Traditional Chinese Medicine for LGBTQIA+ Health

At its core, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) understands the body in a way that makes its variety of wellness practices beneficial for everyone, no matter your identity. Treatments such as acupuncture and herbal remedies look at the mind, body, spirit, and energy (AKA qi) as a whole—rather than focusing on gender-specific treatment or therapies—to help with everything from reproductive health, to emotional wellbeing.

Emotional Support

Stress, anxiety, burnout, and trauma not only affect our mood and mental health, but can impact our physical health as well. Everything from digestive and respiratory issues to muscle tension and headaches can manifest from emotional imbalances. In TCM we believe that by tuning into these emotional and physical cues, we can better understand how to holistically support our bodies, and heal at the root. Here are some TCM practices and self-care rituals you can incorporate into your wellness routines to rediscover balance:

Adaptogens: An adaptogen is any plant or herb that helps the body adapt to stress by exerting a normalizing effect on the body’s processes, depending on what’s needed. For example, if you’re feeling anxious and can’t sleep, an adaptogen like Reishi can help relax the body, while Ginseng can help lift you out of fatigue. Elix harnesses the power of these adaptogens in our Daily Harmony formula to help you adapt to stress, fight fatigue, aid digestion, support cognitive function, and improve your overall mood.

Acupressure: Acupressure involves massaging specific points on the body to help your essential life energy (AKA Qi) flow smoothly throughout the body.  Incorporating acupressure into your daily rhythms can bolster your health and ease any stress that comes your way—and the best part is that it only requires your hands! 

Acupuncture: Going to your local TCM clinic for acupuncture can help improve the flow of Qi in your body, and regulate the stress hormones in the body that switch on our “fight or flight” response that can cause us to spiral into a state of anxiety and panic. 

Breathwork & Meditation: Breathwork, or conscious deep rhythmic breathing, allows us to tap into our natural systems of relaxation to improve our mood, sleep, digestion, immune health, and more. Try these 3 simple breathwork and meditation exercises from leading mind coach Manjit Devgun to help you remove the distractions of everyday life and ease yourself into a state of calm and relaxation.

Hormone Health

If birth control isn’t an option for you, or you are looking for a more holistic alternative to help balance hormones, TCM and food therapy can help reduce PMS symptoms, boost fertility, and regulate your cycle. 

Food Therapy: Eating meals suited to your body’s constitution and supporting your hormones with quality fats, protein, and fiber like brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, oatmeal and vegetables is a great way to get your cycle back on track. Check out the recipes on our blog from Chinese Food Therapist and Elix advisor, Zoey Gong. 

Chinese Herbal Medicine: The clinical strength herbs found in our Cycle Balance formulas have also been shown to regulate menstrual cycles and reduce uncomfortable PMS symptoms like cramps, migraines, headaches, fatigue, bloating, and more with fewer side effects than conventional treatments. Acupuncture and herbal formulas can also support your fertility journey by tonifying the body of qi and blood, assisting with the egg retrieval and freezing process, should you decide to start family planning.

Transgender Wellness

Chinese medicine also offers support options for those transitioning to help balance hormones, increase libido, and help mitigate some of the side effects that come with hormone therapy. 

Hormone Replacement Therapy Support: Herbs like safflower, cinnamon, angelica sinensis, and poria, can also help balance your hormones and relieve some of the side effects from HRT such as breast tenderness, mood swings, acne, headaches, indigestion, and more. Take our health assessment to discover the unique Cycle Balance blend that’s most beneficial to your body. 

Libido Support: Chinese medicine has long used acupuncture and herbal medicine to  enhance libido, which can often be affected by qi deficiency and stagnant blood. The herbs in our Cycle Balance formula, such as ginseng or angelica sinensis, can help reinvigorate qi flow, while white peony and motherwort improve circulation.

Support for Post Surgery Recovery: Acupuncture can help reduce inflammation, pain, while also increasing mobility and microvascular circulation. 

From supporting hormone health, to reducing stress and everything in-between, Elix is here to help support you on every step of your wellness journey. Start by taking our Health Assessment to discover personalized Chinese Herbal Medicine for your unique needs, or reach out to our care team at team@elixhealing.com with any questions.

This article was reviewed by Dr. Liem Le.

Dr. Liem Le is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, Functional Medicine Practitioner, and Nutritionist Integrative Medicine Department at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. He is a part of the teaching staff for the Masters program for the Functional Medicine and Human Nutrition program at University of Western States. Dr. Le is currently working on his fellowship in Integrative Medicine with the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine via a scholarship from the White House to complete the initiative.