|
Pitta-type menopause
Symptoms - Prone to anger, hot temper, irritability, heavy periods, feeling hot, hot flashes, night sweats, excessive bleeding, urinary tract infections, skin rashes, and acne
Treatment of Pitta-type menopause:
Diet - Increase water intake, cooling foods, sweet juicy fruits, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumber, organic foods. Use spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and fennel. Avoid hot and spicy foods, alcohol, and hot drinks. Don't eat late at night.
Lifestyle - Go to bed before 10pm and take an oil massage using coconut and sesame oil. Use meditation and other techniques to reduce hatred, anger, and resentment. Limit exercise and exposure to the sun.
Use anti pitta herbs including aloe vera, arjuna, sandalwood, barberry, golden seal, gotu kola, saffron, and shatavari.
Kapha-type menopause
Symptoms - Weight gain , lethargy, sluggishness, fluid retention, depression, yeast infections, laziness, lacking motivation, and slow digestion during menopause.
Treatment:
Diet – Eat light, dry, and warm food. Enjoy fruits, whole grains, legumes, vegetables. Use spices such as black pepper, ginger, and turmeric. Avoid cheese, sugar, meat, cold foods, and drinks. Weekly fasting is helpful. Consume most or all of your daily food intake before 6pm.
Lifestyle - Get out of bed early (by 6am). Massage with mustard oil and linseed oil.
Anti Kapha Herbs include cinnamon, bayberry, cayenne, guggul, motherwort ,mustard and myrrh.
Major factors in achieving a graceful menopause, a smooth menopause transition, and great health in the years to come include:
Balancing Doshas - Determine the imbalance dosha according to your symptoms and follow the advice given previously to balance that dosha.
Balancing Diet - Diet plays a huge role in balancing hormones during and after menopause. It is well known that Japanese women rarely have hot flashes, probably because their diet contains large amounts of soy, a food rich in certain plant estrogens called "isoflavones."
Soy products aren't the only source of plant estrogens though. Another excellent source of phytoestrogens are "lignans," compounds found in a variety of whole foods including cereals and grains, dried beans and lentils, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, peanuts, vegetables such as asparagus, sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic and broccoli, and fruits such as plums, pears, and strawberries.
Common spices and herbs such as turmeric, thyme, oregano, nutmeg, and licorice also have estrogenic properties that help ease the symptoms of menopause.
Eat a diet high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and dried beans - a diet rich in phytoestrogen. Variety and moderation are essential because just as too much estrogen is unhealthy after menopause, too much phytoestrogen may also be harmful.
Apana Vata, which controls the genito-urinary tract, menstruation, and elimination is a key area to pay attention to when preparing for menopause. Drink plenty of warm water throughout the day. Eat lots of cooked, leafy greens to help with elimination and provide calcium.
For both Pitta and Vata imbalances, a breakfast of cooked apples and prunes and figs is a great way to start the day because it balances the doshas and cleanses the digestive tract.
Panchakarma - More serious symptoms, including continual sleep disturbance, frequent hot flashes, and moderate to severe mood swings are signs of more severe imbalances.
Ayurveda describes that these symptoms are usually due to the buildup of toxins and wastes, referred to as "ama," in the female body's tissues.
In this case, a traditional Ayurvedic detoxification program "panchakarma," may be required to clear the body's channels and gain relief. This internal cleansing approach is the treatment of choice for the more serious problems, including osteoporosis and high cholesterol.
<< Dealing with Menopause - Part 1
About the author:
Dr. Mrs. Sushama Patwardhan is a graduate in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery, and an 'associate editor' for AyurvedaForYou.com.
More Interesting Articles
|