Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a standardized medical system that incorporates multiple modalities and treatment practices. These include acupuncture, herbology, and bodywork, as well as dietary therapy and exercise. As both a practice and a philosophy, TCM has evolved over thousands of years, and approaches health holistically.

Rather than focusing on individual symptoms, TCM seeks to bring your whole being into balance. This includes mind, body, and spirit as interrelated parts of a greater whole. Any imbalance in this system can lead to illness and disease, and it is the role of TCM practitioners to help you identify the conditions and patterns–both internally and in your environment–that create that imbalance.

There are a couple of central concepts in TCM that are important to understanding how Chica works, the first of which is qi. Qi describes your vital life source, or energy. It flows throughout your body, and can become stuck. Chinese medicine considers qi stagnation to be the root source of difficult periods: if your energy and blood is not moving, it manifests as symptoms on the surface. Chica’s herbs (bupleurum in particular) invigorate your qi so that it can flow freely again.  

TCM also emphasizes that your body is a reflection of the world around you. We are connected to nature, and changes in season, geographical location, or community are as impactful to our health as changes within our body. Much like the natural world, we have a regenerative capacity, but if our resources are depleted, our healing becomes slow and difficult.

Our hormone cycle is the perfect example of something that can be thrown off balance by external stressors: anxiety, environmental pollution, and imbalanced lifestyles can all impact how you experience your period. With Chica, we aim to empower your body’s natural ability to heal, so that you can feel your best–both physically and energetically.