The feminine in ayurveda
A healthy woman births a healthy next generation. This, we know. But do we do enough with that knowledge? As women, do we care enough about our own health? Ayurveda can offer a range of solutions for women's health.
Sexual Dimorphism
Ayurveda believes the female physiology is akin to a fireplace. And the man's to a pot of ghee! It is metabolism that brings in the critical difference.
The woman's body goes through myriad physiological changes like conception, delivery and menopause. Then there are the monthly period cycles that one has to take into account. That apart, have you thought of links between lunar changes and female physiology? Yes, the ideal menstrual cycle and lunar changes have the same cycle every month.
This makes her physiology more sensitive to the changes in Mother Nature. The woman is gifted with a hypothalamo-pituitary –ovarian axis which equips her to conceive and develop a foetus inside her and deliver and nourish the child, thereby carrying forward the cycle of life.
The man possess more physical strength, but the woman is always more grounded and ready to face challenges in sustainable ways. Should we then surmise that the woman has evolved better than the man?
Regimen for a Woman's Health
Ayurveda can offer a bouquet of solutions to women's health issues. Ayurvedic support systems are available for crossing each milestone in a well-regulated manner. Ayurveda looks at the issue of women's health in a more wholistic way. It does not limit the changing cycles of the woman's body to the uterus and ovaries, instead it examines those changes in the whole body and even in the mind. In Ayurvedic assessment system, the Pitta dosha oversees each menstrual cycle, in the optimal status of vaata and kapha. Hence, Ayurveda advises regulating food and lifestyle for optimal run of tthese cycles.
So, right from the pre-menarcheal phase, Ayurveda advises avoiding all pro-inflammatory foods, such as junk, oily and packaged foods. It also advises women to be physically active in order to keep the accumulation of body fat in check.
The Menopausal Phase
What about the end of cycles—the phenomenon of menopause? The preparation for welcoming menopause should begin at the age of forty. Ayurveda describes this decade as the golden age of the woman. So, be selective in your eating pattern. Sleep at least for six hours and keep the body weight at its optimum. Ensure that you have good gut health. Sequentially avoid all the excessive spicy and oily foods and thus optimise the Pitta dosha.
Regular practice of Praanaayaama and yoga postures like Sooryanamaskaraam will surely be a valuable addition when you approach menopause. Also, sit in the sun regularly or take supplements.
Consult a trained Gynec Ayurvedist and ward off osteoporosis by regular intake of medicines, a healthy diet, and good physical activity. Instead ofhormone treatments, opt for natural solutions which will assist you in a more organic way and with no side-effects.
Let’s strive together to augment our health.
The author is a Professor at the Department of Panchakarma, Ashtamgam Ayurveda Medical College, Kerala