Kiah McGowan TCM

Kiah McGowan TCM Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine Practitioner in Northcote, Melbourne.

02/12/2025

EPISODE 3: What to Expect After Coming Off the Pill

🔄 What’s happening inside
• Brain + ovaries are reconnecting
• Natural estrogen + progesterone production resumes
• Hormones can fluctuate as your cycle re-establishes itself

Common post-pill symptoms (temporary!)
• Irregular or missing periods
• Acne (often jawline, back, chest)
• PMS, mood swings, anxiety
• Breast tenderness
• Heavier or painful bleeds
• Sleep changes or fatigue
(Most symptoms settle within 3–6 months as ovulation returns, up to even 2 years).

🥑 Functional medicine supports
• Eat enough: don’t restrict calories while rebuilding hormones
• Focus on protein + healthy fats daily
• Support detox with cruciferous veggies + fibre
• Limit caffeine + alcohol while hormones rebalance

🍵TCM support
• Move Liver Qi: gentle exercise, avoid emotional stagnation, acupuncture
• Nourish Blood & Yin: red dates, black sesame, bone broth, spinach, eggs, tofu, spinach
• Warm the womb: ginger tea, cinnamon, avoid excess cold/raw foods
• Calm the Shen (mind): grounding routines, meditation, early nights

Remember:
Your body isn’t broken! It’s recalibrating.
Be patient, nourish deeply, and allow your natural rhythm to return. If you need some extra help, or things just aren’t changing, it could be sign your body needs extra (with conditions such as PCOS or endo). Get in touch :)

The lead-up to the holiday break can be exhausting, and your cycle feels that pressure.Aligning the way you work with yo...
30/11/2025

The lead-up to the holiday break can be exhausting, and your cycle feels that pressure.

Aligning the way you work with your hormonal phases can help you get more done without burning out.

Small shifts, big difference!

20/11/2025

EPISODE 2: Preparing Your Body Before Coming Off the Pill

⏳ Why 2–3 months of prep helps
• Re-awakens your brain–ovary communication
• Supports balanced estrogen + progesterone production
• Rebuilds nutrients depleted by the pill (zinc, magnesium, B vitamins)
• Strengthens Liver + digestion for hormone clearance
• Reduces post-pill symptoms like acne, PMS, or irregular cycles

🥗 Nourish with food
🥑 Healthy fats: avocado, olive oil, salmon, tahini
🍳 Protein: eggs, legumes, organic poultry
🍠Complex carbs: sweet potato, quinoa, brown rice
🥬 Cruciferous veg: broccoli, kale, cabbage → supports estrogen metabolism
❤️ Blood-nourishing foods: beetroot, bone broth, goji berries, red dates

☯️ TCM perspective
• Build Yin (fluids + nourishment) → soups, congee, cooked veggies
• Move Liver Qi gently → leafy greens, daily movement, breathwork

🔥 Support detox pathways
• Keep bowels moving → fibre, hydration, whole foods
• Add lemon water, radish, bitter greens, dandelion tea
• Move daily to support Liver Qi + hormone excretion (“fire” process)

💆‍♀️ Support stress + sleep
• Journal, breathwork, slow walks
• Herbal teas: chamomile, lemon balm, reishi, schisandra
• Aim for 7–9 hrs of sleep

➡️ Next: What to expect after coming off the pill.

10/11/2025

Hot take: Most people aren’t infertile. In fact, I think that infertility is actually just a symptom of a wider imbalance.

What they call “unexplained infertility” has an explanation… it just hasn’t been investigated deeply enough.

Things l commonly see behind what others call “infertility” include:
• Suboptimal egg or s***m quality
• Nutrient deficiencies (iron, B12, iodine, zinc, vitamin D)
• Thyroid or insulin resistance patterns
• Gut inflammation or microbiome disruption
• Chronic stress chemistry (cortisol, adrenaline dominance)
• Hormonal miscommunication between the brain and ovaries

Fertility is a multifactorial state of health. When we restore balance, nourish the foundations, and identify the why, the body often knows exactly what to do.

If you’ve been told you’re infertile, without a definitive reason WHY, that’s your sign to dig deeper.
Your body isn’t broken. You just haven’t been given the full picture yet.

05/11/2025

EPISODE 1: How the pill works❓
- Switches off ovulation → no egg released
- Replaces your natural estrogen + progesterone with synthetic versions
- The “period” you get is a withdrawal bleed (not a real menstrual cycle)
- Puts your brain–ovary communication (HPO axis) on pause

Why this matters ‼️
- Natural estrogen supports mood, skin, bone strength, metabolism
- Natural progesterone calms the nervous system, supports sleep + regular cycles
- Synthetic hormones can’t fully replicate these effects

When the pill can be helpful ❔
- Reliable contraception
- Reducing heavy or painful bleeding
- Managing acne or endometriosis symptoms
- Regulating cycles in PCOS (short-term support)

The empowered choice ❣️
Your body, your choice! Stay on the pill if it supports your lifestyle.
It’s also okay to come off- just do it intentionally, with preparation.

➡️ Next up: How to prepare your body before stopping the pill.

Your PMS cravings aren’t random! They’re your body’s way of telling you what it needs. In Western medicine, it’s often a...
07/09/2025

Your PMS cravings aren’t random!

