Gone are the day’s when Menstruation cycle was considered as a Taboo. Now with a growing world, even our mind is growing. Women have learned to converse their issue with the world.
Now, the society doesn’t disregard it but, give women their own space during this period. However, in some parts of the world still, it is seen as a shame and the unwanted part of a women’ life.
It’s an obvious fact that the periods happen after every 27-30 days. The Ayurvedic science considers it the most sacred time of cleaning, reflecting, and going inwards.
The principles of Ayurveda suggests that you should honor your body during this time and keep your activity and energy levels minimal.
If you constantly go every month in full force during this period, it is sure a hormonal imbalance will occur that is not healthy for the body or the reproductive system.
Today because of the fast-paced world, issues like hormonal imbalance and menstrual irregularities are common.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is now considered as a natural part of the cycle. Ayurveda suggests menstruation as a time of low energy which shouldn’t be accompanied by pain, nausea, bloating, craving, or emotions.
However, if you are a culprit of PMS and other menstrual issues, then you should follow the ayurvedic approach to the menstrual cycle.
The ayurvedic approach has a solution to all the menstrual problems. It aims at turning your life throughout the month to tune it in the menstruation days. To get a deeper understanding of the Ayurvedic approach to menstrual cycle read the below article.
Table of Contents
Why Menstrual Problems Occur?
The female menstrual disorders are more prevalent in the west than in East as per a consensus report.
Ayurveda suggests that western culture is far more paced and active than the other cultures even during the menstruation days which has led to such issues.
In other cultures especially in India, Menstruation was considered a cleansing and rejuvenating time and there were big families to support the women during their periods.
However, in the west, this is not the case. The modern working women respect their cycle but fail to take it a lighter load on those days.
The Ayurvedic approach to menstruation is quite simple.
You have to rest during this period otherwise its obvious for your body to face symptoms like stomach cramps, emotional swings, irregular period, and imbalanced hormones.
In short, it suggests menstruation as a period to rest and help your body to rejuvenate for the next month.
A healthy menstrual cycle is a must for all women’s health and well-being.
The most common symptoms PMS comes when the delicate balance of the body is disturbed due to extended hours of work throughout the month and also during the period days.
Additionally, there are few more factors like the environmental chemicals that have the ability to act like estrogen hormones and destroy the hormonal balance of the body.
These chemical estrogens are present in birth control pills, air pollutants, food additive, plastic, detergent, and many more artificial human sources.
The environmental estrogens are called Xenoestrogens and with time in your body are capable of inducing issues like infertility, cancer, fibroids, premature aging, irregular periods, and PMS.
Ayurvedic Concept Of Cycle Or Rajaswala
A female in her menses is called Rajaswala in Ayurveda. The Ayurveda considers it as Ayurvedic menstrual moon cycle. It is because it goes with ebbs and waves of the moon (lunar) cycle.
The moon cycle is similar to the menstrual cycle as the average length of both of them is approximately the same that is 29 days.
You will have the healthiest flow during the start of the new moon that is your ovulation should occur at the time of the full moon.
A full moon is at its peak energy so is the reproductive system filled with energy to pull out the egg from the ovary.
The doshas of your body also play a significant role in your monthly cycle.
The Ayurvedic menstrual moon cycle has basically three phases which are described below:
- The first half of the is called Rutukala which is dominated by the Kapha Dosha. Once your menstrual cycle is completed the endometrium thickens and takes a glandular form. The women ha the qualities of Kapha dosha during this period like the glow, peace, stable, and groundedness with herself. Moreover, the rutukala phase set the time for ovulation.
- The second phase is the ovulation phase which is dominated by the Pitta Dosha. The dosha acts on the blood tissues to make the endometrium thicker and prepare for the potentially fertilized egg.
- Now, comes the last phase if the egg is fertilized the endometrium grows thicker and prepare the egg for pregnancy. If the egg is not fertilized then the Rajakhala (menstrual cycle) arrives. During this period the vata dosha is dominated to help the blood flow.
When the doshas of your body are in the balanced state, the menstrual cycle works perfectly and you don’t face any issues or complications.
