As I sit down to write this, my oldest child is turning ten. A full decade of motherhood has unfolded—ten years of caring for this funny, curious goofball. But this milestone also invites me to reflect on the broader arc of women’s lives: my own childhood, witnessing my mother move through perimenopause and menopause, and my own journey through adolescence, fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum. Women’s health is a lifelong continuum, in which each phase requires awareness, knowledge, and care.
For hundreds of years, East Asian medicine has offered a thoughtful and structured approach to women’s health. In classical theory, a woman’s life unfolds in cycles of seven years. These cycles help practitioners understand where energy is naturally rising, stabilizing, or shifting—and where additional support may be needed.
These seven year phases do not exist in isolation. They are interwoven with daily rhythms, seasonal changes, and the monthly menstrual cycle, as well as mirroring the elemental forces embedded in the natural world. At the heart of this system are the principles of yin and yang—the dynamic, interdependent forces that govern growth, rest, warmth, cooling, activity, and restoration. Health is understood as balance within movement and inevitable change and growth.
Childhood and Early Menarche (around age 7–13)
In late childhood and the years surrounding first menstruation, the body is building foundational energy. Relating to the qualities of the wood element and supporting vibrant yang energy—warmth, movement, vitality—is essential. Attention is also given to recurring childhood illnesses or constitutional weaknesses that may influence future menstrual or reproductive health. Early education around the menstrual cycle fosters awareness and body literacy from the start.
Adolescence and Young Adulthood (around age 14–21 and beyond)
The menstrual cycle becomes an important indicator of overall health. The fire element is prominent at this time, offering unique potency for heart connections (and intensity!) and outward expansion. Cycle length, flow quality, colour, emotional patterns, cramping, and energy shifts all offer insight into hormonal balance and circulation. Rather than dismissing irregular or painful periods as a variation of “normal,” East Asian medicine views them as messages from the body—opportunities for early support and long-term prevention.
Fertility, Pregnancy, and Postpartum Years (21-27 and 28-34)
As women move into their reproductive years, care expands to include preconception health, nervous system regulation, digestion, sleep, and emotional well-being. Focusing on the earth element, a strong foundation before pregnancy supports both mother and baby. Postpartum care is especially emphasized—rest, nourishment, and rebuilding energy are seen as instrumental for this time. How a woman is supported during this time can influence her health for years to come.
Perimenopause and Menopause (35-41, 42-48)
These years relate to the metal element - a time of refinement, precision, creating strong boundaries and learning what can be let go. Pivoting focus to the self, support in this phase can address sleep disruption, temperature fluctuations, mood changes, and fatigue. Rather than viewing menopause as decline, this perspective honours it as a natural transition into a new phase of strength and wisdom.
The Second Spring (55+)
In later cycles, attention turns to the water element - the energetic root of vitality, aging, and resilience. Once through the last significant hormonal transition, women are able to establish themselves in a new era of understanding, strength and independence. This is the time where they can step into their power and vitality, nourishing themselves with the perspective of learned experience. Maintaining physical and cognitive prowess provides agility and balance for the years to come.
Across every stage, women’s health is cyclical, relational, and deeply personal. By recognizing predictable patterns of change—and responding with thoughtful, individualized care—we create space for women to be informed, supported, and empowered.
When we understand health as rhythmic rather than linear, we can ask with compassionate curiosity: What does this stage require? What kind of support is needed now?
Honoring these cycles is not just about symptom management—it is about cultivating resilience, fortitude, and radiance across a lifetime.