Hello Newcastle!
Ovulation and menstruation are the key events for successful pregnancy. They are the two
most external signs showing your fertility. Modern medicine has fancy diagnostic tools that can measure those with blood tests. You can also measure those key events with cervical mucus quality, readily available urine test (‘ovulation predictor kits’), body temperature and your menstrual events.
During ovulation which generally falls in mid cycle, slippery or stretchy cervical mucus should be observed. This creates an environment for sperm to survive and travel to an egg at ovulation. Your body temperature dips a bit just before ovulation then rises (by 0.3 - 0.6 ‘C) and stays up after ovulation. It stays up when you are pregnant. This is because you will develop significant circulation to your core and your baby needs a warm nurturing environment. When the released egg is not fertilized, the lining of the uterus sheds through menstruation. Menstruation gives significant information about the uterus lining, which is important for fertilization. Amount of the menstrual blood, pain, clots and length are all important aspects reflecting the quality of uterus lining.
Things you can do
From day 3-4 of your bleeding, your uterus lining starts to rebuild right up to the ovulation. During this time, you need to eat nutritious food (good protein & fat, healthy carbs) and do regular exercise. Yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, and walking are the best choices of exercise in this context. When you do full-on cardios, your body is in a more consuming mode that it doesn’t favour any storing.
Keep your tummy warm. In Chinese medicine, nothing grows in the ‘cold uterus’. It’s like a frozen lake. Eggs are quite picky when selecting a place to grow. Your body even raises the core temperature after ovulation for ‘right’ environment.
Stress management is also important. In Chinese medicine, we believe that there is a connection between the heart and uterus via a special channel, called ‘Bao’. When you are stressed, the communication between the two isn't smooth so it may affect your regular cycle. If you have any premenstrual (PMS) symptoms, it is often a reflection of your state of mind.
Good quality sleep is another one. During your sleep, your full body gets restored and replenished to its best. Sleep deprivation affects ovulation, menstruation and conception. Don’t miss your beauty sleep. For adults, an average 8 hours are recommended, especially during your first trimester.
Acupuncture & Herbs
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine aims your body to do its job rightly during stages of your cycle. Acupuncture can help with stress and sleep problems so your regular cycle is not affected by. It improves overall circulation and particularly flow to your uterus. Chinese herbal medicine can add appropriate nutritional substances for your uterus lining and cervical mucus, improve circulation and keep the right body temperature.
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