Your 10-Step Guide to Supporting PCOS with Chinese Medicine

Essential Takeaways:

Identify Your Unique PCOS Symptoms and Determine Your Pattern Diagnosis
Adjust Your Diet for Hormonal Balance and Use Herbal Remedies for Symptom Relief
Incorporate Acupuncture & Acupressure and Manage Stress with Mind-Body Practices
Track Your Cycle & Adjust Accordingly and Support Your Journey with Elix’s Personalized Herbal Formulas
Get Expert Guidance from an Elix Herbal Consultant and Take the Next Step in Your PCOS Healing Journey

BONUS: Frequently Asked Questions About PCOS & TCM

Can Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Help PCOS? A Step-by-Step Guide to Healing Hormones with Herbal Medicine

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects 1 in 10 women. It’s linked to hormone imbalance, insulin resistance, ovarian cysts, and infertility. Conventional treatments like birth control or metformin mask symptoms, while Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) restores balance by addressing root causes with herbs, acupuncture, and nutrition.

Step 1: Identify Your PCOS Symptoms and Hormone Imbalances

Take the First Step Toward Personalized Support

PCOS is not a one-size-fits-all condition. Symptoms may include:

Signs of excess androgens (acne, unwanted hair growth, hair loss)
Insulin resistance (weight gain or sugar cravings t)
Cystic ovaries visible on ultrasound
Difficulty conceiving

Ready for a personalized herbal approach?

Step 2: Find Your TCM Pattern Diagnosis for PCOS

Each pattern represents a different type of imbalance in the body — and most people with PCOS experience a combination. Identifying your unique mix of patterns is the key to finding the right foods, herbs, and healing practices for long-term hormone balance.

Qi Deficiency – When Qi (vital energy) is weak, the body struggles to produce and circulate energy, leading to:

Fatigue and low energy
Slow metabolism and weight challenges
Poor digestion and bloating
Missed or irregular periods
Difficulty regulating blood sugar

Qi Stagnation – When Qi becomes blocked — often from stress, emotional tension, or lack of movement — hormones and circulation are disrupted.. This can lead to:

Irregular ovulation
PMS and mood swings
Breast tenderness or distention
Bloating and digestive discomfort
Frustration, irritability, or “stuck” emotions

Phlegm-Dampness – This develops when digestion is sluggish and excess dampness builds up in the body, creating blockages. It’s one of the most common patterns in PCOS and manifests as:

Ovarian cysts
persistent acne or oily skin
sugar cravings and difficulty losing weight
Water retention or bloating

Blood Stasis – When blood circulation is impaired, the reproductive system lacks nourishment, leading to:

Painful, clotted, or heavy periods
Dark purplish menstrual flow
Cyst or fibroid formation
Absent or irregular cycles

By understanding which patterns are driving your PCOS symptoms, you can begin tailoring your nutrition, lifestyle, and herbal medicine to restore balance at the root.

Discover your personal pattern diagnosis with the free Elix Health Assessment

Step 3: Eat for PCOS Healing with a TCM Diet for Hormone Balance

In TCM, food is considered one of the most powerful forms of medicine. Eating according to your pattern diagnosis helps balance hormones, improve digestion, and support long-term healing from PCOS.

Qi Deficiency: Eat warming foods like soups and stews to aid digestion and balance blood sugar with high-fiber, protein-rich meals

Recipe: Qi Nourishing Mushroom Millet Risotto

Blood Deficiency: Choose blood-building foods like dark leafy greens, beets, black beans, and eggs. Iron-rich and antioxidant foods support hormone balance and fertility.

Recipe: Antioxidant Rich Beet Mocktail

Phlegm-Dampness: Cut back on dairy, sugar, fried, and processed foods that create dampness. Favor foods that drain damp and clear phlegm, including mung beans, adzuki beans, pearl barley, seaweed, garlic, and onions. c

Recipe: Detox Salad with Immunity-Boosting Vinaigrette

Qi Stagnation: Add sour and bitter foods like lemon, dandelion greens, arugula, radishes, and hibiscus to keep Qi flowing.

