I had the fortunate opportunity to meet Dr. Christiane Northrup at an event here in New York City the other night. An inspiration to many women throughout the world, she has personally been an instrumental source of insight and intrigue into understanding the complexities of the female body. Her 29-years of western clinical experience has revealed the inseparable nature of the mind-body connection. Although the concept of a mind-body connection is not a ”new” one, her work is revolutionary in that she has been able to translate this intangible notion into Western gynecological diagnoses, digestible for the intellectual mind. If you are unfamiliar with her work, start with picking up a copy of her first (and most famed) book: “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom.” I highly recommend it to any woman!
One of the first insights Dr. Northrup ever gave to me was the comparative notion of the uterus as an organ relating to individual creativity. It took me a few years to fully comprehend what this actually meant in terms of the mind-body connection. Having been in private practice of an energetic medicine and studying reproductive pathology for many years now, I have seen the miraculous truth of such a correlation.
The uterus, in anatomical and physiological terms, has one main purpose in a woman’s body: to birth children. In Chinese language, the uterus is termed Bao Gong or, Palace of the Child. Although this is a huge and important purpose, it is a relatively unused function in relation to the number of years a woman spends in reproductive age. What’s the purpose behind all the months of cycles for thirty-plus years? And, especially in those not seeking pregnancy?
In addition to revealing a woman’s hormonal balance, the menstrual cycle can reflect imbalances with other areas of her life and health: emotional, physical, seasonal, stress and in her relationship to the world. The state of the uterus and of a woman’s cycle may give insight to the ability and freedom for her to create, grow and give life to other areas of her reality. Such areas may include: relationships, ideas, dreams, and goals. This concept, as outlined more clearly by Dr. Northrup in her book, gives rise to the idea that the importance of the uterus and of a woman’s menstrual cycle do not solely revolve around procreation of children. Nor, is the function of such cycles devalued in non-pregnancy seeking women. I find this liberating, as a woman, and extremely empowering to my patients, as a clinician.
Regulating a woman’s cycle and learning how to read its signs helps not only with fertility, but serves as a reflection of ourselves in the present moment and can also prevent future problems. I encourage you to check out my meet-up group at: www.meetup/newyorkwomenshealth for more information and upcoming events I’ll be hosting on similar topics. Acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet, exercise, and meditation are all invaluable tools in creating more awareness and balance in the menstrual cycle and in life.
I want to personally thank Dr. Northrup for all she has contributed to the medical profession and to the health of women everywhere. -Erin
