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The Basics of Postpartum Recovery

Postpartum Recovery is a set of practices and nutritional guidelines for the first month after giving birth. It is based on the ancient Chinese practice of Zuo Yue Zi (or “sitting the month”) in which postpartum women and newborns were recovered for 30-40 days after birth with the love and support of extended family. Zuo Yue Zi turned a potentially draining experience into a ritual of rejuvenation. Postpartum traditions such as Zuo Yue Zi existed cross-culturally to protect the health of mother and child. Times have changed and most modern mothers do not have the network of support our ancestors had. Postpartum Recovery is the modern evolution of this tradition, modified to support women now.

What Postpartum Recovery Promises

  • Full Recovery of the Body. Postpartum Recovery brings the waist down to pre-pregnancy shape, prevents organ prolapse (which can cause urinary incontinence), and restores the breasts.
  • Hormonal Balance. By nourishing Qi and Blood and providing adequate rest, a woman’s body is able to fully recover a normal menstrual cycle and healthy hormone production.
  • Boost Health of the Baby. Proper diet and herbs promote top quality breast milk as well as a relaxed, restored mother (two things that will make any baby thrive).
  • Minimal Postpartum Symptoms. Avoid or quickly treat postpartum depression, uterine prolapse, joint pain, mastitis, inadequate milk production, fatigue, and low libido.
  • Increased Fertility. Women are increasingly not recovering hormonal balance after giving birth, reducing their chances to have more children. Postpartum Recovery brings your body back to a pre-pregnancy state, or better.
  • Vitality and Youthfulness. Postpartum Recovery will leave you strong, revitalized, and with plump, glowing skin (no more dark spots).

What Postpartum Recovery Includes

Each woman will want to adapt Postpartum Recovery to meet her needs, however all women need the following for 30-40 days after giving birth:

  • Rest.
  • Nutrition and herbs to properly cleanse and repair the body and promote optimum breast milk production.
  • Connection and support.
  • Abdominal binding.
  • Keeping warm.
  • Avoiding excessive stimulation, stress, or change.

The Stages of Postpartum Recovery

Postpartum Recovery is divided up into three stages.

The first week is Stage 1. During this phase the new mother’s body is at its weakest and most toxic and congested. She has just suffered loss of Qi from delivery as well as Blood and fluid loss. Her body is also trying to expel the lochia (a combination of blood, mucous, and placental tissue discharged through the vagina for 2-4 weeks after birth). Additionally, if she has had a hospital birth, or especially a C-section, her body will also need to clear out medications and anesthesia. Thus Stage 1 has the strictest prohibitions, the greatest rest requirements, and food and herbs that are both nourishing and gently detoxifying.

The second week is Stage 2. The focus shifts to tonifying the Kidneys and contracting the uterus and waist back to pre-pregnancy size. Moving and detoxifying herbs and foods are still used.

The third, fourth, and sometimes fifth week comprise Stage 3. The new mother’s body is cleared enough and strong enough to absorb more intense tonification. She can also enjoy more leniency in her restrictions. This is the time to really build up the vitality of the new mother, and thus her newborn.

Resources

For specific Postpartum Recovery practices please see 7 Times a Woman, and the Postpartum Recovery Manual, coming out Summer 2014. The books are based on my own clinical application on what I learned from the works of Dr. Shuqi Zhuang (庄淑旗) and Dr. Fuqing Zhu, and mentorship from Dr. Shaoting Jing and Dr. Jiang Zheng.

Andrews, Lia. “Partial Translation of ‘Postpartum Recovery Program; a Manual of Rules and Recipes for the Postpartum Woman.’” (DAOM capstone, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, 2013).

Andrews, Lia. “The ‘Three Golden Opportunities’: Key Times Women Can Improve or Damage their Health.” (The Journal of Chinese Medicine, October 2013, Number 103).

Andrews, Lia. “7 Times a Woman; Ancient Wisdom on Health & Beauty for Every Stage of Your Life.” (Alcyone Press: San Diego, 2013).