Recipe: Soothing Hibiscus Rose Tea

Pro Tip: Warm herbal teas with cinnamon and ginger can improve circulation, reduce sugar cravings, and support healthy blood sugar levels.

Meet with an Elix expert to discover which foods best support your PCOS pattern diagnosis

[Schedule your consult today]

Step 4: Chinese Herbal Medicine for PCOS Symptom Relief

PCOS is driven by a mix of hormone imbalance, insulin resistance, inflammation, and stress. While conventional treatments target symptoms individually, TCM herbs address multiple root causes simultaneously.

Unlike pharmaceuticals, which can cause side effects or only temporary relief, Chinese herbs work with your body to restore balance, regulate cycles, and improve long-term fertility outcomes. Liquid herbal extracts, like those in Elix’s Cycle Balance, are more bioavailable than powders, ensuring faster absorption and greater effectiveness.

3 Essential Chinese Herbs for PCOS In Your Cycle Balance formula:

1. Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis)

✔ Supports healthy menstrual cycles by modulating hormones

✔ Promotes blood circulation to the uterus

✔ Contains anti-inflammatory, liver protective, and antioxidant properties

✔ Supports healthy ovulation

✔ Helps reduce common PMS symptoms

2. Bai Shao (White Peony)

✔ Helps balance hormones

✔ Improves insulin sensitivity

✔ Has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties

✔ Decreases excess androgen levels

✔ May reduce excess hair growth and acne

✔ Keeps Qi flowing freely

3. Bai Zhu (Atractylodes)

✔ Helps stabilize blood sugar and maintain a health weight

✔ Strengthens gut health

✔ Adaptogenic to help with stress and energy

✔ Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties

✔ Liver protective

✔ Qi builder

✔ Helps resolve phlegm-dampness

With the right herbal combination, PCOS symptoms can be managed at the root — from regulating cycles to reducing cyst formation and supporting fertility naturally.

Find your personalized herbal formula. Take the Elix Health Assessment

Step 5: Acupuncture and Acupressure Points for PCOS and Fertility

Acupuncture has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to support women’s reproductive health. For people with PCOS, it can play a key role in restoring hormone balance, regulating cycles, and improving fertility outcomes.

Research shows acupuncture may:

Normalize LH and FSH hormone levels
Reduce excess androgens that contribute to acne and hair growth
Improve insulin sensitivity and support healthy blood sugar control
Increase ovulation rates and egg quality
Enhance fertility outcomes – both naturally and alongside IVF

At Home Tip: Apply gentle acupressure to the Spleen 6 (SP6) acupoint (4 finger widths above the ankle on the inside of the lower leg) to help regulate your cycle and reduce stress.

Step 6: TCM Stress Management for PCOS and Hormone Health

Stress is one of the biggest triggers for PCOS flare-ups. When stress levels rise, cortisol spikes — disrupting ovulation, worsening insulin resistance, and increasing inflammation. Over time, this makes it harder for the body to maintain hormone balance. Recommended practices include:Qi Gong & Tai Chi for circulation and relaxation
Meditation & Breathwork to reduce cortisol levels and reduce anxiety
Journaling or Therapy to process emotions and keep Qi flowing smoothly
Daily Rituals: warm teas, short walks, or evening wind-down routines can also help regulate mood and energy.

TCM emphasizes stress management as a key step in restoring hormonal balance, improving cycles, and supporting long-term healing from PCOS. Take the Health Assessment

Step 7: Track Your PCOS and Cycle Symptoms for Better Healing

Tracking your cycle is one of the simplest yet most powerful tools in TCM for managing PCOS. By paying attention to your body’s daily signals, you can identify patterns, measure progress, and make adjustments to your herbs, nutrition, and lifestyle practices.

Take 30 seconds a day noting:

Cycle Day: Start with Day 1 as the first day of your period.
Symptoms: Note cramps, acne, mood, bloating, or fatigue (rate on a 1–10 scale).
Menstrual Flow: Track blood color, consistency, and clot size for insights into blood health and Qi flow.
Lifestyle Factors: Record stress levels, sleep quality, exercise, or travel that may affect your cycle.

