TCM & Menopause
Menopause is the much-dreaded transition woman face in their midlife. It marks the end of the child-bearing years, and for many women means the beginning of hot flashes, night sweats, and uncomfortableness. The typical onset of menopause is 51, but onset anywhere between the ages of 40 and 58 are considered normal. If menopause starts before the age of 35, it is considered premature menopause. The official definition of menopause is 12 months without a period. Many women will experience menstrual irregularities that gradually get more extreme in the years leading up to menopause. Some women will get periods every two week, some will skip periods altogether for several months before starting up again. The period that marks the transition into menopause is called peri-menopause, and starts on average at age 47. Diagnosis is often simply based on the presentation of symptoms, since blood hormone tests can be unreliable with the erratic fluctuations of hormones during this periods. Symptoms during peri-menopause vary greatly, and can be very uncomfortable for some women. Symptoms during peri-menopause can be quite severe: abnormal vaginal bleeding (bleeding between periods, long and heavy periods, spotting before or after periods, frequent periods, etc.), hot flashes, night sweats,vaginal dryness, urinary issues, mood changes, palpitations, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, feelings of dread and apprehension, memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, decreased sex drive, breast tenderness, itchy skin, body aches and many more.
Considering that these symptoms can last from a few months to years, and that complications can include osteoporosis (due to the lack of estrogen) and heart disease, it becomes apparent that treatment is necessary. Studies show that the earlier treatment is started, the better the outcome. However, many women wait until their symptoms have become unbearable before seeking out help. Part of the reason for this delay is that western medicine still relies heavily on hormone replacement therapy to control menopausal symptoms, which comes with side effects ranging from blood clots to heart attack, stroke and cancer. What many women are not aware of is that there are more natural and gentle ways to help them through this transition.
The key to successful management of the transition to menopause is to take an early and holistic approach. In eastern medicine, menopause is diagnosed as "yin deficiency." According to our medicine, your body contains both yin and yang energies. Yin energies are cooling and relate to water, yang energies are hot and relate to fire. In a healthy body, water and fire are balanced. There is enough fire to keep the body warm and active, and enough yin to control the heat and to keep the body moist and supple. In regards to organ networks, the heart relates to fire, the kidneys relate to water. As we age, our yin energy declines, and by the time we reach our forties and fifties, this energy has declined enough to now give rise to fire, which presents as heat and agitation. In understanding how yin and yang interact, it becomes possible to support the body through this transition by nourishing the yin and water energies, and by avoid adding more fire to the body.
In terms of lifestyle choices, this translates into avoiding any foods that are energetically hot, like alcohol, coffee, spicy foods and smoking. Exercise is high on the list as well, since it helps move energies in our body. When picking foods, make sure to include many that are rich in calcium. And no, that doesn't mean you should overdose on dairy products, since they come with a whole list of negative effects on the body. Foods rich in calcium are soybeans (organic and non-GMO only), okra, almonds, collard greens, kale, arugula, mustard greens, oranges, spinach, kelp, broccoli, blackstrap molasses, sesame seeds (especially black sesame seeds), brazil nuts, celery and sardines. Since Vitamin D plays an important role in promoting calcium absorption in the intestines, and most Americans are low in Vitamin D, eating foods rich in Vitamin D, supplementing Vitamin D 2 to 3 times a week, and spending about 30 minutes a day in the sunlight without sunblock are just as important as getting adequate Calcium intake. Foods rich in Vitamin D are fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon, beef liver (pasture-raised only), and egg yolks. From a TCM perspective, you also want to add foods that are rich in yin.
Since yin is all about the deep reserves in the body, your diet should provide a wide variety of foods for the most vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients. Keeping yourself well hydrated is one of the keys. Coconut water is a great drink since it contains natural electrolytes, so replace one or two glasses of water with coconut water. Beans in general, and black and kidney beans in particular, are good to support yin. Other foods are: miso (non-GMO or organic), sauerkraut, kimchee, asparagus, melons, walnuts, chestnuts, black sesame seeds, flax and pumpkin seeds, dark berries like blueberries, mulberries and blackberries, lamb, and grass-fed beef are all good choices. Another great way to nourish the body and the bones is by cooking a bone broth. Get pasture-raised beef soup bones, put them in a pot, add one onion, 5 cloves, 5 peppercorns, 5 allspice, 2 bay leaves, 1 piece of ginger, and 2 tablespoons of acid (vinegar, lemon or lime juice), cover with water, bring to a simmer and simmer for 24 hours. You can also do this in the crockpot, simmer on low for 24 hours. The acidity helps remove the minerals and collagen from the bones into the broth. About 1 hour before it's done, add 3 carrots, and ½ celery root to the broth. You can store the broth in the fridge or in the freezer to use later in stews, soups or for sauces.