Those who can read traditional Chinese characters may want to check out a foundational source of my information. Zhuang, Shuqi. “Postpartum Recovery Program; a Manual of Rules and Recipes for the Postpartum Woman.” (Taiwan: Guang He Chu Ban She, 2005). ISBN 9578807015. Note: you will need to modify this traditional Taiwanese plan for a Western audience.

By |2017-12-30T00:03:06+00:00December 30th, 2017|Postpartum Care|Comments Off on The Basics of Postpartum Recovery
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Tongue Diagnosis

The tongue is a part of the interior of our bodies that we can see. The tongue is slower to change as compared to the pulse. By using both tongue and pulse diagnosis, acupuncturists are able to get a clear picture of a patient’s current state of health, and what what may have gotten him/her there.

Many patients have a combination of patterns occurring at the same time, making real world diagnosis more complicated than the straightforward explanations below. First we will look at the tongue body then the tongue coating.

tongue-normalNormal Tongue
A normal tongue is pink, not too big and not too small, with a very thin white coating.

Tongue Body

tongue-juttingJutting Tongue
This tongue to “v” shaped and juts out forcefully. The tension in the tongue is indicative of the tension held in the body. It is a sign of Liver excess (Liver Qi Stagnation or Fire). Possible symptoms include muscle tension, stress, irritability, depression, and PMS. If the tongue veers to one side this indicates Liver Wind and potentially stroke or convulsions.

tongue-puffyPuffy Tongue
Also known as a enlarged or fat tongue. This indicates Phlegm and is a sign of congestion of body fluids. Phlegm is implicated in many modern diseases including sinus or lung congestion, excess weight, irrational thinking, obsessive thoughts, fatigue, foggy thinking, chronic joint pain, high cholesterol, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and channel blockages.

tongue-smallSmall Tongue
A tongue that is smaller than normal indicates a deficiency of substance in the body, namely Blood Deficiency or Yin Deficiency. Common symptoms include anxiety, restlessness, tinnitis, insomnia, night sweats, and female hormone deficiency.

tongue-scallopedScalloped Tongue
Teeth marks on the sides of the tongue indicates Spleen Qi Deficiency. This can present as weak digestion, food allergies, fatigue, poor muscle tone, a tendency to bruise, low immunity, and organ prolapse.

Assessing Tongue Color

tongue-redRed indicates Heat (inflammation and/or toxicity). Symptoms can include thirst, constipation, irritability, acne, excess hunger, bad breath, strong body odor, and excessive bleeding.

tongue-palePallor indicates Cold or Deficiency (Qi, Blood, and/or Yang). Symptoms may include feeling cold, fatigue, emotional sensitivity, insomnia, lack of physical strength, and knee and low back weakness.

tongue-purplePurple or bluish indicates Blood Stagnation. Physical trauma, longstanding emotional stress, uterine fibroids, heart issues, or other conditions impeding healthy blood circulation. There may be difficulty sleeping, stubborn depression, pain, stiffness, and stuck emotional patterns.

tongue-redtipRed Tip The very tip of the tongue corresponds to the Heart. A red tip indicates Heart Heat, or emotional unrest. This can manifest as stress, anxiety, or insomnia. If the tip has a cleft it indicates longstanding or constitutional tendency towards emotional issues. Petechiae (little red dots) indicate Wind Heat; a cold with fever and yellow phlegm, typically bacterial in origin.

Tongue Coating

tongue-white-coatThick White Coat
A thick tongue coating indicates Dampness. This is a pathological accumulation of fluids associated with digestive impairment. Common signs include weight gain, abdominal bloating, cloudy urination, mucous in the stools, edema, excessive vaginal discharge, poor digestion, and loose stools.

