Nourishing Self-Care Gifts: How the Earth Element Can Support You Through Menopause
Nourishing ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally through simple habits
In Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong, the Five Elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth represent the foundational energies that make up the physical and energetic world. Each one holds distinct wisdom and qualities that, when cultivated, bring us into greater harmony with ourselves and the natural world.
For women in the transformative seasons of perimenopause and menopause, the Earth element offers compelling guidance. Traditionally seen as the center of the Five Elements, Earth symbolizes stability, nourishment, and the groundedness we often crave when everything, hormones, emotions, and identity, feels like it's shifting underfoot.
This lifestage, much like the transition from summer into autumn, invites a turning inward. It’s a time to reevaluate, to root down, and to return to what truly matters. The Earth element gently reminds us that even amid change, we can find steadiness and resilience.
Earth Wisdom for Times of Transition
Perimenopause and menopause can be disorienting. From sleep disturbances to mood swings to the emotional weight of redefining yourself, it’s easy to feel unmoored. The Earth element teaches us how to come back to center. Just as the Earth supports all life, we can learn to support ourselves through this sacred rite of passage not by pushing or fixing, but by softening and listening.
When we nourish Earth energy, we deepen our connection to the present moment, to our inner wisdom, and the rhythm of nature. This grounding can be a powerful balm for the anxiety, restlessness, and fog that often accompany hormonal transitions.
Here are a few of my favorite Earth-inspired rituals that helped restore balance, foster clarity, and gently anchored me through perimenopause and into my third chapter.
Ritual 1: Immersion in Nature
There is no better way to harmonize with the Earth element than by spending time in the natural world. I make it a daily practice, rain, shine, or fog, to walk near the ocean. The sound of the waves, the feel of the breeze on my skin, the crunch of gravel beneath my feet, all of it brings me home to myself.
Of course, you don’t need a coastline to connect sensorially with nature. A park, a patch of trees, or even a single blooming plant can become your sanctuary. What matters is presence.
To deepen this practice, I focus on what I call the strands of nature connection:
Senses: Notice what you can see, hear, and feel, e.g., the warmth of the sun, the rustle of leaves, the call of a bird.
Emotion: Observe how your emotional state shifts as you walk or sit in nature.
Beauty: Let yourself be moved by the details: a petal, an insect, the colors in the sky.
Meaning & Awe: Consider what nature might be reflecting back to you. The cyclical changes of the seasons remind us that the world is also always evolving.
One of my favorite moments is simply sitting by the water, letting my thoughts settle, and watching the surface shimmer in the wind. In those quiet minutes, I often feel more whole, more real, like I’ve remembered something ancient and true.
As women, our bodies are constantly shifting in rhythm with the cycles of nature. And when we enter perimenopause and menopause, those shifts can feel especially powerful, sometimes turbulent, sometimes confusing, and often deeply illuminating.
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong remind us that these transitions are not just physiological; they’re energetic and emotional, too. One of the most supportive ways we can navigate this phase of life is by turning to gentle, Earth-centered bodywork practices that nourish our core, restore our balance, and help us feel grounded again.
One of my favorite daily rituals is tapping, a simple and incredibly effective practice that takes just ten minutes but delivers so much more.
Ritual 2: Tapping and Why It Matters Now?
Tapping, also known as Qi Gong patting or Pai Da, involves rhythmically tapping the body from head to toe using your fingertips, a bamboo tapper, or a loose fist. It stimulates the skin, invigorates the lymphatic system, and encourages the flow of Qi (life energy), while also releasing physical and emotional tension. I love this video from Master Li as an introduction to Tapping Qigong.
During perimenopause and menopause, our stress responses can be heightened. Hormonal changes affect everything from our sleep and digestion to our moods and energy levels. Tapping helps soothe the nervous system, supports detoxification, and creates a deeper sense of emotional regulation. In short, it helps us come home to our bodies.
I dedicate about 10 minutes each evening to tapping, and it has become a sacred moment of reconnection.
In TCM, the Spleen and Stomach are the core of our digestive and energetic systems, and they are deeply associated with the Earth element. The Earth represents nourishment, grounding, and centeredness, all qualities we need more than ever as we journey through midlife.
As we transition from perimenopause into our post-menopausal years, the internal landscape of the body begins to shift. One of the most significant changes is the natural cooling of the body as the Liver’s excess yang energy (associated with heat, tension, and sometimes emotional intensity) starts to subside.
In this new internal environment, the Spleen becomes more prominent, and caring for it becomes essential. When the Spleen is healthy and strong, digestion is smooth, energy is steady, and the mind is clear and grounded. But when it’s taxed by stress, poor eating habits, or emotional overload, it can lead to fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, and even digestive issues like bloating or irregularity.
This is why cultivating the Earth element is not just helpful, but vital.
Ritual 3: Nourishing with Earth Element Foods
The foods we eat play a central role in supporting Spleen and Stomach energy. Earth element foods are naturally sweet, warm, and grounding, think comfort foods that leave you feeling satisfied, not sluggish.
Some of the best Earth-nourishing foods include:
Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes (all colors)
Carrots, beets, parsnips
Squash
Chickpeas and lentils
Whole grains like millet, oats, and brown rice
These foods not only fuel the body with essential nutrients but can also help regulate blood sugar, improve digestion, and stabilize mood, key elements in easing the ups and downs of the menopause transition.
In TCM, the Spleen loves warmth. Cold, raw foods can dampen digestive fire and weaken this system. Prioritize cooked meals, soups, stews, and roasted vegetables over salads, smoothies, and cold dairy direct from the fridge. Iced drinks should be off our list of drinks. If you need to cool down, choose cooling fruits like watermelon. I vividly remember my Chinese guide on a hot day along the Great Wall eating sliced cucumber, not iced water.
Eating slowly, sitting down, and truly savoring your food also enhances Spleen function and invites moments of grounded presence into your day. It is also good to consider eating smaller, more frequent meals and not allowing ourselves to go too hungry or to get too full.. particularly as we age.
To avoid going to sleep on a full stomach. I also like to go for a 10-minute walk after my bigger meals to aid my digestion, especially in the evenings when it’s easy to slump in a chair, fatal for my acid reflux.
Warm Sweet Potato & Millet Bowl
A one-bowl meal that’s grounding, slightly sweet, and packed with fiber and minerals.
Ingredients:
1 cup cooked millet (or substitute with quinoa or brown rice)
1 medium sweet potato, cubed and roasted
½ cup cooked lentils or chickpeas
Handful of sautéed greens (spinach, kale, or chard)
1 tbsp tahini
1 tsp miso paste
Warm water
Optional: sprinkle of sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, or a dash of tamari
Instructions:
Combine millet, roasted sweet potato, legumes, and greens in a bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, miso, and a little warm water to create a sauce.
Drizzle sauce over the bowl. Add seeds or tamari if desired.
Eat slowly, ideally seated and undistracted. Let your body soak it all in.
Grounded, Resilient, and Rooted in Wisdom
Perimenopause and menopause are not just about symptoms to manage; they are invitations to reconnect to ourselves more deeply.
By aligning with the Earth element and caring for the Spleen, we’re not just supporting our digestion or energy, we’re laying the foundation for living well into the next season of life. Rooted, radiant, and able to come back into balance at any time.
It is also what we collectively, individually, and the Earth need now. By setting the intention to do these practices every day so that they become a habit, you'll notice the difference in your vitality and outlook on life.
I hope you enjoy these practices as much as I do. I would love to hear from you what you do daily to nurture your Earth Element and create a sense of groundedness.
Thank you!