The time of yin is the night, and our yin energies are replenished at night while we sleep. This is one of the reasons why menopausal symptoms are often worse at night and better in the morning: over night, our water got replenished, so we feel cooler in the mornings. To make sure our body has enough time to replenish our yin energies, proper sleep at the proper times is another important factor in easing menopausal symptoms. But considering that insomnia is one of the issue that comes with menopause, how do we achieve good sleep? By implementing good sleep hygiene! Many of us are glued to our electronic devices until we go to bed, and some of us even take their electronic devices to bed. If you are suffering from sleep issues, removing all electronic devices from your bedroom is a must. The alarm clock should be at the foot end of your bed, not by your head, especially if you use the alarm on your smart phone. Since our bodies are cyclical, it functions best if it has set routines. So make sure to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. That may mean getting up earlier on the weekends, but once the body found its own rhythm again, it will be easier to sleep. Next: Your bed is for sleeping, and sleeping only. Don't read in it, do paperwork in it, watch TV in it, play video games in it. All these are stimulating activities, and you want your body to associate your bed with rest, nothing more. If you can't fall asleep, don't spend hours tossing and turning. Instead, try to go to sleep for 20 minutes. If you are still awake, get up, go into a different room, and do boring and repetitive tasks like folding laundry or reading a really boring book. Do this for about 20 to 30 minutes, then go back to bed and try again. A hot epsom salt bath with lavender oil, or a epsom salt foot bath 30 minutes before bedtime helps relax the body and can facilitate sleep. Lastly, go to sleep by 10 pm, that way you will be asleep during the most yin time of the night.
Studies have shown that acupuncture is very effective in curbing some of the menopausal symptoms, like hot flashes and nigh sweats (click HERE to read one of the studies). If started at the earliest onset of symptoms, many women get complete relief through acupuncture and herbs. Many patients report an improvement in mood and mental functioning as well as a reduction in the severity and frequency of hot flashes within a few weeks of acupuncture and herbal treatments. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, patients need come for treatments once to twice a week in the beginning until symptoms are starting to subside. This can take anywhere between 2 weeks and several months. After that, weekly or bi-monthly follow-up visits are often enough to control symptoms. In general, the sooner a patient seeks treatment after the first onset of symptoms, the faster symptoms will resolve. If you are interested in learning more about acupuncture and herbal treatments for menopause, call to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
Considering that these symptoms can last from a few months to years, and that complications can include osteoporosis (due to the lack of estrogen) and heart disease, it becomes apparent that treatment is necessary. Studies show that the earlier treatment is started, the better the outcome. However, many women wait until their symptoms have become unbearable before seeking out help. Part of the reason for this delay is that western medicine still relies heavily on hormone replacement therapy to control menopausal symptoms, which comes with side effects ranging from blood clots to heart attack, stroke and cancer. What many women are not aware of is that there are more natural and gentle ways to help them through this transition.
The key to successful management of the transition to menopause is to take an early and holistic approach. In eastern medicine, menopause is diagnosed as "yin deficiency." According to our medicine, your body contains both yin and yang energies. Yin energies are cooling and relate to water, yang energies are hot and relate to fire. In a healthy body, water and fire are balanced. There is enough fire to keep the body warm and active, and enough yin to control the heat and to keep the body moist and supple. In regards to organ networks, the heart relates to fire, the kidneys relate to water. As we age, our yin energy declines, and by the time we reach our forties and fifties, this energy has declined enough to now give rise to fire, which presents as heat and agitation. In understanding how yin and yang interact, it becomes possible to support the body through this transition by nourishing the yin and water energies, and by avoid adding more fire to the body.