Thin Yellow Coat
The coating is thin, but distinctly yellow. This indicates Heat, either internal (inflammation) or Wind Heat (cold with fever, typically bacterial in origin).

tongue-yellow-coatThick Yellow Coat
The tongue appears heavily coated and yellow. This indicates Damp Heat, the combination of Dampness and Heat (fluid accumulation mixed with inflammation). Commons symptoms include excess weight, feeling hot, anger, Liver/Gallbladder issues, and red weepy skin conditions.

tongue-mirroredScanty or Mirrored Coat
The tongue looks shiny, like liver. This indicates Yin Deficiency and the patient may present with insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, thirst, low back pain, tinnitis, hot flashes, and night sweats.

Common Combination Patterns

tongue-various bigger-words

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By |2019-03-26T14:29:30+00:00December 29th, 2017|Detox, Detoxification, Diagnosis, Nurturing Life Project, Period Care, Postpartum Care, Second Spring, Traditional Chinese Medicine|Comments Off on Tongue Diagnosis
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The 3 Best Tools to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor


 

Pelvic floor weakness is epidemic in our culture. We are constantly bombarded with ads for women’s diapers and ambiguous terms like “sensitive bladder.” It is not that the bladder has become thoughtful or neurotic, the issue often originates in weakened pelvic floor muscles. These muscles hold up our internal organs, keep our uterus, bladder, and rectum from descending, and control the passage of urine and feces, and the intensity of contraction during orgasm.

Symptoms of a weak pelvic floor include: urinating when you sneeze or lift weight, a protruding uterus, and weak orgasms. A pelvic floor strengthening program can help avoid and even reverse these issues. Every woman should work to keep her pelvic floor toned. It becomes critical after childbirth and as we approach menopause.

Kegels alone may not be enough stimulus to fully activate and develop your muscles. (Kegels are exercises where you simply tense and lift up, then release your vaginal muscles for a series of repetitions.) An external tool or weight greatly intensifies muscle activation similarly to using a weight to tone other muscles on your body. There are several tools to choose from:

Jade Eggs

These are the original pelvic floor exercisers used for thousands of years by Chinese Daoists and courtesans. These are egg-shaped stones, historically made out of jade. They both offer tactile feedback and weighted resistance. Pelvic strengthening is considered an essential part of women’s cultivation and self-care in Daoism and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Not only does it prevent many health conditions associated with older age, it stimulates the gynecological organs and production of sex hormones (which keep us young).

Buy jade eggs

Laselle Kegel Routine and Luna Mini Beads

Laselle Kegel beads are a modern version of beng wa balls (内用球, nèi yòng qiú, another Chinese pelvic floor exerciser). The Laselle Kegel beads are small hollow balls that contain smaller weighted balls inside. This causes the ball to emit a vibration when the vaginal muscles are contracted, giving feedback, as well as weighted resistance. Luna Mini beads are smaller than the Laselle Kegel Routine.

Buy Luna Mini Beads
Buy Laselle Kegel Routine

KegelSmart

The KegelSmart is an interactive device that reads the strength of the vaginal muscles and chooses the most appropriate of its 5 programs. The device emits a series of vibrations. Tightening the muscles during the vibration and relaxing during the intervals strongly stimulates the muscles to start firing more efficiently and intensely. It is the same concept as is used during acupuncture or physical therapy to revive an atrophied muscle whereby an alternating current is applied with concurrent muscle contraction.

Buy KegelSmart

By |2019-03-26T14:29:38+00:00March 4th, 2015|Postpartum Care, Second Spring, Sexual Cultivation|Comments Off on The 3 Best Tools to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor
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Generating Yin and Moisturizing Dryness

quan-yinVaginal dryness is an unspoken occurrence that affects many women. It is one of the two most prevalent symptoms of menopause (the other being hot flashes). Vaginal dryness, and the attendant reduction in plumpness, occurs due to a drop in estrogen. It can also happen in much younger women who are experiencing hormonal imbalances.

In TCM vaginal dryness is a sign of Yin deficiency. Yin is the substance and lubrication of the body. It provides the luster, suppleness, flexibility, centerdness, and calm. Yin anchors our thinking and excitement and allows us to rest. Yin is the fuel for active Yang in the body.