They’re your body’s way of telling you what it needs. In Western medicine, it’s often about hormone shifts, serotonin dips, and nutrient demand. In Chinese medicine, cravings reflect imbalances in Qi, Blood, Yin or Yang, and the flavours your body calls for to restore balance:

🍫 Sugar → energy dips + Spleen Qi deficiency
🍟 Salty → adrenal stress + Kidney imbalance
🥒 Sour/Fermented → Liver Qi stagnation
🥩 Red Meat/Protein → low iron + Blood deficiency
🌶️ Spicy → Liver Qi stagnation / internal Cold
🍞 Carbs → serotonin support + Spleen Qi weakness

👉 Instead of seeing cravings as weakness, try viewing them as messages. With the right food swaps and lifestyle supports, you might just reduce PMS, improve mood, and nourish your cycle long-term. This, with the addition of TCM treatments can be great for those with more severe symptoms.

Save this for your next cycle + share with someone who always gets pre-period cravings!


Struggling with heavy periods, sore b***s, PMS, or bloating before your cycle? These are all not normal, and tell us it ...
01/08/2025

Struggling with heavy periods, sore b***s, PMS, or bloating before your cycle? These are all not normal, and tell us it is time to check in on your hormonal balance.

You might be dealing with oestrogen dominance, one of the most common hormone imbalances I see in my clinic.

It can show up as:
• Mood swings
• Painful or heavy periods
• Breast tenderness
• Fatigue or poor sleep
• Weight gain around hips, thighs, or belly

The good news? There’s so much you can do to support your body naturally. From liver and gut health to blood sugar balance and reducing hormone-disrupting exposures, it’s all connected!

This post breaks down:
✔ What oestrogen dominance is
✔ Why it happens
✔ What symptoms to look for
✔ And practical steps to start rebalancing today

Save this one to come back to or screen shot along

And if it feels like your hormones are all over the place - you don’t have to figure it out alone.

📩 DM me if you’d like support with your cycle or hormones


Because using ancient wellness practices doesn’t have to be so complex! Consistent, simple habits make a big difference....
25/07/2025

Because using ancient wellness practices doesn’t have to be so complex! Consistent, simple habits make a big difference.

Here are four easy practices I use every week:
1. Cooking with herbal broths
Adding Chinese herbs to soups and broths is a simple way to nourish your body and support digestion.
2. Natural skincare tools
Gua sha and facial rollers help boost circulation, release tension, and promote healthy skin.
3. Moving with your cycle
Energy shifts throughout the menstrual cycle. Adjusting your exercise to match these phases helps maintain balance and prevent fatigue.
4. Choosing warm foods over cold
Warm, cooked meals are easier to digest and support your digestive energy, which is central to overall health in TCM.

Start with one or two of these habits and see how they make you feel.

Your period is like your own built-in health update.
The colour, texture, and flow of your period can reflect the state ...
19/05/2025

Your period is like your own built-in health update.

The colour, texture, and flow of your period can reflect the state of your hormones, circulation, nutrient levels, and organ systems.
Here’s what different types of menstrual blood may indicate — and gentle ways to support your body:

🔴 Bright Red Blood
Generally a sign of healthy circulation and balanced hormones.
➤ Support: Nourishing, regular meals; gentle cardio or Qi Gong; raspberry leaf tea for tone.

🖤 Dark Red or Brown at the Start/End
May reflect Blood stasis or slow uterine shedding.
➤ Support: Warming soups with ginger and cinnamon; castor oil packs; movement like yoga or walking.

🩷 Pale or Watery Blood
Often linked to Blood deficiency or low nutrient reserves.
➤ Support: Iron-rich foods (like slow-cooked lamb with beetroot); goji berry + red date tea; rest and early bedtimes.

🟣 Purple or Clotted Blood
Can signal stagnation, Cold, or inflammation.
➤ Support: Anti-inflammatory foods (e.g. turmeric, leafy greens); abdominal warmth; stress regulation tools like acupuncture or journaling.

Your cycle is a conversation with your body. The more you listen, the more empowered your choices can become.



Acne is more than just a skin condition—it’s a reflection of what’s happening inside the body. Western medicine links ac...
14/03/2025

Acne is more than just a skin condition—it’s a reflection of what’s happening inside the body. Western medicine links acne to factors like hormonal imbalances, excess oil production, bacteria, and inflammation. Treatments often include topical creams, antibiotics, and hormonal support to manage breakouts. But there’s so much more you can do naturally!

Chinese medicine takes a different approach, viewing acne as a sign of internal imbalances. It is often associated with Heat, Dampness, and poor circulation (Blood Stasis). Breakouts in different areas of the face can indicate different underlying issues, such as Lung Heat (forehead and cheeks), Stomach Heat (jawline and mouth), or Blood Stagnation (deep, cystic acne). Treatment focuses on restoring balance through acupuncture, herbal medicine, and dietary changes.

By addressing both the symptoms and root causes, a holistic approach can lead to long-term skin health. Swipe through to learn more.

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2A Elm Street
Northcote, VIC
3070

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 7pm
Tuesday 11am - 7pm
Friday 8am - 1pm
Saturday 8am - 1pm

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