Every month, menstruation offers women both physical and physiological cleansing. Have you ever looked at your menstrual cycle in that way? Unfortunately for most women, we are taught to look at our period as a dreaded time. So much so, that there are even instruments out there to stop you from having your period at all!
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Periods can be challenging if we don’t talk about them. The more we share, the more we can actually harness the energy and use this phase for our advantage. Periods shouldn’t be taboo. They are the integral part of creation, and should be celebrated.
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During the menstrual cycle, emotions, thoughts & feelings are often uncovered, as the body no longer wants to store them. The body psychically doesn’t have the Qi- the energy to deal with them anymore. The body is wise, trying to uncover & release its own emotional stagnation through the cleansing progress. Listen to your body through these changes.
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The liver organ system is responsible for the smooth flow of blood, Qi, and emotions. Normally it is busy enough, having more than 500 functions, but it gets tasked with one more big job every month, your period! It is normal to be a bit tired and want to rest. Think of it as working more hours than normal, you’d want to make sure you rested up.
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I’ve had a few questions about the possible correlation of menstrual cycle with the lunar cycle. The terms ‘menstruation’ and ‘menses’ come from Latin & Greek words meaning month (mensis) & moon (mene). Studies done in the 80s did find some correlation between women’s menstrual cycles & the moon cycle. In ancient writings it is said that women in the same village or proximity bled together. More recent studies found little to no correlation between the two. I’ve personally found that some women do sync with the moon cycle and others don’t.
In TCM, we always wanted to live in harmony with nature. In modern society, the rhythms are nature are much more removed, so maybe that’s why there isn’t a strong correlation.
Most irregular & painful periods are the symptoms of a digestive system & reproductive system that is ‘too cold’ - resulting in stagnated flow of blood & Qi. Warm it up through the avoidance of cold drinks & foods & nourish it instead with ginger tea, congee, oatmeal, bone broth, baked wild salmon, white rice, black peppercorns, soups, warm water, sautéed vegetables & organic proteins. On an emotional level, take care of your thoughts & feelings. Nurture yourself as naturally as possible. Work from month and month to see how you feel.
The stronger the feelings, the more signal your body is giving you to get back into balance. The good news is your body is supporting you every step of the way. Once you realize that, healing is possible on a visible & invisible level.