Can you lose weight by eating sesame oil chicken during menstruation? Doctor: Be careful of hemorrhage

Many people eat sesame oil chicken to keep warm in the winter, but some people mistakenly believe online rumors and regard sesame oil chicken as a holy product for losing weight during menstruation. However, Chinese medicine practitioners said that the claim that eating sesame oil chicken during menstruation can help you lose weight is unfounded and may even cause inappropriate reactions such as excessive menstrual bleeding or early end of menstruation.

Chinese medicine practitioner Zhang Shunchang reminds that women should not eat sesame oil chicken to lose weight during their menstrual period, so as to avoid excessive menstrual bleeding or stagnation of menstrual blood due to rapid contraction of the uterus. (Photography by Huang Zhiwen)

Zhang Shunchang, a doctor from the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Changhua Christian Hospital, said that the sesame oil chicken sold on the market may contain Chinese medicinal herbs such as angelica, Chuanxiong, and cassia twig, which are warm tonic herbs that promote blood circulation. They are not suitable for most women to eat during their menstrual period, especially for those who often stay up late and have a bad temper. Eating them may aggravate their dryness and heat. In addition, the sesame oil used in sesame oil chicken can promote blood circulation and help the uterus contract. Eating it during menstruation will not only fail to achieve the purpose of weight loss, but may even cause excessive menstrual bleeding and menstrual stagnation.

Siwu Soup, which has a similar blood-activating effect as sesame oil chicken, should not be consumed during the menstrual period or after the end of menstruation. It is recommended to be examined by a professional Chinese medicine practitioner to rule out gynecological diseases such as uterine fibroids, and then decide whether it is suitable for tonic based on personal constitution to avoid side effects.

Women lose a lot of energy and blood during menstruation. If they try to lose weight at this time, it will easily reduce the amount of menstruation and make their physical condition weaker. Therefore, Chinese medicine practitioners recommend that women should not lose weight during their menstrual period.

Chinese medicine practitioner Zhang Shunchang said that the correct and healthy way to lose weight is mainly through exercise and diet control, especially reducing the intake of starch, fried foods, and high-calorie foods such as chocolate. If you still cannot lose weight in this way, you can massage the Sanyinjiao, Zusanli, Tianshu, Qihai, Guanyuan and other acupoints more often to promote qi and blood circulation and metabolism, or you can get appropriate physical conditioning after diagnosis by a Chinese medicine practitioner.

Edema Poor metabolism

In traditional Chinese medicine theory, edema is caused by poor water metabolism due to poor circulation of qi in the body. If exercise still fails to improve circulation, you can take Fangji Huangqi Decoction to nourish the spleen and stomach, Jisheng Shenqi Pills to nourish the kidneys and help the body's metabolism, or eat foods such as corn silk and coix seed, under the advice of a doctor, to achieve the purpose of promoting diuresis and eliminating edema.

Poor blood circulation

If a person has poor blood circulation, a Chinese medicine practitioner can prepare Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction or Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction according to his or her individual constitution. This can improve blood stasis and regulate high blood lipids. Especially when hawthorn and cassia seed are added to the above prescription, the effect will be better.