For those of you who do not know me I am an acupuncturist who specializes in women’s health and infertility. I’ve been studying Chinese medicine and acupuncture for over 14 years, 10 of which I’ve been in practice. Early on in my studies I landed an internship with the largest (at the time) acupuncture fertility clinic in Texas. It was here that my passion for nutrition, healthy living, and hormones took root and blossomed! Now living in Dallas, I own The Acupuncture Juncture, serving couples and supporting them with Chinese medicine and acupuncture to help them achieve their dreams of becoming parents and to live healthier lives.
Meeting Molly Stiens and some of the other amazing chiros coming out of Parker College, I was inspired by their talent and passion to help their community and am truly honored that Molly asked me to write this guest blog post.
So now that you know a little about me and where I come from let us dive a little deeper into Chinese medicine and how we approach the menstrual cycle, particularly the phase in which we make the shift to begin anew – our menses.
Everything in nature moves in cycles – we are divinely connected to mother earth and all her beautiful gifts.
The basis of Chinese Medicine, yin and yang, is rooted in the respect and observation of the cycles of nature and the flow of life and the human body. Similar to the cycles we see daily, sunrise to sunset, the ebb and flow of the tide, and our seasonal changes; our menstrual cycles are rooted in these patterns and mimic then accordingly when we are healthy. These cycle patterns affect everything in nature and the rules apply to and affect everything and every being on this planet. There is without doubt a rhythm and circulation to everything in life. By understanding this concept and the power we each possess we are able to effect great change both as the practitioner and as the patient.
Applying the concept of yin and yang to our menstrual cycle we can find patterns of disease and better understand how these particular patterns correlate and disrupt our natural flow of hormones..
In Chinese medicine our view of the blood is similar to that in Western medicine – transportation and regulation. However, we take it a little further in than we understand that our blood, in this case, a women’s menses, can provide clues to internal health and hormonal balance. We look closely and the color of our menstrual period, the viscosity, and the volume along with any premenstrual patterns that show up.
A healthy period – the beginning of a cycle. First and foremost let’s all get on the same page of understanding the difference between our cycle and our period. Our cycles begin from the first day of menstrual flow, called cycle day one, and they end the day before your next full day of menstrual flow. For most women this is a length of 28 days. Our periods are the time in which our uterine lining is shedding and we see bleeding. A healthy period flow is 3 – 5 days, with a moderate volume that begins bright red and without spotting or clotting. I measure a moderate flow as soaking your pad or tampon every 4 hours. Our periods should also be free of any premenstrual symptoms such as cramping, mood swings, and changes in our stools; these signs can signify a hormonal imbalance and possibly lead to difficulty conceiving in some cases. Our period is a time of cleansing and a time to reset. Working out or sex is not usually advised during the first few days of our flow so as to not deplete ourselves but better yet to rejuvenate through nutrient dense foods, meditation, and rest.
No PMS! Really?? Yes! Most of my clients experience a huge reduction in their premenstrual symptoms including cramping, mood swings, and fatigue. These conditions are considered pathological, especially in my patient clientele, and must be corrected to achieve healthy hormonal balance and future pregnancy.
PMS, especially moderate to severe symptoms, ARE NOT NORMAL. They are however, very common and so we’ve come to accept them as the norm but what we’ve failed to realize is that these symptoms are our body’s signaling of improper hormone function and can in most cases be corrected. Cramping, bloating, irritability, etc. are usually considered an issue with the free flow of qi (pronounced “chee”)and blood. Which means your energy is disrupted and something is stuck and your uterus is yelling out to you to pay attention. In Western terms, this could be poor signaling from the pituitary or hypothalamus causing poor corpus luteum development and consequently insufficiency of progesterone output in our luteal phase. This is just one common pattern that I see clinically.
Clotting can also be a considerable issue for some women, causing disruptions and stress in their daily lives. In Chinese medicine, clotting is an issue of poor blood circulation and has to do with the communication between the uterus and the liver. The liver, in Chinese medicine, is the regulator. It carries out the instructions of body functions like our monthly cycle. When the liver is unhappy due to diet, lifestyle, or emotional turmoil we begin to see disruptions in this function. Typically, women will experience heavier flow with the clotting, accompanied by uterine and/or lower back cramping. The heavier flow and uterine cramps are the body’s way of flushing out to try and cleanse this organ however if the root cause of the clotting (liver health) is not addressed then this cycle continues and often becomes worse over time.
Keep in mind, everyone’s experience, diagnosis, and treatment is unique to their individual needs and to their root cause. Find yourself an amazing acupuncturist to help you determine what may be going on and who can support you to better hormonal health through non hormonal therapies.
Restoring the body back into hormonal alignment with this powerful ancient medicine we can help women feel happier, feel more balance, and improve fertile health.
Peace, love, and cheers my good friends!
Emily Guevara L.Ac.