6 Body Types of Infertility and Its TCM Treatment

6 Body Types of Infertility and Its TCM Treatment

Having a baby can be a precious time of life, but according to the study, one out of eight couples in the U.S has trouble with infertility. 

As a solution, a vitro treatment, one of the most famous infertility treatments, costs between $12,000 ~ $15,000, which is not affordable for most people.

Infertility happens when productive organs of women and men because of women and men. The cause of infertility may vary from lifestyle to diet.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), there are 3 conditions in which women need to get pregnant.

・Good condition on a productive organ.

・Smooth energy flow (chakra) in body.

・Appropriate temperature of body and womb.

This article explains about six body constitution types in which women can have infertility, symptoms, causes, and natural remedies for each body type from the perspective of TCM.

Unlike the vitro treatment, these natural remedies are cheap and easy, to begin with.

1. Kidney Yang Deficiency:

Symptoms: Irregular cycle of menstruation, tiny amount of blood when menstruation, light color of menstruation blood, clear virginal discharge, cold intolerance on lower ab, loss of energy, fatigue, pale face, dark circles around eyes, loss of sex drive, frequent urination during sleeping time, loose or soft stools.

Causes: congenital factor, too many sexual intercourses, overworking, staying up late frequently, abortion in past, overdose of pills, drinking cold beverages and eating raw food a lot, smoking tobacco, overdrinking

Improvement tips: 
・Refrain from cold food, cold beverages, and raw food
・Reduce frequency of sexual intercourses
・Avoid staying up late and rest well during work
・Recommended food: black beans, black sesame, walnut, okra, shrimp, oyster. Black-colored foods are considered to be good for a reproductive organ.
・Tea: black bean tea, jujube tea + goji berry tea
・Pressing KD23 & KD1 pressure points for 5 mins

2. Kidney Yin Deficiency:

Symptoms: Irregular cycle of menstruation, pale red or pink of menstrual blood, little amount of menstrual blood,  hot feet, sleep disorder, night sweats, dry mouth, ringing in ears, hair loss

Causes: congenital factor, too many sexual intercourses in a short period of time, high fever, eating spicy food daily, overworking, staying up late often, psychological trauma

Improvement tips:
・Avoid eating spicy and fried food
・Recommended food: black beans, black sesame, walnut, okra, shrimp, oyster, soy milk, cucumbers, tomatoes, white sesame, watermelon, honey. 
・Pressing KD23, KD1, KD3, SP6 pressure points for 5 mins

In Type 1 & 2, it is usually hard to improve infertility even if you change your diet and lifestyle. We recommend taking Chinese herbs as well.

If you are interested in them, visit YourKampo – An online Chinese herb prescription service.

3. Qi & Blood Deficiency:

Symptoms: little or a lot of amount of period blood, yellow or clear period blood,  late-cycle of the period, vertigo/dizziness, pale face, fatigue, sleepy, sleep disorder, loss of appetite, dry skin and hair, brain fog, cold intolerance

Causes: crash diet, unhealthy diet, over-workout, weak stomach, overworking, after surgery, convalescence

Improvement tips: 
・Avoid unhealthy crash diets.
・Refrain from sweet, fried, greasy, cold, and raw food
・Avoid cold beverages and hot drink beverages instead
・Eat steamed or grilled salad 
・Recommended food: yams, spinach, carrot, potatoes, mushrooms, chicken, pork, mutton & lamb, honey, grape, peach.
・Recommended tea: jujube tea, black bean tea, ginseng tea
・Pressing REN4, REN6, ST36 pressure points for 5 mins.

4. Liver QI Stagnation:

Symptoms: irregular menstrual cycle, dark period blood, period clots, bloated stomach before menstruation, irritability, depression,

Causes: A lot of stress, negative thinking, overthinking

The best approach to this type is to reduce your stress as much as possible.

Improvement tips:
・Talk your problems to family, friends, or therapists.
・Go hiking or beach to feel nature.
・Exercise regularly.
・Meditation 10 mins after waking up and before going to bed. www.calm.com
・Recommended tea: mint tea, jasmine tea, rose tea
・Pressing LV3, LV2 pressure points for 5 mins.

5. Blood Stasis:

Symptoms: heavy period pain, dark purplish-red period color, period clots, bloated stomach before period, purplish lips.

Causes: Emotional problem, eating cold, sweet, and dairy products daily, lack of exercise, living in a cold area.

Tips for Type 5 come is

Improvement tips:
・Tips from Type4
・Refrain from eating sweet, cold, and dairy products.
・Recommended food/drink: onions, black beans, hot wine
・Recommended tea: rose tea, ginger tea
・Pressing LV3, LV2 pressure points for 5 mins.

6. Damp-phlegm:

Symptom: late-period cycle & sometimes never comes, a lot of virginal discharge and sticky, loss of appetite, loose stools, pale face, fatigue, vertigo.

Causes: Living in a humid area, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise

The main way to improve infertility in Type 6 is to change diet.

Improvement tips: 
・Avoid eating cold products, sweets, snacks, raw salad & fruit.
・Do regular exercises such as jogging, yoga, stretching
・Recommended tea: corn silk tea
・Pressing LV3, LV2 pressure points for 5 mins.

Once again, the reason for infertility is coming from both women and men, so please don’t blame each other so much.

With that being said, the next post is about the men so stay tuned.

Even if you try natural remedies and don’t see any improvements, you may want to try natural Chinese herbs. We can help you find an effective Chinese herb for your infertility.

Visit YourKampo – An online Chinese herb prescription service.

Please feel welcome to comment if you have any questions about this post.

Sayonara till next post.

About Author: Satoru Ozawa – Doctor of Oriental Medicine, an acupuncturist, and a Chinese herb specialist.