Yin can become deficient due to overwork, mental and emotional stress, blood and fluid loss, poor nutrition, and lack of self care and rest. All women have a tendency to become Yin deficient with age. When Yin is deficient, Yang becomes relatively excessive which causes heat signs. Yin deficiency can manifest as dryness (skin, hair, eyes, mouth, stools, etc.), anxiety, insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, emotional instability and sensitivity, excess libido, agitation, tinnitus, thinning skin, malar flush, and heat in hands and feet worse at night.

How do we protect our Yin and avoid or reverse vaginal dryness?

  1. Live a healthy lifestyle. This means getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night, eating regular nutritious meals, enjoying connection and laughter, reducing stress, and avoiding overworking. This is the foundation for everything.
  2. Practice proper menstrual and postpartum care. This keeps the hormones balanced and is essential for every woman’s long-term vitality.
  3. Drink sufficient fluids to avoid dehydration and limit alcohol and caffeine.
  4. Consume Yin tonics regularly like fish oil, black sesame seeds, avocado, bone broth, go ji berries, and American ginseng. The most effective and potent way to take Yin tonics is in the form of balanced Chinese herbal formulas that will include herbs to clear heat and astringe fluids.
  5. Take astringent herbs regularly such as Wu Wei Zi (schizandra) and Shan Zhu Yu (cornus). These are best taken in balanced formulas.
  6. Treat unresolved trauma, repression, or resentments in regards to sexuality, trust, and relationships. Vaginal dryness can be psychological or have a psychological component. The uterus and genitals are strongly connected to the heart. Most women need to feel an emotional and mental connection with their lover. If there are resentments, blockages due to past experiences, or you simply do not like the person anymore you cannot expect to feel excited. Your body may be trying to tell you something.
  7. Cultivate an empowered sexuality. Many women receive conflicting and negative messages that block sexual expression.
  8. Practice relaxation. This can mean daily meditation, spending time in nature, doing qigong or yoga.
  9. Get in touch with your creativity on a daily basis. Creativity and sexuality belong to the Water element and are strongly linked. Cultivating one will increase the other.

Maintaining juiciness is about more than just sexual functioning. Keeping your Yin strong means maintaining your womanliness: gentleness, grace, self-sufficiency, ease, peace, love…. all the things this world needs.

Andrews, Lia. “The ‘Three Golden Opportunities’: Key Times Women Can Improve or Damage their Health.” (The Journal of Chinese Medicine, October 2013, Number 103).

Andrews, Lia. “7 Times a Woman; Ancient Wisdom on Health & Beauty for Every Stage of Your Life.” (Alcyone Press: San Diego, 2013).

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By |2019-03-26T14:29:42+00:00October 19th, 2013|Beauty, Postpartum Care, Second Spring, Sexual Cultivation|Comments Off on Generating Yin and Moisturizing Dryness
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The ‘Three Golden Opportunities’: Key Times Women Can Improve or Damage their Health

Abstract

There are three times during a woman’s life when she has the opportunity to either improve, or else risk damaging her health. These are menstruation, postpartum and menopause. This theory has historically been used by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and has more recently been popularised by Dr. Zhuang Shuqi, a Taiwanese doctor of TCM specialising in women’s health. This article expounds on this theory and explores its relevance to modern Western society, presenting a comprehensive description of the main pathologies, practices, prohibitions, dietary approaches and lifestyle choices that practitioners should be aware of in order to help women recover and optimise their health during these life transitions.

For full article please see:

Andrews, Lia. “The ‘Three Golden Opportunities’: Key Times Women Can Improve or Damage their Health.” (The Journal of Chinese Medicine, October 2013, Number 103).

By |2017-12-29T23:34:33+00:00October 15th, 2013|Acupuncture, Nurturing Life Project, Period Care, Postpartum Care, Second Spring, Sexual Cultivation, Traditional Chinese Medicine|Comments Off on The ‘Three Golden Opportunities’: Key Times Women Can Improve or Damage their Health
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