Читать книгу Zita West’s Guide to Getting Pregnant - Zita WEST, Zita West - Страница 53

I encourage women to see their period as a time of contemplation and renewal, and to see the process of bleeding as cleansing. Our modern lifestyles encourage women to disregard how they feel during their period, advocating the use of tampons and treating this phase of the cycle just the same as any other. I encourage women to use this time to reflect and to recharge their emotional and physical batteries. It is perfectly natural that very often women find themselves not wanting to socialize during this time, preferring to be quiet and reflective.

What is useful for me when I am working with a woman is to know what a ‘normal’ period is for her, so I can see how this relates to the rest of her cycle.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), much more attention is paid to a woman’s period than in Western medicine. The length of a period and the colour, amount and quality of the blood flow are all considered, alongside other information and observations (see page 217). In my work I use the principles of Five Element Acupuncture, a feature of TCM that I find very useful in assessing each woman and her individual concerns or problems.

Period pains, if severe, can be indicative of the sort of hormonal upsets that suggest problems in the menstrual cycle. In TCM it isn’t considered normal to have painful periods; this is seen as an indication that some sort of hormonal rebalancing is needed. In the West, many women accept that their periods are painful, and take large quantities of painkillers in order to function, without realizing that these drugs can be detrimental to their fertility (see page 172). TCM, and acupuncture in particular, along with abdominal massage (see page 229) can all help in alleviating not just the pain but also the cause of it. This is a much better alternative to swallowing lots of painkillers, some of which are quite strong and anti-spasmodic, which can in turn interfere with the menstrual cycle. I also believe that it’s far better for women to use nutritional means to deal with painful periods. Taking an EFA (essential fatty acid) supplement, and one that contains evening primrose oil (GLA) can help normalize the hormones called prostaglandins. Period pains can be an indicator that prostaglandins are being over – produced, which can, in turn, have an impact on your overall hormonal cycle and may affect your fertility.

Women with severe period cramps often show a depletion in the mineral magnesium, for example, and taking a supplement of this – which helps with muscular tension – can help to alleviate the pain.

For women trying to conceive, the arrival of their period can be a time of sadness as it means conception hasn’t been successful that month. There is no question that the emotional response to this can be quite profound, and it can also be exacerbated by hormonal changes. However, the menstrual period can also be seen as a sign for optimism, as it can be used for contemplation, renewal and preparation – physically and emotionally – for the next cycle and another opportunity – with increasing knowledge – for conception.

I think it’s better for women to use pads rather than tampons during their period, especially if they suffer from endometriosis. I realize that this isn’t always practical, especially if the bleeding is very heavy, but women should be aware that tampons can be very drying to the vagina, absorbing normal vaginal moisture. If you are going to use tampons, opt for those made with organic, non – bleached cotton, and use pads on lighter days. TCM also recommends keeping the abdominal area warm, either with direct heat (from a hot water bottle, for example) or through warming, nourishing foods – especially when there is discomfort during a period.