metabolize excess estrogen, can be very helpful. While your add it, fill your plate daily with cruciferous vegetables such as bok choy, brussel sprouts, cabbage and broccoli. For menstrual cramps, see the next pattern on blood stagnation.
Purple: Menstrual blood that is dark purple with lots of clots and often times comes along with intense cramping is due to blood stagnation. Just like I described in the beginning, there is a lack of free flow causing debris to build up and pain to ensue. Pain is the biggest indicator of blood stagnation.
Treatment: Treating all of the above patterns that could be leading to blood stagnation is essential. Watch your diet and avoid excessive sugar, alcohol and caffeine. Being sure to build blood by eating iron rich foods in the first half of your cycle will benefit the next cycle of bleeding. Castor oil packs the week before bleeding are very helpful to bring circulation to your uterus. 🚩: Never use a castor oil pack after ovulation if you are trying to become pregnant or while bleeding. Magnesium Glycinate is a great supplement to take ongoing but especially leading up to menstruation as it is a natural muscle relaxer and can also benefit hormonal headaches and insomnia.
In the end, sitting down with a Chinese Medicine Practitioner who specializes in hormones is your best option. At Free Flow Health, that is exactly what we do. Acupuncture is a great way to balance hormones, build and move Qi and Blood and address discomforts that can come along with your cycle. There are many herbal formulas that can make a huge difference when prescribed for the proper pattern by a trained practitioner.