How The Ayurvedic Doshas Affect Your Menstrual Cycle?
During your Rajakhala, many things are going on in your body. The beginning of menstruation is marked by the balance in your body.
The average age of menstruation is 14 years but for some girls, it may start as less as 9 years of age. It happens when there is a Pitta imbalance in the body.
Nevertheless, in very few girls it starts by 16 years of age as the Kapha is not balanced and eventually with its quality, it slows down the body processes.
The Vata, Pitta, and Kapha manage your cycle. If you face any issues before or after the menstrual cycle than there is a chance that there is an imbalance of the doshas in your body.
Down below, we have mentioned a deep understanding of how the doshas affect your menstrual cycle:
1. Vata Imbalance Menstrual Flow
The Vata dosha goes via the blood vessels in your uterus. It has cold, dry, tightening, and rough qualities. So, it constricts the blood vessels, depletes the body tissues, and starts the process of blood flow.
The process starts with a decrease in the plasma and the blood tissues, thinning of the uterus lining, and with the discharge of menstrual flow.
When your Vata is imbalanced you will face discomfort. This will slow down the bleeding and mix the fresh blood with the old blood and goes out of the system.
Due to the mixing, the Vata menstrual flow has a dark color. On the other hand, when your Vata is balanced, the menstrual flow is mobile, light, cold, clear and subtle.
If you are someone with The Vata Imbalance you will face the following issues:
- A sharp, prickling, pain in the lower abdomen and back
- You will have emotions like fear, nervousness, and anxiety
- Your menstrual flow will be forthy, dry, thin, and dark in color
- The other discomfort can be body stiffness and crawling sensation in the body.
2. Pitta Imbalance Menstrual Cycle
The Pitta dosha is hot, sharp, and oily. It gives your blood the heat and a spreading nature to allow easy blood flow. The dosha has a quality to stay in the blood thus the Pitta menstrual cycles are heavy.
With the heat and heaviness comes irritation in your body. If you are someone with Pitta imbalance you will have a heavier cycle, irritated mood, premenstrual symptoms, and swollen breasts.
Down below are the details of Pitta imbalanced menstrual cycle:
- A burning sensation in the body
- You will have emotions like anger, irritability, and frustration
- Your menstrual flow will be red, hot profuse, foul smell, and heavy
- The other discomfort you might face are excessive swelling in the body, high body temperature, headache, swollen breast, acne, stomach cramps, and nausea.
3. Kapha Imbalance Menstrual Cycle
A Kapha imbalance will show qualities like heaviness, denseness, stickiness, coolness, and stagnation. This will collect the blood, obstruct or block the body system and eventually stop the normal blood flow.
Moreover, it will also make you bloat, puff, and swelling. The stronger the blockage is the more symptoms you will find. In some cases, the blockage even leads to an abnormal growth.
The symptoms you will face with Kapha imbalance menstrual cycle are as follows:
- You will feel uncomfortable, body itching, and crawling sensation
- You will face emotions like a craving for food, emotional uncontrolled eating, depression, and anxiety
- Your menstrual flow will be yellowish, mucoid, heavy and more than longer
- The other issues would be swelling, bloating, water retention, yeast infections, and oversleeping.
How To Balance The Specific Doshas For Regulating The Menstrual Cycle?
If the imbalance in your menstrual flow is due to an imbalance dosha, then you should first correct the imbalance of your dosha. Down below we have jotted down a guide to help you balance your dosha and thus your menstrual cycle
In addition to it, the Ayurveda says to balance the Rajaswala you need to follow a set of rules known as Rajaswala Paricharya.
The Ayurveda rule for irregular periods and periods issues are simple and easy to follow. We will be telling you the general strategies fora healthy cycle in the next article.
So, first correct your imbalance of the dosha and then follow the guidelines to have a healthy menstrual cycle.
1. Balancing The Vata Imbalance Menstrual Flow
For treating it, you have to treat it with the opposite qualities. A Vata menstrual cycle can be balanced by heaviness, warmth, oiliness, liquid, and stability. Down below is a list of things you have to do for the same:
- Follow a Vata pacifying diet and lifestyle. Moderate your daily activities, get up early, cleans your sense, and have consistent meal times. The Vata food is warm, soft, mushy, well-spiced, and has loads of ghee and good oils. it is because it decreases the flow and pace your body activities.
