What does your menstrual cycle say about your health?
WOMEN
Halina Nguyễn
5/31/20262 min read
Contents
Cycle length
Color (Blood color)
Blood volume (Menstrual flow)
Severe pain (Dysmenorrhea)
Holistic wellness tips to restore balance
I once wrote a short piece on how the menstrual cycle affects women's health. Today is the second time I am addressing this topic, to emphasize how important this "strawberry season" (menstrual period) is to a woman's body.
Unlike men, women have the divine calling of motherhood, and the menstrual cycle acts as a mirror reflecting the health of your future "ability to bear fruit." The female body is a miraculous creation of nature, possessing its own unique biological rhythm. Observing and understanding this cycle helps us recognize early internal changes, thereby allowing us to care for and rebalance our "Qi and Blood" in a timely manner.
So, what is your cycle trying to tell you?
1. Cycle Length A healthy cycle usually lasts between 28 and 32 days. A slight shift of a few days is completely normal due to the influence of weather, psychological state, or lifestyle habits.
Too short (under 21 days): Often due to prolonged stress, hormonal imbalance, or from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, "Qi deficiency" failing to hold the blood.
Too long (over 35 days) or amenorrhea: This could be a sign of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), thyroid issues, or physical exhaustion where "Blood deficiency" is insufficient to operate a normal cycle.
2. Color (Blood Color) Color is one of the clearest indicators of circulation and overall health.
Bright red: This is a sign of a healthy pelvis, good blood circulation, and the smooth shedding of the uterine lining.
Dark red or large blood clots: Indicates blood stagnation, poor circulation, or that the body is affected by "Cold pathogens." Small clots in the first few days are normal, but if they are too large and accompanied by heavy aching pain, you need to pay attention to blood stasis.
Pale pink or watery: Often related to anemia, malnutrition, or low estrogen levels.
3. Blood Volume (Menstrual Flow) The average blood volume in a cycle falls around 30 - 80ml.
Too heavy (Menorrhagia): You need to watch out for the risk of chronic blood loss, uterine fibroids, or hormonal imbalance.
Too light: Reflects nutritional deficiency, excessive stress, or a weakening of the body's blood-forming function.
4. Severe Pain (Dysmenorrhea) Prickling sensations, backaches, or dull cramps in the lower abdomen on the first day are natural contractions. However, if the pain is severe enough to affect your work and daily life (dysmenorrhea), it is an alarm bell. Persistent menstrual cramps can be linked to endometriosis, or stagnant Qi and Blood—as the TCM saying goes, "If there is free flow, there is no pain; if there is pain, there is no free flow."
5. Holistic Wellness Tips to Restore Balance To maintain a healthy cycle, taking medication is not the only way. Small lifestyle adjustments bring deeply nourishing effects:
Keep the body warm: Especially the lower abdomen and feet. Avoid cold food, cold drinks, and late-night baths during these days to prevent cold pathogens from invading.
Natural therapies: A cup of warm ginger tea, chamomile tea, or turmeric tea not only warms the spleen and stomach to dispel cold but also effectively soothes uterine contractions.
Gentle movement: Yoga, walking, or gentle stretching exercises help circulate Qi and Blood, reducing stagnation and stress.
Nourish the mind: Emotions have a direct impact on hormones. Allow yourself to rest more, read a good book, and listen to soothing melodies to relieve pressure.
The menstrual cycle is a natural and beautiful part of being a woman. Instead of seeing it as a nuisance, view it as an opportunity to connect more deeply with your own body. Listening to the smallest signals is the very first step on the journey of self-healing.