Menopause and adopting a ‘Second Spring’ mindset

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, menopause is a natural life transition due to the decline in vital energy (Qi) especially in the Kidney system. This decline leads to an imbalance between the body’s Yin – cooling, moisturizing and nourishing energy and opposing Yang – active and warming energy.

Qi is the fundamental vital energy that flows through our bodies, powering all its functions and maintaining our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. For optimal health, Qi must be in balance, but when its flow is insufficient, it can weaken either the Yin or Yang aspects and push us towards a state of disharmony. This Yin Yang Imbalance, where one aspect may dominate or weaken, will give rise to symptoms such as sluggishness, fatigue, dryness, restlessness, cold or heat. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine women go through 7-year cycles and each phase brings great change in our bodies and lives. From perimenopause the Kidney Qi starts to decline, which means it is less able to support the Yin aspect of the kidneys. This typically leads to a relative increase in Yang – leading to ‘hot’ symptoms typical during menopause such as dryness, night sweating, restlessness, sleeping problems and hot flashes. 

However, if Qi deficiency progresses beyond the kidneys, it may put pressure on other organ systems such as the heart and spleen, causing further imbalances in the body with additional symptoms such as weakness, aches and pain, poor immunity, slow recovery from injury and emotional issues such as irritability or anger.

For example, when the kidney system (represented by the water element) declines, it is unable to counterbalance the heart system (represented by the fire element). When the water can not put out the fire, the heart becomes uncontrollable, the fire rises to the head and can cause anger, irritability and poor sleep.

Dietary therapy 

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said “let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Similarly in Asian culture, food and herbs are key to good health. They are classified according to their temperatures and flavours and are used to balance the body’s needs. 

For example, dried ginger is hot, seaweed and tofu are cold and black beans are warm. 

Consuming cold foods during menopause can help us cool down. These include cucumber, mung beans, dandelion greens, cabbage, white radish, bok choy, celery, carrots, cauliflower, romaine lettuce, lemon, apples, pears, cantaloupe, persimmons, mulberry, watermelon, apricots and grapefruit. 

Foods and herbs are also classified according to their flavours - bitter, sweet, pungent (also known as spicy), salty and sour. 

These flavours are associated with elements and their corresponding organs. Sour is linked to the wood element and corresponds to the liver; bitter is linked to the fire element and corresponds to the heart; sweet is linked to the earth element and corresponds to the spleen/stomach; pungent is linked to the metal element and corresponds to the lungs; salty is linked to the water element and corresponds to the kidneys.

As with all things, balance is key. By incorporating a variety of flavours in healthy meals, women may replenish their kidney energy and transition through menopause more comfortably. 

For example, bitter foods disperse heat in the body and act like an internal air conditioner. Some common bitter foods include endives, artichoke, eggplant, kale, arugula, green tea, dark chocolate, bitter melon, watercress and turnips. Salty foods nourish the kidneys and include ocean caught fish, seaweed, kelp, fermented products, tempeh and miso.

Herbal therapy 

Herbs contain beneficial medical properties and are often combined in a formula to produce a balanced therapeutic response in the body. Your TCM practitioner will carefully select the best herbs to fit your specific constitution. Herbs that nourish Yin include moutan, anemorrheanea, rehmannia, discoreae, goji berries and poria.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture involves inserting fine needles into specific points called acupoints on the body to balance energy flow (Qi), regulate the body’s control centre and promote relaxation. It can help improve sleep quality and energy levels and reduce mood swings and feelings of anxiety. With regular treatment acupuncture can reduce the severity and intensity of night sweats and hot flashes and may be a valuable option for women who want natural solutions. Acupuncture is also well known for pain relief and can successfully alleviate muscular aches and joint pain.

Some typical acupuncture points used to treat menopause are common acupressure points and include: Spleen 6, which is used to strengthen Yin and reduce stress; Colon 4 to alleviate hot flashes and calm the mind; Kidney 3 to support Kidney energy and improve overall vital energy;  Stomach 36, which is a strong point to reduce fatigue and strengthen the digestive system.

Menopause - the ‘Second Spring’ in a woman’s life

The "Second Spring," is the 7th seven-year cycle in a women’s life where her menstruation ends and she is no longer able to conceive. In TCM the “Second Spring” is a period of renewal and transformation. It reframes menopause from a period of decline into a period of growth and renewed purpose. Not surprisingly, in Chinese culture growing old is something to look forward to. The elderly are the backbone of the family and are cherished and respected for their wisdom and achievement.

Treatment 

Many factors contribute to our experience of menopause and not all women experience the same type and intensity of symptoms. Multiple children, poor dietary habits, poor sleep, and stressful work/family life all have a profound effect on our body’s vital energy (Qi) and how we transition into menopause. 

A TCM practitioner’s job is to identify which organ systems are principally affected and to develop a personalised treatment plan. Your practitioner will inquire into your medical history, general health, inspect your tongue and take your pulse, using that information to define your treatment. They may prescribe herbs, acupuncture, or recommend dietary adjustments to replenish your body's Qi and restore your yin-yang balance.