As we wind down this year and start planning for the next, many couples start thinking about conception as part of their goals for the new year.

Whether you will just start trying to conceive, or the turn of the year renews your efforts for continuing to try for a baby, the old saying “you are what you eat” is more important than ever.

Proper nutrition and a healthy menstrual cycle are critical for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Let’s explore the cycle as it relates to conception.

Duration Tells A Story

How long your cycle is (from first red blood to the first day of red blood of the next cycle) tells a story about what is going on inside your body.

This story can tell us interesting information about how to help your individual body’s needs to achieve a healthy pregnancy.

A healthy cycle is when the period arrive every 28-30 days. It should be fresh red blood only. No cramping, no emotional symptoms, no brown blood – nothing! 

For the vast majority of women, this healthy cycle is not the norm without support. Diet is a big piece of this. For more detailed information see my blog series on eating for the phases of your cycle.

Cycle Length and Baby Health

As for pregnancy, the deviations from this healthy cycle, tell a story.

• Short Cycles (periods arriving 4 or more days early) – this is a sign of Lung Qi deficiency which is also tied to immunity. It is often an indicator that you could have a future with Blood Deficiency. 

  • What does this mean for pregnancy? Often babies conceived by women with short cycles often will struggle with their immune systems.

  • Late Cycles (periods arriving 4 or more days after they are due to arrive) – this is a sign of Blood Deficiency, Excess Cold, Liver Stagnation or Kidney Deficiency. If the cycle is consistently late to arrive, it can lead to amenorrhea (loss of period.) 

    • What does this mean for pregnancy? Babies born to women who have a pattern of late cycles often will experience growth delays (mental and emotional) with speech delays and hyperactivity.

• Irregular Cycles (the Goldilocks phenomenon – sometimes early, sometimes late and sometimes right on time) – this is a sure sign of Blood Deficiency and Spleen Deficiency or Excess Cold. It is common to find irregular cycles in women who are trying to lose weight or are skipping meals.

• What does this mean for pregnancy? Babies born to women with irregular cycles often are picky eaters. They also are more prone to food sensitivities.

Now, some of these statements are generalities because like any average, there are outliers. That said, this is to make you aware that the quality of your cycle today not only supports your ability to get pregnant but actually also has an affect on the health of your unborn child.

How Do I Get My Cycle On Track?

You likely have read this far and feel slightly discouraged because you find your period fitting into one of these categories.

Don’t feel discouraged – this isn’t permanent. Promise!

Even though you may have a cycle outside of a healthy pattern now, it doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.

Food and lifestyle modifications are powerful agents of change to get your cycle healthy for conception.

Avoid Cold Food

Avoid Cold foods. Remember when I mentioned Excess Cold being part of the cycle irregularity equation above? This is so much more than just avoiding ice in your water or smoothie.

In Chinese Medicine, foods have properties that have different actions on the body. Balancing these actions can bring about the harmony that a person seeks for whatever health concern or goal they are trying to reach.

Overall foods are considered one of the following: cold, cooling, neutral, warming or hot. Cool or cooling foods are great for women who are transitioning from menstruation into menopause for example (more on this later) but not so great for women who are trying to conceive.

Warm and Cozy

In this instance, if pregnancy is a goal of yours, you will want to keep your foods in the neutral, warming or maybe even hot end of the spectrum.

Hot doesn’t work for all women, but if you are someone with Excess Cold, hot foods can help balance the equation. Knowing where you fall on this spectrum is a great conversation to have with an Eastern medicine practitioner.

Warming foods increase Kidney Yang which is needed to hold a pregnancy.

Warming foods that are helpful are:

• Leafy green vegetables; collards, kale, chard, mustard greens, broccoli, cabbage

• Seaweed in small amounts, (2 Tablespoons a day, max, only 4-5 times a week). Wakame, kombu, arame, nori

• Grains: Barley, quinoa

• Beans: especially black beans and mung beans

• Meats: Chicken, trout, salmon, beef, prawns, oysters

• Garlic, onion, chives, scallions and leeks

• Fruits: pomelo, cherry, peach, raspberry

• Spices include: clove, ginger dried, fenugreek seed, fennel seed, anise seed, black peppercorn, cinnamon 

• Nuts and Seeds: Walnuts and black sesame seeds

• Burdock root

• Carrot, turnip, parsnip, rutabaga, radish (eat no more than 2 times a week)

Please keep in mind that cooking your food is important. Even if it is just steaming your veggies instead of eating them raw, it makes a big difference in how your body uses the food and the energy it expends to break it down into usable building blocks.

Lifestyle Considerations

No, this isn’t going to be another lecture about exercising more. 

Does movement help? Sure, it does! Moving Qi is healthy for you no matter what your goals are. 

I’m not just talking about moving Qi though. I’m also asking you to consider how you care for your body during your period. 

Circulation Support

Supporting your circulation while you are menstruating helps the period to operate more efficiently. It clears the womb more effectively. It reduces cramps and brown blood.

If you want more specifics on period care, check out my online course that does a deep dive on the topic.

Pelvic Steaming

It is also pelvic steaming. Steaming helps to increase circulation as well but it does more than just that. 

Your vaginal canal has some of the most porous cells in your body. It receives the herbal properties delivered by the steam and puts those properties to work right away in the body. You get 48-72 hours of benefit from the herbs each time you steam.

If you struggle with digestion and maybe aren’t getting the full benefits of the food in your diet, getting some of these good Blood tonifying properties direct to your blood stream by way of steam helps to strengthen your system more effectively.

Steaming also stimulates some powerful acupuncture points as well. You have a power intersection of the Penetrating Vessel, the Governing Vessel and the Conception Vessel between your legs.

Moving blood through this area supports fertility in powerful ways (as well as providing other amazing benefits – more on this later as well.)

Pelvic steaming, diet and self care practices are the trifecta that prepare your body for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. 

Be sure to watch in early 2021 for the release of the Empowered Fertility course! To be the first to learn about this and other great information and offerings – Subscribe today!