I know.... it's not always fun. The bloating, the pains, the pervasive feeling of "meh", and the rage, OMG, the RAGE! But wait, there's hope! The truth is, we have steered so far away from our natural cycles that in this modern, fast-paced society that it has become more of a burden than a blessing.
"Blessing you said?" Yes, you read it correctly! Our monthly period has a unique purpose of naturally detoxifying our bodies from the unwanted waste accumulated throughout the month. At this time, our srotas and nadis, or the channels in our bodies are wide open to flush out the ama, or toxins, and our liver is working overtime to make sure that happens efficiently.
With that in mind, there's are a few ways that we can support this special moment and ease the ailments that most of us have experienced. Firstly we must keep in mind that the menstruation is part of a cycle and in order to maintain a healthy flow we must tend to certain recommendation throughout the month and not only during our period. Everything we do that's out of sync with our cycle, affects our wellbeing at our most vulnerable moments.
So much happens in our body during the 28 days of our cycle, (see image below) but I will focus on the Ayurvedic perspective for days 1-7, when our bodies are working extra hard to detox and cleanse.
What happens during menstruation:
💨 The subdosha of Vata, apan vayu, is responsible for everything that moves downward and out from the pelvic region is now expelling the blood. Have you noticed that your bowels move a little more during this time? That's apan vayu working! So we must encourage the downward movement and avoid the opposite, such as inverted yoga poses, tampons, sexual intercourse, just to name a few examples.
🪠 The subdosha of Pitta, ranjak pitta which is responsible for the metabolism that happens in the liver, is working overtime to flush out the excess toxins, so we must avoid overloading our avid worker with unhealthy fats, ultra-processed foods, and medications that overload the liver.
💦 Our srotas and nadis, or body gross and subtle channels are wide open to facilitate the detoxification process, so it's wise to avoid substances that constrict the vessels like caffeine. To support even further this natural process, eating more fruits and vegetables in their natural form will be especially beneficial. Avoiding sugar, white flour, and junk food is advised.
🥵Lastly, remember that our bodies are performing a synchronized swimming ballet where so much is happening under and over the surface, our bodies get colder, so it's time to just keep warmth in, rest and watch the show.
To make things easier, I put a list together for your enjoyment, right below.
To a balanced life,
Namaste,
Grazie Prokopetz, Doctor of Ayurveda
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