As I've talked about throughout my recipes, the key principles of Chinese dietary therapy, particularly in keeping one's "Middle Burner" warm, hold the key to all things in maintaining physical, mental, and spiritual balance.  During my travels through Asia, I'm always amazed by the degree to which people turn to the right flavor and "temperature" types in their food and ingredient selections to help maintain their health goals.  This is particularly true for women, who stay clear of anything "cold" during the menstrual cycle to help offset the negative side effects of their monthly cycles (translation - no cold salads, pressed juices, and the like). 

The Concept of "Cold" and Menstrual Pain

According to Chinese medicine theory, there can be many reasons for menstrual pain. One of the most common factors is “cold” (for an overview on the concept of cold in Chinese dietary therapy, read this article).  In a pinch, when abdominal discomfort hits, many women in China might seek relief by heading first to their kitchen to brew a ginger tea, sweetened with brown sugar.

Ginger, an essential spice in Chinese cuisine and Chinese medicine, is also a wonderful “pungent, warming” herb (helping keep your stomach "warm"). Oftentimes, doctors of Chinese medicine use this to warm the stomach and stop vomiting. Brown sugar, which is also considered “warming” from a Chinese medicine perspective, complements ginger by softening its spicy effects on the palate. The recipe below is my version of a traditional warming tea used to support comfort during the menstrual cycle.

A Modern Twist on a Popular "Remedy" for Women in China

According to Chinese dietary therapy, because ginger tends to travel more to the upper and central abdomen, I have improved upon this home remedy by adding two more spices to bring warmth to the lower abdomen, the focus of the problem for many women during their cycles. First, I added cinnamon bark (you can simply use cinnamon), which is considered “hot and pungent” in traditional Chinese medicine. It’s thought to support healthy circulation, warm the body, and promote comfort during the menstrual cycle by helping to "disperse cold" and move Qi and Blood.

Next, we added fennel seeds, which have similar properties but relieve pain by working at the “Qi” level. Together, these two spices ensure that Qi and Blood begin to move again, clearing away the “blockages” that often cause pain during menstruation.

This tasty warm beverage may be an excellent way to survive the discomforts of your monthly cycle.  If you don’t have all these ingredients in your pantry, feel free to substitute other spices.  You might consider cloves, which "warm the interior", dispel pain, and stop vomiting; nutmeg also warms the interior and moves Qi; cardamom transforms dampness and stops vomiting.

For added support, you might consider adding a packet of Emotional Balance (popular for PMS wellness). According to traditional Chinese medicine, menstrual cramping before or just as your period begins is often linked to “excess.” Emotional Balance, known for promoting the smooth flow of Qi, may offer additional comfort during this time.

Frothy Chai Spiced Almond Milk

Serving size: About 2

Prep Time / Cook Time: 5 minutes /  15 minutes

Ingredients

10 Ounces Water

¼ Teaspoon Fennel Seed

2 Teaspoons Fresh Ginger, Small Dice

10 Ounces Almond Milk

A dash or two of Cinnamon

2 Teaspoons Brown Sugar

1 Packet DAO Labs Emotional Balance

Directions:

Toast fennel seeds very lightly in a saucepan, crush in a mortar and pestle, and steep in simmering water along with the fresh ginger for about 5-10 minutes.Sstrain and return to the saucepan. 

In a separate saucepan, warm the almond milk with the cinnamon and brown sugar until the flavors have combined and blend on high for about 15-20 seconds to froth (Use any frothing device you have available).  Combine the two mixtures and add one packet of DAO Labs Emotional Balance; the effervescent herbs will bubble a little.  Divide between two mugs and top each with a dash of ground cinnamon.  

The recipes on The Way are intended as an East meets West look at food and its relationship to health and nutrition. Food is powerful, and every bite can either greatly benefit your system or effectively work against it. In Chinese Medicine, each grain, vegetable, meat, fruit, and spice has unique properties that can be harnessed to help us achieve and maintain balance in our bodies. Our recipes seek to incorporate some of the age-old principles of Chinese medicine into the culinary practices more familiar to the West.

Care Consideration: Just a reminder that the above information is not a substitute for medical care and is not a substitute for medical advice or recommendations from a healthcare provider. This information is not intended to treat, mitigate, or cure any disease.  That said, we encourage you to connect with an Acupuncturist in your community to learn more about this and other Traditional Chinese Medicine options.  If you’ve got questions about Chinese herbal medicine or getting started with an Acupuncturist, feel free to connect with us at hello@mydaolabs.com.

Dining with Culinary Artist Travis Metzger is an unforgettable experience. You can taste the passion, creativity and culinary expertise in each of Travis’s one-of-kind recipes. Most would agree that Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs in their original form taste less than delectable, but Travis has proven that TCM for today can taste great with DAO Labs. Travis develops unique flavors for each DAO formula to complement the proprietary blend of herbs and their health benefits. After extensive training at the New England Culinary Institute, Travis ran some of the finest restaurants across the country before starting his own in Minneapolis. To survive the stresses and physical challenges of the kitchen heat, Travis focused on combining natural ingredients for healthy AND delicious eating and juicing.