In terms of lifestyle choices, this translates into avoiding any foods that are energetically hot, like alcohol, coffee, spicy foods and smoking. Exercise is high on the list as well, since it helps move energies in our body. When picking foods, make sure to include many that are rich in calcium. And no, that doesn't mean you should overdose on dairy products, since they come with a whole list of negative effects on the body. Foods rich in calcium are soybeans (organic and non-GMO only), okra, almonds, collard greens, kale, arugula, mustard greens, oranges, spinach, kelp, broccoli, blackstrap molasses, sesame seeds (especially black sesame seeds), brazil nuts, celery and sardines. Since Vitamin D plays an important role in promoting calcium absorption in the intestines, and most Americans are low in Vitamin D, eating foods rich in Vitamin D, supplementing Vitamin D 2 to 3 times a week, and spending about 30 minutes a day in the sunlight without sunblock are just as important as getting adequate Calcium intake. Foods rich in Vitamin D are fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon, beef liver (pasture-raised only), and egg yolks. From a TCM perspective, you also want to add foods that are rich in yin.
Since yin is all about the deep reserves in the body, your diet should provide a wide variety of foods for the most vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients. Keeping yourself well hydrated is one of the keys. Coconut water is a great drink since it contains natural electrolytes, so replace one or two glasses of water with coconut water. Beans in general, and black and kidney beans in particular, are good to support yin. Other foods are: miso (non-GMO or organic), sauerkraut, kimchee, asparagus, melons, walnuts, chestnuts, black sesame seeds, flax and pumpkin seeds, dark berries like blueberries, mulberries and blackberries, lamb, and grass-fed beef are all good choices. Another great way to nourish the body and the bones is by cooking a bone broth. Get pasture-raised beef soup bones, put them in a pot, add one onion, 5 cloves, 5 peppercorns, 5 allspice, 2 bay leaves, 1 piece of ginger, and 2 tablespoons of acid (vinegar, lemon or lime juice), cover with water, bring to a simmer and simmer for 24 hours. You can also do this in the crockpot, simmer on low for 24 hours. The acidity helps remove the minerals and collagen from the bones into the broth. About 1 hour before it's done, add 3 carrots, and ½ celery root to the broth. You can store the broth in the fridge or in the freezer to use later in stews, soups or for sauces.
The time of yin is the night, and our yin energies are replenished at night while we sleep. This is one of the reasons why menopausal symptoms are often worse at night and better in the morning: over night, our water got replenished, so we feel cooler in the mornings. To make sure our body has enough time to replenish our yin energies, proper sleep at the proper times is another important factor in easing menopausal symptoms. But considering that insomnia is one of the issue that comes with menopause, how do we achieve good sleep? By implementing good sleep hygiene! Many of us are glued to our electronic devices until we go to bed, and some of us even take their electronic devices to bed. If you are suffering from sleep issues, removing all electronic devices from your bedroom is a must. The alarm clock should be at the foot end of your bed, not by your head, especially if you use the alarm on your smart phone. Since our bodies are cyclical, it functions best if it has set routines. So make sure to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. That may mean getting up earlier on the weekends, but once the body found its own rhythm again, it will be easier to sleep. Next: Your bed is for sleeping, and sleeping only. Don't read in it, do paperwork in it, watch TV in it, play video games in it. All these are stimulating activities, and you want your body to associate your bed with rest, nothing more. If you can't fall asleep, don't spend hours tossing and turning. Instead, try to go to sleep for 20 minutes. If you are still awake, get up, go into a different room, and do boring and repetitive tasks like folding laundry or reading a really boring book. Do this for about 20 to 30 minutes, then go back to bed and try again. A hot epsom salt bath with lavender oil, or a epsom salt foot bath 30 minutes before bedtime helps relax the body and can facilitate sleep. Lastly, go to sleep by 10 pm, that way you will be asleep during the most yin time of the night.
Studies have shown that acupuncture is very effective in curbing some of the menopausal symptoms, like hot flashes and nigh sweats (click HERE to read one of the studies). If started at the earliest onset of symptoms, many women get complete relief through acupuncture and herbs. Many patients report an improvement in mood and mental functioning as well as a reduction in the severity and frequency of hot flashes within a few weeks of acupuncture and herbal treatments. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, patients need come for treatments once to twice a week in the beginning until symptoms are starting to subside. This can take anywhere between 2 weeks and several months. After that, weekly or bi-monthly follow-up visits are often enough to control symptoms. In general, the sooner a patient seeks treatment after the first onset of symptoms, the faster symptoms will resolve. If you are interested in learning more about acupuncture and herbal treatments for menopause, call to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
