In TCM,  the kidney system is accountable for our genetic make up. It dictates growth and development. It determines when women menstruate and when they go into menopause.

The kidney system connects and covers the reproductive system. The emotion of fright is damaging to the kidneys as well as to the adrenals. Fright is said to “ scatter the Qi,” and when Qi is scattered , it cannot hold an embryo in the uterus. This describes one  way in which stress       (fear) can impair proper functioning of the reproductive system. Occasionally a woman who has no chance of being a mother actually becomes pregnant once her kidney system has been put back into balance.

Stimulating the kidney system can also restore normal levels of FSH . According to Western reproductive medicine , the main determinant of reproductive “youth “is FSH, which is produced by the pituitary gland. In the course of  a normal monthly cycle , the release of FSH stimulates a women’s ovaries to produce estrogen and begin follicular development. Early in a woman’s cycle this particular hormone should be low. If this particular hormone is elevated above 10 IU on day 3 of a woman’s cycle, this tells that the woman’s ovaries are not responding well. A woman with elevated FSH levels will be diagnosed as having “ ovarian failure.” However, as I have seen time in my clinic if a woman has healthy  ovaries , by treating her kidney system with herbs and acupuncture, TCM can stimulate her ovaries to respond normally to FSH , produce higher levels of estrogen , and develop healthy follicles and eggs.

Chinese  medicine considers the kidneys the root and support of all the other organs .  The kidneys are also where we store off  Essence . That ‘s  one of the reasons that menopausal symptoms can be alleviated when the kidney system  is notified or stimulated. A second type of Essence stored in the kidneys is produced by the Spleen from the food, air, and water we take in . Because an unhealthy diet  and unwholesome lifestyle exhaust the Essence , making changes in your diet and lifestyle can have a direct effect on the kidneys.