During the Dragon Boat Festival, every household hangs Artemisia leaves on their doors to repel mosquitoes and evil spirits, and to commemorate Qu Yuan. But did you know that Artemisia leaves have great therapeutic effects for menstrual cramps in women? Here's how to use them:
Artemisia Foot Soak to Relieve Menstrual Cramps
Soak your feet for 15-20 minutes every day until you sweat. This is very effective in relieving menstrual cramps. First, take 30 grams of Artemisia leaves, 100 grams of ginger, and 100 milliliters of white wine. Rinse the Artemisia leaves, cut the ginger into thick slices, put them in a pot, add an appropriate amount of water, and simmer for 30 minutes. Then remove the residue and pour the juice into a basin. Add the white wine and steam your feet before soaking them. Note that the temperature of the steam should be around 90°C to prevent scalding. When the water temperature drops to around 40°C, soak your feet up to the ankles. While soaking, you can also massage the Yongquan acupoint, toes, and heels, which are all reflex zones of the reproductive system. Focusing on stimulating these areas helps to warm the uterus, promote blood circulation, and quickly dissipate blood stasis, thereby relieving pain.
Other Uses of Artemisia Leaves
1. During the Dragon Boat Festival, every household hangs Artemisia leaves in front of their doors. The aromatic scent of Artemisia can repel mosquitoes and flies and also wards off evil spirits. Although it is less commonly used in urban areas, it is still a good option for foot soaking. Artemisia leaves can dredge the meridians, relieve cold pain, and accelerate metabolism. They are commonly used in gynecology to treat abdominal pain, menstrual disorders, and cold uterus infertility. It is also common for pregnant women to use Artemisia leaves for bathing. When experiencing bruises and blood stasis pain, rinsing with Artemisia leaf water is also common.
2. In addition to foot soaking, you can also combine Artemisia leaves with dietary therapy. Avoid eating cold/raw food one week before menstruation and consume more warm/hot foods. For example, Artemisia leaf red sugar egg: Take 10 grams of Artemisia leaves, 2 eggs, and an appropriate amount of red sugar. Boil the Artemisia leaves in water to make a decoction, add the boiled and peeled eggs and red sugar, and cook for another 10 minutes. This recipe can also warm the meridians and relieve pain, effectively treating symptoms such as dysmenorrhea and heavy menstrual flow. In addition, eggs and red sugar are rich in nutrients, making it a good blood supplement for women who experience excessive menstrual bleeding.
Precautions for Using Artemisia Leaves
Adding ginger and white wine to the home remedy increases its potency. Ginger is well-known for its ability to warm the meridians and dispel cold, while white wine also has good medicinal effects, allowing the medicinal properties to quickly reach the body's meridians. However, if you feel discomfort or excessive heat after using the above recipe, you can omit the ginger and white wine and simply use Artemisia leaves for foot soaking. You should also reduce or stop foot soaking if you have Yin deficiency and blood heat.
