-IBIS-1.5.0-
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reproductive system
dysmenorrhea
nutrition

dietary guidelines

eating principles:
Alter the diet to include a high percentage of complex carbohydrates and low fat intake, especially from arachidonic acid sources, which is the substrate for prostaglandin. (Marz, p. 430, 1997)
• Vegan diet of 75% complex carbohydrates, 15% protein, 10% fat
• High fiber diet

therapeutic foods:
• Increase foods rich in Sodium, Iron, Calcium and Magnesium
• Increase omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids: vegetable, nut, seed oils, salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, walnuts, flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, black currant oil
» for Liver Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency):
• Increase foods that nourish Xue (Blood) and tonify the Spleen and Stomach; bland foods
• Blackberries, beets, blueberries, parsley, raspberries

specific remedies:
• Irregular menstruation: boil 3 oz. raw brown sugar, 3 oz. dried dates and 1/2 oz. ginger in l pt of water until reduced to half. Drink once per day (Butt and Bloomfield, p. 148)
• Cook 60 g black soybeans, 2 unshelled eggs and 120 g rice wine over low Heat; peel eggs after cooking and then cook eggs again; add rice wine. Eat the eggs and drink the hot soup to relieve pain. (Lu, p. 150)
• Boil 50 g fresh parsley in 3 cups water until the water is reduced to l cup; crack 1 egg into the boiling water and add some seasoning. Eat to relieve pain. (Lu, p. 151)

fresh juices:
• Carrot juice (Walker, p. 146)
• Carrot and spinach juice (Walker, p. 146)
• Carrot, beet, and cucumber (Walker, p. 146)

therapeutic foods
for Stagnant Liver Qi or Stagnancy in the Liver channel type:
• Foods that invigorate the Qi, Liver foods, sour foods, Dispersing foods, foods that open channels
• Foods rich in Vitamin B-complex and Calcium
• Foods rich in Magnesium

therapeutic foods
for Cold in Uterus or Meridians type :
• Warming or Heating foods, foods that open the channels, Liver foods

specific remedies:
• Boil 30 g dried ginger in water along with 30 g brown sugar and 30 g seeded red dates and drink (Lu, p. 150)
• Prepare 24 gr fresh ginger, 30 g red dates, and 9 g red pepper. Cut the ginger and pepper as you would in normal cooking; boil the 3 ingredients in 3 glasses water until the water is reduced by half. Drink hot to relieve pain
(Lu, p. 150)
• Boil 5 g cinnamon twigs, 15 g hawthorne fruits, and 30 gr brown sugar in 3 glasses water until water is reduced by half; add brown sugar and continue to boil for a few seconds. Drink hot to relieve pain (Lu, p. 151)

avoid:
Coffee, caffeine, food intolerances


supplements

Essential fatty acids: 2 Tbsp per day
Magnesium: 500-800 mg per day (Abraham, G. Clin. Obstet. Gynecol. 21(1):139-45, 1978)
Vitamin B6: 100 mg three times daily
Calcium: 1000-1500 mg per day
Vitamin E: 1200 IU per day (Butler, McKnight. Lancet 1:844-47, 1955)
• Vitamin B3 100 mg twice daily (will cause flushing)
• Bromelain: crush tab into KY jelly and insert in vagina to relax os
• Magnesium IV 2 cc for acute IM 2-3 cc for acute

» drug interaction:
• Potassium and indomethacin (Indocin): as a prostaglandin inhibitor, indomethacin reduces renin and aldosterone, and consequently reduces potassium excretion and causes hyperkalemia (Goldszer, et al., 1981; 141: 802-804; Tan, et al., 1979; 90: 783-785; MacCarthy, et al., 1979; 1: 550)


footnotes

Abraham, G. Primary dysmenorrhea Clin. Obstet. Gynecol. 21(1):139-45, 1978.
Abstract: Patients received amino-acid chelated magnesium and B6 100mg of each every 2 hrs as needed during menses and 4x daily throughout the cycle until RBC magnesium returned to normal. There was a progressive decrease in intensity and duration of menstrual cramps over 4-6 months.

Butler, McKnight. Vitamin E in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. Lancet 1:844-47, 1955.
Abstract: 100 young women 18-21 with spasmodic dysmenorrhea received either 50mg vitamin E three times per day or placebo for 10 days premenstrually and for the next 4 days. After 2 cycles, 34/50 (68%) in the experimental group improved compared to 9/50 (18%) of the controls.