Nurturing the Yin

Tip of the week: Nurturing the Yin, especially in our Yang mountainous environment. I went to bed last night meditating on the Yin, the feminine, also the ruler of our left sides of our bodies. In women's health, the left ovary and the left fallopian tube are ruled by Yin energies. In midwifery school, I was notorious for reminding my classmates that as busy midwives and students we needed to take time out and prevent our adrenals from crashing on us. It became the butt of jokes and I was reminded up until graduation of my ability to remind others, "You have leaking adrenals." When your body is naturally doing "the work" of pregnancy, there is already an inherent process going on where your adrenals need more support than your non-pregnant state.

So what can you do to keep your adrenals strong and healthy, and keep your already working pregnant body healthy and regulated? Here are some of my tips (and a lot of these tips have been gathered from personal experience and my work with Chinese Medicine practitioners, naturopaths, herbalists, homeopaths and energy healers).

On a daily level:

Tip #1: Evaluate your personal stressors: work, relationships, community, family, and environment. Evaluate how much stress you really do have or take on in a day, if you notice it existing in your body than I recommend you sit down and relax either lying or in meditation for 5 to 10 minutes a day. Only 5 to 10 minutes will help you prepare a relaxed mind for birth and labor. Take a "fetal love break" if you haven't had the time to connect with your baby, this too will give your adrenals the regulated and healthy hormones it needs to operate.

Tip #2: When you're pregnant, you're encouraged to eat a healthy diet and exercise. When you're body is doing the work of pregnancy, I also encourage you to eat foods that support the adrenals. Here's a list based from a Chinese Medicine philosophy:

millet	barly	tofu	string bean
black bean	black soybean	mung bean	mung sprouts
kidney bean	blackberry	mulberry	blueberry
melons	wheat germ	potato	seaweeds
spirulina	chlorella	black sesame seed	water chestnut
crab	clam	sardine	eggs

As you can see, these foods might already be part of your diet. Dark foods, such as black beans, black sesame seeds, dark greens, etc. will feed your kidneys. They are known as "kidney tonics." Amply nurture your diet with these foods, and your adrenals have a better chance of fighting off depletion. Diet is the easiest way, in pregnancy, to ward off any conditions that put you, the mother, and your precious baby at risk. The number one way to avoid problems in my book is diet.

Tip #3: Exercise, exercise, exercise. The number two reason we prevent conditions that put mom/babes at risk is by having or establishing a daily physical exercise routine. It is most beneficial to get 45 minutes of aerobic activity, heart rate rising activity to be exact. This means it is best to get a brisk walk, hike, run, bike ride or swim in while also doing some stretches or yoga to end your day. If you're feeling depleted and have a Qi Gong practice, please do this activity. Qi Gong is a beautiful practice to help your adrenals flourish, plus it brings Qi to you, your baby, and to the space around you.

Tip #4: Believe in yourself and your ability to have a strong and healthy pregnant body. Attitude alone can energetically affect our adrenal system. The more stress, depression, and weakness invited into our bodies the more we deplete our adrenals. We need these adrenals to be strong people, so every day of your pregnancy breathe in strength, confidence, and health and direct it towards your adrenals. Maybe I sound woo-woo, but we all know mind over matter really works.

Tip #5: It's springtime in the Rockies, it's WET and there are nettles EVERYWHERE. Go on a hike, harvest nettles (please wear gloves that are thick because they do sting) and hang them up to dry or blanch them in hot water and drink away! They may taste like dirt, but they are one of the richest mineral dosing herbs we can find. Drink nettles often throughout pregnancy and support your adrenals. They are great for iron depletion, as well.

Having strong adrenals helps us operate with ease, while living in our healthiest state. I guess I bring this to you today, as my tip of the week, because I love and believe in your body. We are an active mountain culture, and we must remember to thrive in the Yin energy of this generous and damp time. Pregnancy is a Yin state. Nurture yourself to your fullest since pregnancy ends in a shorter time than ever imagined. Even if you're 34 weeks pregnant, nurture yourself, love your adrenals, and feed your body and your baby what is healthiest. Make the most of these final weeks.

As I rampage to end the crisis of leaking adrenals, find light in your day!