Menopause (Rajo Nivrutti) - A Graceful Transition

Behind The Scenes

Menopause is not just the odd few hot flashes and an end to the menstrual flow. Menopause is a natural transition in a woman’s life and a normal process of ageing. It marks the end of the fertile stage of life and we need to talk about it, overcome the stigma, accept it, embrace it and celebrate it.

Did you know that over 𝟲𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 resulting in behaviour changes, 𝟳𝟮% 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 say they feel unsupported and so many women are being 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 and given antidepressants (Nuffield Health). 

Since menopause is technically not a disease and more of a Swabhavaj state of life (natural process), we need to focus on balancing the doshas and digestion, maintain healthy body tissues, sensory functionality, stable mind, proper elimination of body waste and toxins in order to support overall health. This happens through gentle cleansing processes (shodhana/shamana) and rejuvenation therapy (rasayana).

Every month when a woman bleeds, it is a process of natural purification. When this comes to an end, the body wants to continue to clear the waste out of the body and now this gets misdirected and can transpires as increased body heat and increased sweating which is a key channel for the elimination of toxins.

Just like puberty and pregnancy, menopause is a transitionary phase of a female’s life. Perimenopause is temporary and will eventually go away on its own. But sometimes the expression of this change can be unmanageable, so with awareness we can consciously support ourselves during this transition in a healthier way as the body starts to slow down and we can view this time more positively as a rite of passage of wisdom.

Our womb is the centre of creativity (in reference to childbirth) but during menopause we can free ourselves from the demand of procreation and redirect and connect with our creative expression in other ways such as new business/hobbies etc. This also supports our health and immunity and feeds us with renewed energy.

Symptoms can fluctuate from person to person and range from mild to extreme and that's why understanding your Ayurvedic constitution (prakruti) can help us to stay in alignment with the changes before, during and after the menopause.

Multiple changes are happening in the mind-body that we have come to know as symptoms of peri-menopause. We could see changes in our brain, bone density, mood, energy, skin, libido, hormonal balance, appetite, gut microbiome, weight and more.

Our symptomatic expression during this transitional phase can be dependent on the dominant dosha at play in our mind-body and from there we can personalise a plan to help create the right balance.

Here some signs you can look out for based on the dosha dominance:

Vata dominance – Bloating, disturbed sleep, dry skin, constipation, vaginal dryness and/or pain, body aches, fatigue, susceptibility to stress, anxiety, panic, headaches, loss of libido, difficulty in concentration, mood fluctuations, intolerance to noise, reduced bone density.

Pitta dominance - Skin irritations, excessive body heat, hot flashes, heart palpitations, mental and emotional irritability, burning urination, heavy bleeding.

Kapha dominance – Weight gain, mental dullness, physical lethargy, unmotivated, low mood, sadness, increased hunger, vaginal itching and/or discharge.

A Graceful Transition

I recommend consulting a practitioner who can personalise a holistic plan to help you get through any challenging phases. Diet (ahara) and lifestyle (vihara) is always at the epicentre of all health care in Ayurveda.

Diet & Nutrition

A wholesome diet that features plenty of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, fresh light dairy (milk, buttermilk, paneer), nuts and seeds form the best foundation.

Reducing heating/drying foods such as alcohol, caffeine, chilli spices, garlic, ginger, wine, smoking, green tea, fried meats, salty, junk foods processed foods, artificial ingredients.

We would benefit from an increase in cooling/stabilising foods such water, ghee, healthy oils, avocado, broccoli, juices. Warm-cooked foods are always the most nourishing foods to keep vata in balance. Manage iron levels naturally with an increased intake of beetroot, spinach pomegranate, green and red veggies and fruits. Dark raisins – soaked and have as a tea/juice.

We want to follow a general vata balancing regimen and also consider and imbalances of pitta and kapha. Keep a check on your vitamin D levels and haemoglobin levels to stay on top on your bone density and iron levels. Most importantly try to stay calm and grounded. Observe your cravings and really avoid anything that takes you out of balance, especially indulgences such as alcohol or excessive exercise.

Let’s focus more on:

Sleep & Rest

So much cleansing and restoration happens behind the scenes as we sleep. So the age old saying of ‘early to bed’ really underpins our wellness during the menopausal transition.

Routine & Regularity

Vata is balanced and thrives when we maintain routine and regularity in our daily patterns from our sleeping and waking times and maintaining regular mealtimes, including not skipping meals and overeating.

Yoga & Pranayama

Yogic breathwork can be extremely powerful at this time to help calm your nervous system, destress and manage menopausal symptoms. Pranayama such as nadi shodhani, ujjaya and brahmari are a great starting place. Consult a practitioner to learn the correct technique.

Home remedies

CCF tea - Drink tea made from cumin, coriander and fennel throughout the day.

Ginger paste - Have a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger with lime and a pinch of salt before meals to stimulate hunger and support digestion.

Rasayana foods – Dates, soaked almonds, walnuts, ghee, milk, pomegranate, fennel, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Treatments

Abhyanga is a perfect warm oil massage helps to bring balance to the vata dosha and the nervous system as well as feel grounded and nourish the dryness in the skin.

Shirodhara is a gorgeous signature treatment of Ayurveda and works deeply to calm down the nervous system by gently pouring warm oils over the 3rd eye chakra (pineal gland).

Nasya – stimulates mind clarity, relieves headaches, lubricates the nasal passages by administering medicated oil drops in each nostril.

Moon bathing - we want to increase our vitality (ojas) – encouraging more nourishment and cooling properties to the mind-body and moon bathing for 15-20 minutes during the full moon period can really support this.

Herbs

Shatavari – a go-to women’s health herb. A perfect support for the changes in your body during menopause and perimenopause. As an adaptogen, shatavari helps the body to cope with internal stress, balance hormones and reproductive issues, restores vitality to the nervous system and act as a whole-body tonic (rasayana) as well as support libido. Try Fushi or Essential Ayurveda

Ashwagandha – A great support to the mind and body when you are feeling stressed. As an adaptogenic, this herb helps to balance hormones, bring physical strength and calmness to a racing mind as well as mental clarity, increased libido - try Triveda.

Chyawanprash – a popular herbal restorative jam that is high in vitamin C and balances all three doshas. Try Ayurveda Pura or Essential Ayurveda

Brahmi – improves mind clarity, memory, immunity and longevity as well as calming the nervous system - try Triveda or Fushi

Kumari – Aloe vera juice is a great addition to the diet to help cool the increased heat in the body or a special medicated preparation called kumari asava is very useful. Try Pukka aloe vera juice.

Other really useful herbs that can be taken as capsules of teas include dandelion root and red clover. You practitioner will be able to guide you on the best herbal support based on your constitutions.