- Castor oil packs prove very benefiting to this dosha. Castor has oily, heavy, sticky, heating, sharp, and penetrating properties. It will nourish your body and its tissues from deep inside. it also has the ability to break any blockages and thus regulate your menstrual flow.
- Do yoga on the regular days, not on the menstrual days. Perform pranayama, vilom, and other poses for relieving the symptoms associated with the cycle.
- Take herbs meant for balancing the Vata Dosha. There are special Herbs like Vata digest to balance the Vata Dosha. In addition to this, you can also take a combination of herbs like Ashwagandha and Shatavari to unlock the nourishing power of your system. All these herbs are available in tablet and powder form You have to take it twice a day for a healthy Vata balancing system.
- Drink fresh ginger tea every day or when you face any discomfort.
2. Balancing The Pitta Imbalance Menstrual Flow
To balance the Pitta flow, you need to balance the hot quality of the dosha with the coolness and the sharp quality with softness.
Down below is a list of things you have to do for the same:
- Follow a Pitta-pacifying diet and lifestyle. Your lifestyle should be calm and patient, prevent yourself from being overambitious and angry. Your diet should be light, less spicy, and less oily.
- The Pitta premenstrual imbalance go and lodge in the head giving you a headache. To prevent such discomfort Nasya is a good practice. It brings energy to your head and calms down your body. Avoid doing this when menstruating.
- Coconut oil pack is cool and soft. It balances your Pitta by cooling quality and sweet taste. Avoid doing this when menstruating.
- Breast massage is very comforting during the premenstrual period. It relieves the sore tender breast. Massage your breast with coconut oil in small circular gentle motions.
- Yoga practice should be slow and gradual. Pitta imbalance heals by slow pranayamas.
- Taking a few traditional herbs can be the best way to release the excess Pitta from the body. The best herbs are aloe vera, Brahmi, Guduchi, and Shatavari. You can take a combination of the same to regulate the blood flow.
3. Balancing The Kapha Imbalance Menstrual Flow
Kapha gives heaviness, thickness, oiliness, dullness, and slow pace to your body. To avoid this you have to apply the opposite qualities like thinness, lightness, and dryness to your body. Moreover, you also have to stimulate your agni and increase your metabolic fire.
Down below is a list of things you have to do for the same:
- Follow a Kapha-pacifying diet and lifestyle. Go for a moderately paced lifestyle, keep yourself warm and dry. Also, stimulate your digestive fire with the natural spices.
- Apply castor oil pack. Castor oil has warm and penetrating properties that can open the blockages in your system. Its regular application is used in Ayurveda for the irregular period. Avoid doing it while menstruating.
- Massaging and scrubbing your body with salt can also be beneficial for Kapha. It will increase the roughness in your body and give it the required heat.
- Yoga and exercise both are good for balancing the Pitta Dosha. Walking or exercise that stimulates the movement of blood and lymph is good. For yoga, you can go for Pranayam, bhastrika, kapalbhati, anulom-vilom, and lower abdomen poses.
- Herbs are used to reduce the swelling and water retention. This keeps the blood flow normal and nourishing. Some of the herbs are ginger, tulsi, turmeric, clove, cardamom. You can take them in the form of tea to increase the digestive fire. Alternatively, Kanchanar Guggulu is also a healthy option for balancing Kapha.
Final Talk
The Ayurvedic concept of the menstrual cycle is quite simple. It suggests the regular balanced flow occurs when your cycle is in correspondence with the moon cycle and your doshas are balanced.
It is important for you to understand the menstrual cycle in Ayurvedic terms first and then follow the guidelines.
If your menstrual cycle is irregular or you face issues due to any of the imbalanced doshas so first, you have balance the dosha. We have noted down the balancing steps above in detail.
Further, along with the balancing guide, there is a general ayurvedic guideline to have a healthy cycle which is explained in the next article