Over time, this log helps you see whether your cycles are becoming more regular, symptoms are improving, and herbs or lifestyle changes are making a difference.

Take the Elix Health Assessment to learn how tracking can reveal your PCOS pattern diagnosis

Step 8: Personalized TCM Herbal Formulas for PCOS (Cycle Balance + Daily Harmony)

Elix’s Cycle Balance and Daily Harmony formulas bring together the wisdom of TCM and the rigor of modern clinical research to provide personalized support for PCOS.

✔ Backed by clinical research

✔ Personalized to your body’s unique pattern diagnosis

✔ Made with powerful, high-quality organic and wild harvested herbs

✔ Targets hormone balance, stress, and menstrual irregularities

Why Personalization Matters for PCOS

No two cases of PCOS are the same. Symptoms can include irregular cycles, ovarian cysts, acne, mood swings, or insulin resistance — but the root pattern diagnosis driving those symptoms differs for each person. A one-size-fits-all supplement rarely works.

That’s why Elix’s Cycle Balance is formulated based on your personal Health Assessment results, ensuring your herbs address the exact imbalances your body is experiencing.

Clinical Research on Elix’s Formulas

Elix conducted its second independent clinical study on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) focusing on Cycle Balance (personalized formulas) and Daily Harmony. Participants took these daily for six months.

Results showed:

~90% of participants who were not on birth control reported improved cycle regularity after using Cycle Balance and Daily Harmony.
Over 70% reported symptom relief, including reduced acne, cramps, mood swings, and overall PCOS symptoms.
Those who combined Elix’s formulas with healthy lifestyle habits saw even greater benefits, reinforcing the importance of a holistic approach to wellness.

Addressing the Women’s Health Research Gap

PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders — yet women’s health research receives less than 1% of the funding allocated to erectile dysfunction. With up to 70% of PCOS cases undiagnosed, Elix is committed to changing that by investing in clinical studies that validate natural, root-cause solutions.

By combining ancient herbal medicine with modern science, Elix empowers people with PCOS to achieve long-term hormone balance, improved cycles, and sustainable healing.

Ready to take control of your PCOS journey? Take the Health Assessment

Step 9: Speak with a Licensed TCM Practitioner for PCOS Support

For deeper, one-on-one support, you can connect with an Elix Practitioner — a licensed Doctor of Chinese Medicine or board-certified herbalist — to review your Health Assessment results and guide your healing journey

During your consultation, your practitioner will:

Interpret your pattern diagnosis in detail
Recommend the most effective Chinese herbs and formulas for your unique PCOS symptoms
Provide tailored advice on nutrition, lifestyle, and stress management
Help you track your progress and adjust your plan as your body heals

Having expert guidance ensures you get the most out of your formulas and daily rituals, building a foundation for long-term hormone balance, cycle regularity, and improved fertility outcomes.

Schedule Your personalized consultation

Step 10: Learn About PCOS and Chinese Medicine in a Free Webinar & PCOS Q&A

Curious to learn more? Elix offers a free educational webinar that explores PCOS through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Led by Dr. Fine, a Doctor of Chinese Medicine specializing in reproductive health, this session helps you understand:

The root causes of PCOS from a TCM perspective
How Chinese herbs and acupuncture work to regulate cycles and shrink cysts
Natural strategies to balance hormones, improve fertility, and support long-term healing

This masterclass is designed to empower you with the knowledge to make informed choices about your PCOS journey — and to see how combining ancient wisdom with modern science can create lasting results.

Watch the free PCOS 101: From a Chinese Medicine POV With Dr. Fine

BONUS: Frequently Asked Questions About PCOS & TCM

Still have questions about PCOS and Traditional Chinese Medicine? We've compiled the most common concerns from women seeking natural hormone balance solutions. From treatment timelines and herb recommendations to safety considerations and lifestyle changes, our comprehensive FAQ addresses everything you need to know about using TCM for PCOS.

👉 Read our complete PCOS & TCM FAQ →

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