Is your womb warm?

One thing I love about naturopathy, is how beautifully it straddles art + science, traditional practice + new research.

The holistic lens (assessing your signs & symptoms not in isolation, but in the context of your overall physical, mental, social & environmental health) incorporates old and new practices & medicines - 'old' medicine with a long history of usage and therapeutic effect, and 'new' medicine with double-blinded-randomised-controlled-trials. It really is the best of both worlds.

Traditional medicine systems around the world (including Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda) pre-dated the advent of scientific discovery & medical diagnoses. And so traditional medicine used the language of 'energetics' to explain and describe bodily signs & symptoms. A balance of these qualities was vital for optimal health eg. hot, dry, moist, cold, damp etc. In 2023 this system of 'energetics' can be used to complement our modern understanding of pathophysiology.

With respect to menstrual health and fertility, traditional medicine systems place value on uterine 'warmth'. This is reflected in:

• the practice of vaginal steaming (found in Africa, Asia, Central America)

• the TCM and Ayurvedic concepts of eating warm foods during menstruation

• the old wives’ tales of Western medicine eg. to avoid swimming and wet hair during menstruation

In traditional medicine, having a balance of uterine 'warmth' assists with:

• (re)building blood

• maintaining a regular menstrual pattern & healthy menstrual flow

• supporting implantation (should that be desired)

(Equally, excessive heat can be problematic also...but that's a discussion for another time.)

We can use this traditional interpretation of uterine warmth, to support our biomedical understanding of menstrual and reproductive health as well:

• building blood (let's also make sure you also have nutrient sufficiency eg.iron, folate, B9, Vitamin C & Vitamin A, and optimal gut function for the absorption of iron)

• maintaining a regular menstrual pattern & flow (also making sure your hormones are at optimal levels, checking uterine & ovarian health and function, ruling out structural issues, addressing underlying health issues, exploring your stress levels and environmental exposure to endocrine disruptors)

• supporting implantation (as above + autoimmune investigation, vaginal microbiome exploration, partner evaluation)

Signs and symptoms of a 'cold' uterus might include:

• a dark or clotty period

• a slow, stagnant flow

• actually feeling cold

• period pain that feels better for warmth (eg. heat packs)

We are now midwinter, and it feels intuitive to embrace 'warm' practices for reproductive wellness during this cooler season.

Warming herbs

Include herbs like cinnamon, ginger and rosemary in your food and drink. These are warming circulatory stimulants. I use cinnamon & ginger a lot in practice, and find they both have an affinity with pelvic health.

Pungent herbs

Enjoy herbs like ginger and dandelion root (sounds like Dandelion Chai time!). Dandelion root is an effective herb to gently support our liver in hormonal metabolism.

Avoid cold food and drink

Avoid excessive quantities of ice-cold drinks, and cold food - they introduce 'cold' into our body and require more energy for digestion. Enjoy room temperature water, hot water/teas, stews, casseroles, bakes.

Avoid eating raw food

Cold and raw foods are thought to use up too much of our digestive fire - energy better spent on reproductive processes. Ditch the salads and smoothies made up of raw vegies. Turn to warm salads of roasted or grilled veg, and warm beverages instead.

Reduce exposure to cold and damp

Dress warmly and appropriately for the season. Particularly keep the bottom half of your body warm, starting with your feet. In the Mayan tradition, there is a belief the cold feet contribute to a cold womb. Wool socks are ah-may-zing. Keep dry also, get out of wet or damp clothing asap.

Massage with warm oil

Warm up your pelvis with a massage. Use an organic oil of your choice and move in a clockwise direction. Or try castor oil packs. (Make an appointment if you'd like me to teach you the Maya Abdominal self-care massage as well as castor oil care)

See if you notice any changes to your menstrual health just by trying some of these interventions.

If you have any questions about your menstrual cycle, hormone balance or fertility, make an appointment with Jacintha to discuss.