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Fennel for cold, cramping period pain 小茴香温经
Women's Health 女性调理 traditional evidenceWhat the evidence says:
The 药典 indication for 小茴香 includes dysmenorrhoea from cold and cold lower-abdominal pain. Traditional use — the app is not claiming an independently verified effect on period pain. A heat pack has better evidence than the tea.
The 药典 indication for 小茴香 includes dysmenorrhoea from cold and cold lower-abdominal pain. Traditional use — the app is not claiming an independently verified effect on period pain. A heat pack has better evidence than the tea.
How to make it
Lightly crush 3–6 g fennel seed, steep covered in just-boiled water 10 min, drink warm. Traditionally taken with a hot-water bottle on the lower abdomen, which is the part that actually has trial support.
Why it works
Very safe as a culinary spice at these amounts.
Classical source
小茴香 is not in the Shennong Bencao Jing; it enters the Chinese materia medica later.
Cautions: Warming — avoid excess with heat signs or yin deficiency. Period pain that is new, worsening, or severe enough to stop you functioning should be assessed — endometriosis is commonly missed and averages years to diagnosis.
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