Supporting Your Period: 7 Gentle Tips from a Chinese Medicine Perspective

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the time of menstruation is considered a sacred and sensitive window. It’s not just a monthly inconvenience, that the modern world perpetuates, it’s a powerful opportunity to rest, replenish, and support your long-term vitality.

During your period, your body is naturally shedding blood and moving qi downward and outward. This requires energy and can temporarily leave the body more vulnerable to cold, depletion, and emotional sensitivity. By supporting yourself with small, intentional choices during this time, you can help reduce discomfort, regulate your cycle, and protect your long-term health.

Here are my 7 gentle tips, rooted in Chinese medicine, to help you care for your body during your period:

1. Prioritise Rest

Your body is already working hard. This isn’t the time to push through intense exercise, long hours, or emotional overwhelm. Allow yourself extra sleep, slow mornings, or gentle movement like walking or yin yoga. Rest helps preserve your qi and gives the body space to complete the work of shedding and renewing.

2. Stay Out of the Cold

In TCM, cold is seen as a pathogenic factor that can easily enter the body when it’s vulnerable—especially through the lower abdomen, feet, and lower back. During your period, keep your lower body warm with layers, heat packs, or a warm bath (if it feels good to you). Avoid cold weather exposure, swimming in cold water, and sitting on cold surfaces.

3. Minimise the To-Do List

This is the time to go inward—not outward. If you can, avoid cramming your schedule full. Instead, let go of non-essentials and slow your pace. The more you tune into your body’s rhythms now, the better your qi and blood can flow smoothly. This helps ease cramping, fatigue, and mood swings.

4. Drink Plenty of Warm Fluids

Warm fluids help support digestion, nourish the blood, and prevent cold from accumulating in the uterus. Think ginger tea, cinnamon, red dates, or nourishing broths. Avoid iced drinks or anything straight from the fridge, which can disrupt the digestive fire and stagnate the flow of qi and blood.

5. Eat Nourishing, Warm Wholefoods

Now’s the time for cooked, grounding meals: soups, stews, congee, root vegetables, and slow-cooked meats. These foods replenish the blood and support the Spleen and Liver—key organs in TCM menstrual health. Avoid raw, cold, processed foods, and focus on meals that feel comforting and easy to digest.

6. Keep a Journal of Your Feelings

The Liver governs the smooth flow of qi, and it’s deeply connected to our emotional state. During your period, emotions may rise to the surface. Journaling can help you reflect, release emotional stagnation, and better understand your internal rhythms. It’s also a great way to track cycle patterns over time.

7. Enjoy Some Dark Chocolate… or Better Yet, Get Some Acupuncture

I won’t argue with some good quality dark chocolate at this time—but acupuncture is your real winner here. It can help regulate hormones, ease cramps, calm the mind, and rebalance the body. If your cycle is irregular, painful, heavy, or accompanied by mood swings, acupuncture offers tailored support to bring your body back into harmony.

Menstruation isn’t a weakness, it’s a monthly opportunity to recalibrate. When we honour this time with warmth, rest, and intention, we lay a stronger foundation for the month ahead and the seasons to come. These small rituals, rooted in ancient wisdom, are not about restriction—they’re about giving your body what it truly needs. If you’re looking for personalised support during your cycle, Chinese medicine has a a broad toolkit to offer. Reach out if you’d like to learn more or book in for a session with one of our qualified Chinese Medicine practitioners.

P.S. Check out our dark chocolate bark recipe on our blog page, which would be a great choice for the chocolate cravings at this time of the month.