Lifestyle habits have a substantial influence on menstruation. A balanced diet, moderate exercise, avoidance of excessive alcohol and cigarette smoking, a balance between work and rest, and proper recreation to relieve stress are all necessary steps in maintaining normal menstruation.
We are what we eat; TCM believes a woman's daily diet should provide enough nutrition to ensure blood production and its circulation. Foods that act as blood builders are spinach, pine nuts, walnuts, red dates, chestnuts, apples, grapes, cherries, sea cucumbers, meat and animal livers. In cases where there are menstrual disorders, certain foods are recommended; see " Chinese Dietary Advice for Women with Menstrual Problems." |
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| Hyacinth beans |
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From the TCM perspective, the development of amenorrhea is either due to excessive evils or organ deficiency that leads to blockage and improper blood and qi flows in the extra meridians. As a result, the blood cannot reach the uterus and form menses. Physicians will recommend certain herbs for preparing medicinal dishes.
Common ingredients are:
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Tonifying organs: wolfberry, mulberry fruit, walnut and dates; |
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Activating blood: motherwort herb, red sage root, Chinese rose, rose, hawthorn and szechuan lovage; |
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Expelling dampness: poria, coix seeds, hyacinth beans and tangerine peel; |
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Expelling coldness: ginger, turmeric and mutton. |
Women suffering from amenorrhea should avoid raw and frozen foods or foods that taste astringent and sour, because these foods have properties that interfere with blood circulation as well as the menses flow. See " What are the energies, flavors and other properties of food."Foods that are greasy and spicy should also be avoided as much as possible as they increase the workload of the spleen and stomach (the TCM digestive system) and give rise to phlegm and dampness accumulation.
The following are some simple recipes for amenorrhea.
| Recipe 1 |
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| Motherwort herb |
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| Ingredients: motherwort herb (15 g) and brown sugar (30 g) Bring to the boil with 750 ml water and simmer for 30 minutes; Reduce till 250 ml of liquid remains. Serve hot, once a day for four to six days. This is suitable for individuals with qi stagnation and blood stasis. |
| Recipe 2 |
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| Hawthorn |
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| Ingredients: hawthorn (30 g), and brown sugar (60 g). Bring to the boil with 750 ml water and simmer for 30 minutes; Reduce till 250 ml of liquid remains. Serve hot, once a day for several days. This is suitable for individuals with qi stagnation and blood stasis. |
| Recipe 3 |
| Ingredients: angelica (9 g), motherwort (15 g), red dates (6 fruits) and black glutinous rice (20 g). Bring to the boil with 1,500 ml of water and simmer for one hour. Serve hot, once a day for four to six days. This is suitable for individuals with blood and qi insufficiency. |
| Recipe 4 |
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| Chinese rose |
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| Ingredients: Chinese rose (3-5 blossoms), safflower (9 g), rock sugar (30 g) and millet wine (10 ml). Boil the rose and safflower in 600 ml of water and simmer for about 30 minutes. Pour out the decoction; add the sugar and millet wine. Server hot, once a day for four to six days. This is suitable for individuals with blood stasis. |
| Recipe 5 |
| Ingredients: red dates (6 fruits, stone removed), ginger slices (25 g) and brown sugar (60 g). Boil with 400 ml of water for 20 minutes. Server hot, once a day until the menses come. This is suitable for missed periods due to excessive coldness. |
| Recipe 6 |
| Ingredients: safflower (6 g), black beans (30 g) and brown sugar (30 g). Bring to the boil with 1,500 ml of water and simmer for one hour. Serve hot. This is suitable for individuals with kidney and liver weakness. |
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| Black beans (baked) |
Safflower |
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| Recipe 7 |
| Ingredients: suberect spatholobus stem (ji xie teng 10-15 g), lean meat (150 g) and salt serve to taste. Double steam the first two ingredients with 300 ml of water for two hours. Serve hot, drink the soup and eat the meat. To be taken once a day for five days. This is suitable for individuals with qi stagnation and blood stasis. |
** The above recipes are not suitable for pregnant women.
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