from Moon to Moon
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Healthy Body, Healthy Periods
In Chinese Medicine, we divide our moon cycle of usually 28 days into four different phases.
- Pre ovulation: day 7-14 Yin phase, nourish Yin
- Post ovulation: day 14-21 Yang phase, nourish Yang
- Premenstruum: day 21-28 Qi phase, move the Qi
- Menstruation: day 1-6 Blood phase, nourish Blood
If we consider these different times throughout the month and take appropriate care of our body, our periods will be easy, without cramping, and normal.
During the Yin Phase, it is good to nourish our body with Yin foods, like fish, seaweed, millet, Quinoa, almonds and coconut water. We shall avoid excessive sweating.
During the Yang phase we need to warm our flame a bit more with spices, like nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, walnuts, lam, and more nourishing and warming dishes likes stews and soups.
The Qi phase requires herbs and foods to nourish our Qi. In general these are foods of the yellow and orange color. Also exercises, which add Qi, like Qi-gong or certain Yoga’s are beneficial.
During Menstruation it is best to avoid hard work, especially the first two days. Frequent rests, herbs to nourish the blood and foods which nourish the blood, (Kale, cherries, greens, some red meat) are recommended.
Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen dominance is a condition, in which women can have deficient, normal, or excessive levels of estrogen, but has to little progesterone to balance the estrogen level.
Common causes:
Stress, Xenohormone exposure, use of oral or injected contraceptives, conventional Hormone replacement therapy, Adrenal Fatigue, Hypothyroidism, poor diet, consumption of trans-fats, nutritional deficiencies,(zinc, copper, and B complex vitamins), luteal insufficiency, cycles without ovulation, obesity (in postmenopausal women, estrogen is made in the fat cells; excess fat cells make excess estrogen.)
Common Symptoms:
Anxiety, irritability, anger, agitation, cramps, heavy bleeding, water retention, weight gain, bloating, breast tenderness, lumpiness, fibrocystic breasts, mood swings, depression, headaches, migraines, sweet & chocolate cravings, muscle pains, joint & back pains, acne, foggy thinking and memory difficulties, fat gain, especially abdomen and hips, cold hands and feet, blood sugar instability, irregular periods, decreased sex drive,
Gallbladder problems, Infertility, Insomnia, Osteoporosis, Endometriosis, Polycystic Ovaries, Uterine Fibroids, Allergic tendencies, Autoimmune disorders and Cancer.
This all sounds overwhelming, but we can balance our hormone levels through a specific three-week purification program, which cleanses Liver, Gallbladder, Blood, Kidneys and Lymphatic System.
This is often needed twice a year (spring and fall), since we life in an environment filled with pesticides and chemicals.
In addition we can use appropriate herbs and acupuncture, and change our diet.
How to Eat
The following guidelines, will help balance blood sugar and hormone levels, help with Adrenal Fatigue, prevent ups and downs of energy and mood, and promote weight loss. It is also and extremely heart healthy diet plan.
- Eat every two hours. This relieves the stress handling glands from the job of maintaining normal blood sugar levels between meals.
- Do not eat carbohydrates alone; always add protein to your meals and snacks. It is especially important for your breakfast.
- Avoid stimulants – caffeine, sugar, alcohol, etc. Stimulants work by provoking the stress handling glands into releasing epinephrine and cortisol to raise the blood sugar and release energy.
- Avoid dead, devitalized and junk food. These foods cannot re-build a healthy body. They are also anti nutrients – they rob any remaining nutrients stores from your body.
- Avoid trans-fats and rancid fats. Cell membranes, nerve tissue, and steroid hormones (vitality hormones) all require healthy fats. Unhealthy fats interfere with these functions and structures.
- Eat real, whole, fresh food. Minimize fruits and fruit juices. Most people will do well on a Mediterranean-type diet, combining some carbohydrates, proteins and fat at each meal.
- Salt your food liberally with Himalayan crystal salt (contains minerals). Stress handling glands need plenty of salt for normal function. Research has proven that eating salt does not cause high blood pressure or heart disease. Only people with organ damage, like kidney disease, need to be concerned with keeping a low salt diet. In fact, low salt diets contribute to adrenal fatigue.
- Sea salt can be obtained from a health food store. It looks like regular salt, but contains the trace minerals that have been refined out of regular salt.
- Drink plenty of water (filtered, or a reliable source of spring water, NOT tap water).
What to Eat
- Eat food rich in Omega 3 fatty acids such as fatty coldwater (not farm grown) fish, including salmon, tuna, trout, herring and mackerel. Eat walnuts, flaxseeds and green leafy vegetables.
- Use monounsaturated oils, especially virgin or extra virgin olive oil as your primary oil/fat source. Note: Canola oil, although a monounsaturated, is a highly refined genetically-engineered oil with none of the benefits of olive oil.
- Eat seven or more servings of vegetables and fruits every day. Vegetables can be slightly cooked, steamed, or eaten raw.
- Eat natural sources of good protein, (not man-made deli meats), and preferably organic meats (raised without estrogenic hormones and antibiotics).
- Eat more vegetable protein including peas, beans, lentils and nuts.
- Eat only organic whole grains (non commercial). No refined carbohydrates (like white flour, white rice, white pasta, white sugar).
- Minimize oils that are high in Omega 6 fatty acids, including corn, safflower, sunflower and soybean.
- Reduce or eliminate intake of trans-fatty acids (all hydrogenated oils), which are prevalent in margarine, vegetable shortening, and almost all commercially packed foods.
- Make complex carbohydrates (such as breads, pasta, and grains) your smallest food group.
- Drink lots of water, at least half of your body weight in ounces.
- Try to get 20 minutes o real sunshine every day and/or add Vitamin D supplements.
A diet containing life foods, purification and herbal and whole food supplements to balance deficiencies will align your body to powerful health and vitality.
It helps if you can relax into a routine and add Yoga and Meditation or other relaxation techniques to you daily life. You also can do a daily “Abyangha” (Oil self massage) to make your body more vital. (Read about [intlink id=”835″ type=”post”]Abyangha[/intlink]on my web site)
Learn to surrender to the pace of your body and to make healthy choices.