Menstruating is something that comes naturally for some women; they don't struggle with many symptoms and go from one month to the next without a lot of problems. But for many women, this is not the case. Especially in our urban lifestyle, our bodies struggle to keep up. With so many women who struggle with PMS and menstruation, it might even look like something normal. I can tell you it is not!
Why is it that we know so much about taking care of almost every part of our body, but not a lot about taking care of our womb?
Ayurveda is one of the few sciences that looks at the reproductive tissues outside of the significant transitions of puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Ayurveda sees menstruation as a window into the human body. If in tune with your body, it will tell you exactly which imbalances your body struggled with that past month.
The menstrual flow is a byproduct of the most basic tissues of the body. After we have a meal, the food transforms into the seven tissue layers of the body. The actual menstrual flow is a byproduct of the first tissue layer.
Our food, thoughts, lifestyle, and daily activities have an enormous effect on how well this transformation goes. The symptoms before and during menstruation and the menstruation quality say a lot about how well this transformation went.
Disease prevention
As soon as we experience symptoms in our body before or during our menstrual cycle, we know that there are imbalances in our body. When we look at the type and qualities of these symptoms, we will get a strong sense of what is going on, before they have the opportunity to create more severe imbalances or breeding grounds for diseases.
The menstrual cycle is said to go with the ebbs and flows of the lunar cycle. The lunar cycle is approximately 29.5 days, which matches the menstrual cycle's average length for most ovulating women. The healthiest flow, (which is in tune with the lunar phases) will start on a new moon with ovulation happening around the full moon. When the moon is full, it is at its highest energy, pulling the egg from its home in the ovary.
The three doshas (the main energy forces in our body) will all take part in specific parts of the cycle.
1. Kapha is most active during the first half of the cycle, after menstruation, as the lining on the uterus thickens. During this period a woman gains the essence of kapha- the juiciness, the glow, the sense of calm and being settled within her body. The kapha period will reach its climax during ovulation.
2. Ovulation is the start of the next phase, which is dominated by pitta dosha. Pitta mainly acts through the blood tissue layer, and during this time, the lining of the uterus becomes puffier with blood vessels to prepare for the potentially fertilized egg.
3. During the last phase of the cycle, there is a sudden rise of vata dosha when the egg isn't fertilized, and the menstrual period begins. It acts as a moving force enabling the flow of menstruation.
The menstrual cycle will function optimally as long as all three doshas are balanced.
As mentioned above, vata creates the movement of the menstrual flow. When vata is out of balance, the flow will be blocked or inhibited and will cause discomfort.
When the flow of blood due to vata imbalance is slowed or even blocked, fresh blood will be mixed in with some old blood as it has stayed behind in the system—giving a darkened color of the menstrual flow. Most of the vata type symptoms will arise in the pelvic and thigh region.
Physical symptoms:
Emotional symptoms:
Menstruation
Many women struggle with the questions; what should I eat during my period? What shouldn't I eat during my period? Does exercising help for my period cramps? And this is not a one size fits all, thing, but when we look at the different doshas, we will know what it is that your body needs to heal.
To heal the vata imbalance in the body, you can start with the following steps.
Pitta is characterized by it's sharp and hot tendencies. Its fiery nature irritates the body that provokes swelling and inflammation.
Physical symptoms:
Emotional symptoms:
Menstruation:
Women with an imbalanced pitta often struggle with the questions; How can I stop period headaches? And what causes headaches during periods? Why do I feel so angry before my period? To heal the pitta imbalance in the body, you can start with the following steps.
Kapha is characterized by its denseness, heaviness, dullness, stickiness, and coolness. These qualities cause difficulty menstruating when in excess. As the stagnation grows, obstruction and blockages of the system occur. This will initiate the sensation of bloating before ovulation, heaviness, puffiness, and swelling that so many women dread during their premenstrual and menstrual period.
Physical symptoms:
Emotional symptoms
Menstruation
Women with imbalanced kapha often walk around with questions like; why do I get so bloated before my period? How long does period bloating last? How can I control my PMS emotions?
To heal the kapha imbalance in the body we can start with the following steps.
To conclude the above, there is no need to experience any symptoms during your menstrual cycle. Just because so many women struggle with, it doesn't make it normal. If you are ready to heal from the inside out but don't know where to start, feel free to download one of the guides above or send us a message if you need specific help.
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