How to support your menstural cycle with FOOD

    In Traditional Chinese Medicine women’s menstrual cycles fall into 4 distinct phases, Blood, Yin, Yang, and Qi. By understanding the basis of each phase you can hen learn how you can support your cycle in each phase using food! I believe that food can be used as an incredible tool so you can support your body and your cycle in between treatments. You get to be your own doctor and healer!


Phase I: The Blood Phase- Menses 

This phase starts on the first day of true bleeding. If you have spotting a few days before your period, in TCM those days are still part of your previous cycle.
    Focus: The key to this phase is MOVEMENT specifically the moving Qi and blood. All of the old blood and tissue is pushed out of the body during the Blood Phase. If you have cramps or clots in the menstrual blood it is likely because there is not enough movement during this phase. 
You can increase the movement of the Blood Phase by adding foods that are also moving. Below you will find foods to increase during phase one and foods to avoid.
    Add: Comfort foods such as stews, casseroles, whole grains, root veggies
    Avoid: Dairy, Alcohol, Spicy foods as much as you can



Phase II: The Yin Phase- The Follicular Phase

Yin in TCM represents substances that have shape and form. Things that are considered Yin are dense and/or gooey. Endometrium is Yin and during this phase the lining is being built. This phase leads up to ovulation.
    Focus: The key to this phase is BUILDING both Yin and Blood
    The fods listed below are nourishing food for both Yin and Blood
    Add: Protein Rich Foods- beans, fish, eggs, meats, cooked leafy greens,                 shellfish, beets, sweet rice, apricots, cherries, grapes
    Avoid: Sugar, Excess salt and processed food, as well as dairy, alcohol, and             spicy foods


OVULATION: Day 14ish- The release of the egg shows Yin turning into Yang
    Focus: Support the Switch from yin dominance to yang dominance
    Add: Lighter foods- fish, quinoa, salads, cooked beets, whole grains, chicken,         ginger, cinnamon, onions



Phase III: The Yang Phase- The Luteal Phase

This phase is like the dawn coming after the night. Yang represents “movement” it has no shape like Yin, but it gives power and movement to the things that do have shape. An example of this is wind. Wind has no shape in itself but it can make objects move. This Yang energy is what pushes the egg released during ovulation down the fallopian tubes. Progesterone is considered a Yang hormone because of its warming and drying effect- this also accounts for the rise in basal body temperature during this phase. 
    Focus: The key of this phase is WARMING to support Yang at its Peak
    Add: Warming foods, increase proteins, cooked veggies, brown rice, eggplant,             beans, seaweed, spicy food, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts
    Avoid- cold raw food and dairy


Phase IV: The Qi Phase

    For the purpose of this blog post I am going to assume that you did conceive in the last phase and you are not pregnant, this phase would be treated different because the fullness of Phase Four would not be reached. A good way to think of this phase is to think of the Yang Cycle from about sunrise to 12pm and then the Qi phase from 12pm to sunset, where the sun starts its long descent down.
    Focus: The focus of this phase is to build the Qi needed to move the blood in the next phase (Phase I). If there is a problem in Phase 4 such as spotting before your period, it is because the body is trying to start the menses cycle and move into Phase I- but it lacks the Qi necessary to start, adding tonifying Qi foods during this phase can help with Phase 4 issues.
    Add: Oats, rice, potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, cherries, figs, grapes, beans, beef, chicken
    Avoid: milk, cheese, raw foods, coffee, excess sugar



It is important to note that every person presents different and you may need to alter the food in each Phase to better fit how you present and where your symptoms arrive during your cycle. Food recommendations can all be discussed further for you specifically during your acupuncture appointment!

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