What is menstrual cycle regulation?
The "Menstrual Cycle Regulation Method" is a "uterus maintenance method" that Chinese medicine practitioners use to adapt to the changes in the female physiological cycle and provide appropriate dietary supplements, medicinal adjustments, acupuncture, and even aromatherapy at four different stages. It can directly regulate uterine and menstrual related problems, such as menstrual pain, premenstrual syndrome, irregular menstruation, etc. It can also be extended to skin care, weight loss, body management, complexion regulation and overall health, because the menstrual cycle is closely related to the fluctuations of hormones. This is the theoretical basis of "a healthy uterus means young people."
The four phases of the menstrual cycle
We divide the 28-day menstrual period into four weeks
The picture shows the relationship between the menstrual cycle, endometrium, hormones, and ovulation. Image Source
Week 1: Menstrual period (menstrual period, which requires smooth blood flow)
• Physiological characteristics: Qi and blood discharge, susceptibility to fatigue. This is the period when female hormone secretion is at its lowest, and you may experience menstrual pain, back pain, diarrhea, irritability, headache, anemia, fatigue and other discomforts.
• Conditioning goals: promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and relieve pain.
It is not advisable to diet excessively to lose weight during menstruation. High-intensity exercise is not advisable and you should rest more.
Exercises include stretching, yoga, slow walking and jogging.
If you have a blood stasis constitution and your menstrual flow is scanty with blood clots, you can do moderate exercise to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis to help relieve pain and discomfort.
Week 2: Follicular phase (uterine growth and repair phase, requiring uterine nutrition)
• Physiological characteristics: endometrial repair and growth period. Follicles begin to develop and the endometrium begins to thicken.
At this time, estrogen secretion is vigorous, the mood is happy and stable, and the skin condition is also good. This is a period when feminine charm is particularly evident.
Because it is less prone to edema and has better water metabolism, it is often called the golden period for weight loss.
• Conditioning goal: Nourish yin and blood, and provide sufficient raw materials and nutrients for the rapidly growing endometrium.
After menstruation has just ended, the body is in a stage of blood deficiency, and Chinese medicine focuses on nourishing yin and replenishing blood.
At this time, you can take yin-nourishing foods (such as red dates, wolfberries, yam, angelica, white fungus, and mulberries).
Week 3: Ovulation (consuming Yang Qi to create a pregnancy environment)
• Physiological characteristics: decrease in estrogen, increase in progesterone, ovulation, and increase in basal body temperature.
• Conditioning goals: to boost yang and qi, and regulate emotions. Simply replenishing yang can easily cause inflammation, so seeking yang from yin is the best approach.
During this period, the body prepares the environment for implantation. The endometrium becomes thick and soft, and the basal body temperature rises, ready to welcome the fertilized egg.
The discomfort for many people is that this stage consumes a lot of energy and yang energy . The body consumes energy every month to prepare for possible pregnancy.
Therefore, Chinese medicine will replenish the energy and yang consumed by the body during this stage.
We will see that some patients' basal body temperature begins to rise after ovulation, struggles to maintain a high temperature for three or four days but then drops; or the high temperature period rises slowly; or the high temperature period does not last long. These are all manifestations of insufficient Yang energy in the body. Therefore, Chinese medicine focuses on replenishing yang and qi. However, simply replenishing yang can easily cause inflammation. The best strategy is to seek yang from yin.
Week 4 Luteal Phase (a sudden hormonal upheaval , the final exam of the menstrual cycle )
• Physiological characteristics: Progesterone in the body rises and Qi and blood concentrate. If fertilization does not occur, progesterone and estrogen levels will drop sharply. The uterine lining prepares to be shed.
Due to the rapid fluctuations of hormones, premenstrual syndrome is prone to occur, including breast tenderness, headaches, shoulder, neck and back pain, diarrhea, rough skin, acne and other discomforts.
Emotionally, you may experience symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia or drowsiness, extreme hunger, and binge eating.
• Conditioning goals: Soothing the liver and regulating qi, premenstrual syndrome.
The so-called premenstrual syndrome is actually the final exam for body care this month.
If the Yin nutrients are insufficient during the uterine repair period, or the Yang Qi is insufficient after ovulation, the body will not have enough reserve energy before menstruation. Faced with the rapid fluctuations of hormones and the shedding of the endometrium, various premenstrual symptoms will occur.
Without energy, Qi and blood cannot flow. Therefore, during this period, the way to treat the symptoms is to soothe the liver and regulate qi, help stabilize the body, and ensure smooth menstruation.
But if you want to get rid of premenstrual syndrome fundamentally, you need to replenish yin when it is time to replenish yin, and replenish yang when it is time to replenish yang during your menstrual cycle. A week before your period, give it a gentle push to help your period come on smoothly. This is the "Menstrual Cycle Uterus Care Method" which can fundamentally solve menstrual discomfort, prevent gynecological diseases, delay aging, and improve complexion.