PMS-free: Ayurvedic Approach for a Healthy Cycle

In my practice, I meet women with different kinds of menstrual and reproductive system disorders and imbalances. Some of them spend the day in bed or take painkillers due to the severity of the bleeding or pain during their cycle. They have learned to live with it and do not even think that it could improve.

As women, we accept our monthly suffering quietly. We bear our menstrual cycle as a curse we need to live with until menopause and even then we may face some difficulties. Our needs are not tended to and ignored until there is a red flag: PCOS, endometriosis, uterine cancer, etc. And these diagnoses do not necessarily come with a cure. 

Before I started to learn Ayurveda, I was in the same position as you. I had my own problems and felt they were normal because nobody told me otherwise. Now I understand that all symptoms we have during our cycles are the imbalances our bodies suffer from. 

I feel that a lack of education and understanding of our body's processes causes imbalances that result in severe suffering during the period. 

My focus here will be on the Ayurvedic perspective. 

According to Ayurveda, the normal cycle is between 28-32 days with 3-5 days of bleeding. It is pain-free and should not be associated with a burning sensation or clots. The bleeding is neither too scanty nor severe and its color resembles the red juice of lac, red lotus, or rabbit blood. It does not stain the cloth. Any abnormalities of the cycle point towards imbalances in the body caused by improper lifestyle and/or diet.

Menstruation is a kind of purification that keeps the uterus clear and ready for conception every month. The bleeding is not actual blood but the lining of the uterus that needs to be shed and then renewed. The formation of this lining happens in between menstruation and its function is to provide implantation of the fertilized egg and support the fetus during the pregnancy. Since the formation of this lining happens during the whole month, our food and lifestyle affect this process. Have you ever noticed a lack of moisture from inside and outside your body makes your skin dry? The same happens to our uterine lining. If during the formation of the lining our lifestyle or diet induces dryness, later on, we will have cramps. Why is that? For example, when the food is dried up and stuck to the pan after cooking, you soak it first so it will wash up smoothly later. Same here, the lack of moisture causes difficulties in shedding the lining which results in pain. 

The dryness is induced by the intake of dry and cold items, overexertion, stress, and late nights. 

Another common menstrual problem is heavy bleeding. According to Ayurveda, heavy bleeding occurs when the blood gets mixed with the lining. You could test it out. The normal menstrual discharge is easily washable with cold water, the blood, on the other hand, is not. If your menstrual fluid stains the cloth, you literally bleed more than you are supposed to. To avoid this, you need to slow down and chill out. Minimize spicy food and activity during the cycle, avoid intense exercises, and drink some coriander water or coconut water when you feel hot or just before menstruation.

Heat and dryness are the major reasons for abnormalities in monthly periods. Initially, you may want to seek the help of a local Ayurvedic Practitioner or Vaidya to set up a healthy cycle. It will be especially beneficial if you have some reproductive system disorders (PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, etc) or planning to conceive. Once the cycle stabilizes, you could manage it on your own. You will be amazed at how your daily lifestyle and diet affect it. For example, I could certainly feel that travel and sleep impact my cycle. Hence, I make sure to apply some oil and keep myself well-hydrated during travel. 

We talked about the physical aspect but the emotional is also important. According to Ayurveda, our cycle is governed by the Doshas. Doshas are functional energies that influence all the processes inside our bodies. 

Vata is an energy of movement. During menstruation, the energy of Vata naturally goes up (aggravates) and facilitates the movement of the menstrual fluid. Emotionally, you may feel sadness, grief, and restlessness. Physically, you may notice some bloating, low energy, and mild cramps. 

Kapha is an energy of lubrication and nourishment. After menstruation is over, Vata naturally goes down and the energy of Kapha increases. It is the proliferative phase of the cycle when the uterus builds up a lining and ovaries prepare eggs to release. This is the happiest phase of your cycle. You may experience more sexual desire and a lighter mood. Physically you notice more clear discharge, and your energy level is top. During the ovulatory phase, Kapha energy is still high but Pitta energy, the energy of fire and transformation, starts increasing. You are on top of your libido, happy and playful. 

After ovulation, Kapha calms down but Pitta increases even more. Irritability and anger, mood swings may occur during this phase. 

It repeats every month, causing us to be emotionally sensitive.

Understanding your body and mind helps you to be prepared for the fluctuations that happen during your cycle. You could adjust your diet and lifestyle in order to prevent extreme aggravations of doshic energies before it arises naturally. For example, avoiding dry food and overexertion will help to prevent menstrual cramps (Vata). Minimizing hot spices is helpful if you are prone to irritability or mood swings during the last part of the cycle (Pitta). Avoiding heavy and greasy items will help to prevent depression and lethargy (Kapha).

There might be more complicated conditions where dietary changes will not be enough, like in cases of irregular, very heavy, or too painful periods, PCOS, etc. These cases require Ayurvedic specialist help. Ayurveda could do a lot for your menstrual health. The suffering is not normal.