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Podcast: Chinese Medicine for a Healthy Menstrual Cycle & Fertility

Podcast: Chinese Medicine for a Healthy Menstrual Cycle & Fertility

by | Nov 25, 2020 | Chinese Medicine, Fertility, home, menstrual cycle

Ancient menstrual wisdom from Chinese medicine

Menstrual periods are not the same for every woman. A woman’s period can change throughout her lifetime and timing, duration, colour and flow of periods can vary greatly.                                                   
Every month, the hormonal cycle of a woman in her fertile years goes through the process to prepare for pregnancy. Your hormones oestrogen and progesterone usually change throughout the cycle. If the egg does not become fertilised, the lining of the uterus is shed during menstruation.         
In Chinese medicine we look at four phases of the menstrual cycle which are determined by the ebb and flow of yin (oestrogen) and yang (progesterone). The kidneys, heart and liver are of utmost importance for an harmonious cycle, the health of the spleen and stomach play a role as well.

What you will get out of tuning in:

  • The different phases of a menstrual cycle seen from a Traditional Chinese medicine perspective.
  • What’s a normal healthy cycle like?
  • How do you diagnose infertility with Chinese medicine?
  • What are the most common Chinese medicine patterns / imbalances for infertility?
  • How is the spleen energy related to fertility?
  • What role does the liver play in fertility?
  • How is the heart connected to the uterus and what does this mean for fertility?
  • Why are the kidneys so important for fertility?
  • What are a kidney yang and a kidney yin deficiency?
  • How do I treat an imbalance in my practice? What are the different steps?
  • How can a couple/woman/man support this process to increase the chances to conceive?
  • How can the Embody to Thrive program help to balance hormones and to boost fertility?

Favorite Quotes:

“According to Chinese medicine, the menstrual cycle is determined by the ebb and flow of Kidney-Yin and of Kidney-Yang. The amount of Yin oestrogen and Yang progesterone (and specifically Kidney-Yin and Kidney-Yang) fluctuates like a tide during the month in a defined pattern.”

“Very important to mention is that uncomfortable symptoms around ovulation, before, during and after the period are NOT normal. They indicate an imbalance.”

“In terms of fertility there are four organ systems – Kidney, Spleen, Heart and Liver that, when unbalanced, can lead to infertility.”

“Women with Spleen Qi deficiency typically have low energy, cravings for sugar, breads and other carbs, poor circulation and may experience spotting before their periods, menstrual cramps and fatigue during their periods. A Spleen Qi deficiency pattern is common in women with luteal phase defect.”

“The uterus (bao gong) is not seen in TCM as an isolated organ, but includes the ovaries, the fallopian tubes and the cervix.”

Tune in

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Are you interested what Ayurveda and Yoga have to offer for a healthy menstrual cycle and to enhance fertility? Then tune into the other podcast episode here.

Are you looking for natural ways to have a healthy menstrual cycle?
Do you want to boost your fertility naturally?

I offer in my practice in Barcelona tailor-made treatments for women with acupuncture, Chinese herbals, Hormone Yoga Therapy and food recommendations. This natural therapy approach can help to ease menstrual discomforts, to enhance your fertility and support IVF treatments.

Contact Carina
Naturopathy: What it is and whom it helps

Naturopathy: What it is and whom it helps

by | Jun 8, 2020 | home, Naturopathy

What’s the main objective of naturopathy?

Naturopathy boasts an impressive variety of effective measures and therapies. As different as they may be, their goal is always the same: to activate and strengthen the body’s self-healing powers.

While conventional pharmaceuticals suppress symptoms and often cause new ones, the goal of naturopathy is completely different. Naturopathic therapies activate the body’s own self-healing powers to bring about real healing and restore healthy balance. 

Ideas and values ​​of naturopathy

The self-healing powers of the organism can be reactivated through protection and relief, or by using certain techniques to activate stimulus.

For a better understanding, let’s take someone with painful joints and look at different treatment options:

  • An acutely inflamed joint is first immobilised and carefully moved passively under tension.
  • A chronically inflamed joint, on the other hand, is trained appropriately depending on the damage.

In addition, the stimulus strength is individually adapted to the patient and his illness. For example, a vigorous and strong person may take cold showers. Whereas an underweight, weaker person would take warm showers or baths. 

Naturopathy thinks holistically

Naturopathy is considered the “teaching of natural remedies and naturopathic treatments”. Naturopathic procedures traditionally root in different cultures around the world. When it comes to physical complaints or illnesses, naturopathy regularly assumes that the harmonic balance in the human organism is casually disturbed.

The goal of many naturopathic procedures is therefore to restore this natural balance in the body gently. It takes into account the relationships between individual organs but also between the physical level and the mental state of the person. Furthermore, it seeks to identify and treat the causes. Especially, in case of chronic diseases, it is important to recognise the “common thread” that led to the profound imbalance.

Natural medicine procedures

According to a definition by Brauchle in 1952 natural therapies methods include: the sun, light, air, movement, rest, food, water, cold, the earth, breathing, our thoughts, our feelings and processes of will.

“Classic” naturopathy generally includes the following naturopathic treatments:

  • Hydrotherapy and balneotherapy (water treatments)
  • Movement therapy
  • Dietetics: support of the treatments by a healthy diet and a diet adapted to the clinical picture.
  • Order therapy: balanced lifestyle in a regular rhythm and in harmony with nature. Very important as the observing of the patient’s network of relationships.
  • Phytotherapy: use of plants active substances as medicine.

Acupuncture Barcelona Paris

Other methods of naturopathy are:

  • Homeopathy
  • Traditional Chinese Medicine with acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietetics, Qi Gong and Tuina massage
  • Ayurvedic medicine
  • Anthroposophic medicine

How to choose a good naturopath

You can recognise a reputable naturopath as someone that :

  • has successfully completed qualified trainings in the procedures they use.
  • does not offer a variety of treatment methods, but has specialised in a few specific procedures.
  • does not recommend that you stop taking medication that a doctor has prescribed for you.
  • knows their limits and will refer you to a doctor if your disease cannot be successfully treated with their methods.
  • does not give you healing promises.
  • does not advertise with spectacular healing successes.
  • completes regular training programs.
  • does not categorically reject conventional medicine and is also ready to work in cooperation with a doctor.

Today we find many people calling themselves naturopaths after taking some weekend trainings. That’s why it’s always important to inquire about the length and school where the naturopath trained. A comprehensive naturopathic training takes around 20 – 30 months.

Naturopathy is recommended if you:

  • want to change and optimise your diet.
  • suffer from psychosomatic complaints.
  • have sleeping problems.
  • have chronic diseases e.g. rheumatism, gout, arthritis.
  • suffer from acute events such as lumbago or a cold.
  • want to prevent (prophylaxis) and maintain health, e.g. strengthening the immune system.
  • want treatment specifically with a special naturopathic procedure e.g. craniosacral therapy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, yoga therapy, etc.
  • suffer from musculoskeletal disorders such as spinal or joint problems.
  • have skin problems like acne, eczema or psoriasis and are looking for an alternative to cortisone & Co.
  • want to address and heal allergies naturally.
  • suffer from digestive disorders.
  • have autoimmune diseases e.g. Hashimoto, Graves’ disease, etc.
  • feel exhausted and tired.
  • suffer from hormonal imbalances and diseases such as: infertility, PMS, hypothyroidism, endometriosis, PCOS, etc.
Watch Peter Mullen’s explanation of naturopathy