20/04/2026
Just because you get a monthly cycle, doesn’t mean that it is healthy!
When I examine somebody’s cycle, I ask A LOT of questions. Yes, I include whether or not they are regular, but also whether or not the cycle is short, long, if it changes, and what symptoms accompany it.
Together this information tells a much fuller story:
🩸Short cycles
TCM= not enough time to build before a bleed due to:
→ Heat, Deficiency of Qi, Yin etc.
WM= early ovulation or a shortened luteal phase
→ Early ovulation/ short follicular phase: reduces ovarian reserve, , stress, thyroid, suboptimal follicle development etc.
→ Progesterone insufficiency : luteal phase defect, oestrogen dominance, thyroid issues, stress, under-fuelling etc.
→ Oestrogen dominance/ low progesterone
🩸Long cycles
TCM= either not enough movement or not enough substance
→ Blood Deficiency, Kidney deficiency, Stagnation, Cold in the Uterus
WM= delayed or absent ovulation/ long follicular
→ Delayed ovulation: PCOS, stress/HPA axis dysfunction, thyroid, under-eating, post-hormonal contraception imbalance
→ Anovulation (no ovulation): PCOS, hypothalamic amenorrhoea, hyperprolactinemia
→ Low oestrogen/poor follicle development
🩸Irregular cycles
TCM= a lack of regulation
→ Liver Qi Stagnation, Kidney Deficiency, Qi/Blood deficiency, Phlegm/Damp accumulation
WM= inconsistent ovulation or absent ovulation
→ Ovulatory dysfunction due to: PCOS, Hypothalamic disfunction, thyroid, elevated prolactin
→ HPO axis dysfunction: stress, energy availability, sleep disruption
→ Perimenopause: fluctuating hormones and inconsistency
Your cycle isn’t just showing up, it’s telling you all about what’s happening in your body!
