Menopause

Menopause is a natural process for women and falls into one of the three stages of life according to Ayurveda, each associated with one of the doshas.

The Kapha (Water and Earth elements) phase encompasses the period from birth to puberty, characterized by growth, development, and learning.

The Pitta (Fire and Water elements) phase represents the more productive years, involving higher education, careers, relationships, and family development

The Vata (Air & Ether elements) phase occurs later in life, marked by increased reflection, meditation, and spiritual awareness. This stage is characterized by heightened air quality, accompanied by increased dryness, bone loss, coldness, and mental instability, likely due to increased mobility.

During menopause, the hormones estrogen and progesterone decrease, which are vital for creating balance. In Ayurveda, this relates to Ojas, which is associated with immunity. When Ojas is healthy and high, it thrives, helping us tolerate the external environment and changes in our internal ecosystem, thereby fostering groundedness, stability, and nourishment.

Conversely, Teja’s (a refined version of Pitta) embodies the subtle essence of all the digestive fires (Agni) in the body. These two combine with the erratic nature of Vata (cool, dry, light, and mobile), which can cause the body to shift into an imbalanced state during menopause. Below are some possible doshic side effects that might occur:

Vata Dosha: Dryness, digestive imbalance, dry elimination, insomnia, bone loss, and mental instability.

Pitta Dosha: Hot flashes, excess heat in the body, irritability, anger, criticism, and competitiveness.

Kapha Dosha: Weight gain, feelings of sadness, lack of motivation, dullness, lethargy, and depression.

Ayurvedic medicine approaches menopause with programs that encourage nourishment, contentment, and balance. The three main goals are to promote “juiciness” by increasing Kapha's moistness, heaviness, and stability, to balance Vata and Pitta in the sympathetic nervous system, and to strengthen Agni (digestive fires), ensuring proper metabolism, absorption, and transformation.

Below are some practices to consider:

Meditation & Pranayama Practices

·     Spend time in nature to be more connected to the earth and improve Vitamin D in the body.

·     Practice Nadi Shodhana pranayama to calm your nervous system and decrease stress.

Do a Mini Cleanse 4 Days Each Month.

·     Eat a mono-diet of Kitchari with doshic-appropriate spices. Take two tablespoons of ghee or flax oil daily, perform an Abhyanga massage, and take an Epsom salt bath to support lymphatic detoxification.

Diet & Digestion

·  Follow a Vata-Pitta balancing diet that includes warm, well-cooked foods, fibrous and calcium-rich ingredients, and culinary spices that support digestion.

·  Support digestion with 1 tsp. Grated ginger, a squeeze of lime, and a pinch of salt before and after meals.

Herbals

·   Adrenal Balancing Churna - Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Rose, Turmeric, Maca, and Nutmeg.

·   1 to 2 teaspoons of Chywanprash each morning to build Ojas.

Increase Moisture

Practice Abhyanga Massage and have a Shirodhara treatment to calm and balance the mind. Drink half your body weight in water daily, using Electrolyte water or Herbal teas. Enhance lubrication with ghee or sesame oil to alleviate vaginal dryness.