Heavenly Water: A Chinese Medicine Guide to a More Balanced Period
The Meaning of “Heavenly Water”
According to the Yellow Emperor’s Classic, an ancient Chinese medical text, the term “tian gui,” or “heavenly water,” is the poetic language used to describe menstruation. This 2,000-year-old manual of health doesn’t view menstruation as a monthly hiccup or cyclical inconvenience; instead, it sees it as part of a larger mosaic of essential and even cherished female life cycles.
In contrast, for many women in Western culture, a period is anything but a celebration. Common symptoms like abdominal cramping, headaches, breast tenderness, bloating, constipation, or loose stools can make it a difficult and dreaded time of the month. Restlessness, disturbed sleep, and agitation often affect the mind, and mood swings or irritability are also common.
In modern society, all of these symptoms are often accepted as normal, but according to Chinese medicine, they are not natural to the body’s balanced state (called homeostasis). Pain, discomfort, menstrual clots, flu-like symptoms, and even nausea don’t need to be endured as a norm.
Understanding the Body’s Signals
From a Chinese medicine perspective, menstrual blood begins to collect in the lower abdomen a few days before the period starts. A trained practitioner can actually feel this change in a patient’s pulse, which is one way the body’s internal state is assessed in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
However, anyone can get a general idea of where they are in their cycle by observing the triangular fossa, the small hollow area in the outer ear. When blood begins to build up, this area may appear slightly purple and may swell as the period approaches. If it turns red, the period is currently in process. As menstruation comes to an end, the area fades to a smoky or brownish shade.
Moving Toward a More Harmonious Cycle
If Chinese medicine views menstruation as a natural and vital process, how can one move from experiencing uncomfortable symptoms to a more balanced and gentle expression of “heavenly water” flow?
The first step is to determine whether your body tends toward excess or deficiency, which are broad constitutional types in Chinese medicine. Below is a general guide to help you start understanding where you might fall, and how to bring your cycle closer to harmony.
Excess and Deficiency Signs and Symptoms
Excess Type
Heightened tension in the body and mind
Prefer little to no touch and limited company of others
Abdomen, breasts, and/or head may feel tender when pressed
Vocally irritable or easily frustrated
Pain is often sharp or stabbing
Constipation is common
Menstrual blood may appear thick with red or dark clots
Deficiency Type
Feel more depleted or low-energy
Find comfort in gentle touch and the company of others
Applying light pressure to the abdomen, breasts, or head feels soothing rather than painful
Mood may be low or withdrawn
Cramping pain usually appears toward the end of the period or after it finishes
Blood flow may contain small clots
Cold hands and/or feet
Foods During Heavenly Water
During menstruation, it’s important to support the body gently. Generally, try to avoid environments that are cold or damp, as well as physical and emotional extremes. Heavy physical work, emotional stress, or overexposure to cold and moisture can disrupt the body’s balance during this time. It’s also best to avoid constipation and abstain from sexual activity until the period has passed.
Avoid: alcohol, tobacco, coffee, cold-temperature foods, spicy foods, refined white sugar, hydrogenated fats, and highly processed oils (like many polyunsaturated cooking oils). Limit the overconsumption of fruit or raw food, which can be cooling to the body.
Instead, eat foods rich in iodine and iron to replenish nutrients lost during menstruation. Think legumes, leafy greens, and mineral-rich broths. Make sure all food is served warm—soups and stews are especially nourishing at this time.
Foods for Excess Types
Those with an “excess” constitution (often characterized by heat, tension, or fullness in the body) should focus on lighter, cleansing foods such as spinach, chard, kale, parsley juice, carrots, spirulina, millet, and flax. Avoid red meats, rich or overly sweet foods, and eggs, which can add more internal heat.
Foods for Deficient Types
Those with a “deficient” constitution (often marked by fatigue, weakness, or feeling cold easily) should eat grounding and gently warming foods such as oats, rice (black and red varieties are especially beneficial during menstruation), dill, caraway, basil, black beans, papaya, and squash. Avoid raw or cold foods, which can further weaken digestion and slow circulation.
Herbal Teas
For mild period cramps or PMS made worse by stress
Ingredients:
2 g rosebuds
2 g jasmine flowers
Instructions:
Steep for 5–7 minutes and drink while warm. If cramping is more noticeable, add a little honey to soothe the body and relax tension.
If stress symptoms are stronger (like irritability or tightness in the chest), add a small pinch of dried tangerine peel.
Begin drinking this tea about one week before the first day of your “heavenly water.”
Enjoy 1–2 cups per day, ideally during quiet or restful moments.
For mild cramps triggered by cold weather or a “cold” body constitution
Ingredients:
2 g fresh ginger
2 g brown sugar
3 red dates (jujubes) or 7 goji berries
Instructions:
Soak the red dates or goji berries for about 30 minutes before making the tea. Prepare the rest of the tea using the same method as recipe #1.
If you experience bloating, nausea, vomiting, or a stifling sensation in the chest, add 2 g of dried tangerine peel to gently warm and move energy (Qi).
If there’s breast tenderness before your period or if the menstrual blood contains visible clots, add 2 g of rosebuds to help move blood and relieve stagnation.
Meet Dr. Calvin Crichton
Dr. Calvin is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine specializing in women’s health, with a focus on hormonal balance, perimenopause, and menopause. His treatments support women in restoring energy, emotional harmony, and overall vitality through acupuncture, cupping, and herbal medicine. He believes healing should be a calm, nurturing experience that helps women feel at home in their bodies.
