Ayurveda for period relief
How does an ancient science help you find relief during your period? That's exactly what we're exploring in this post!
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda's an ancient science that arose in India along about the same time as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Whether these two ancient sciences are 5,000 or 10,000 years old (or even older), there's quite a bit of overlap between the two starting with this basic premise...
you are more than matter.
The energetics of Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, everything in the universe is a composition of 5 elements. Whether this thing exists in physical form or not (example: consider a peach vs. a season and a hawk or owl vs. day or night), it is still composed of these 5 elements.
What are the 5 elements?
They are:
- space (also referred to as ether)
- air
- fire
- water
- earth
These 5 elements pair in specific ways to create 3 energies or essences.
What are those energies?
- the space and air elements create the energy of vata
- the fire and water elements create the energy of pitta
- the water and earth elements create the energy of kapha
If vata, pitta, and kapha sound foreign to you, it's because they're Sanskrit words. If we were to apply these 3 energies to metabolism, here's what it would look like:
- vata: catabolic. break down mass into energy.
- pitta: metabolic. burn energy.
- kapha: anabolic. store energy as mass.
You are a blend of these 3 energies. And, each phase of the menstrual cycle is dominated by one of these 3 energies.
Before we move on, the Sanskrit word for energy is dosha (well, that's not entirely true, dosha technically means "out of whack") but how we're using it in this article is dosha interchangeable with energy.
The doshas of the menstrual cycle
Your period: Day 1 of your cycle is the first day of your period. Your period is governed by vata dosha (catabolic energy). The uterine lining that built up throughout your last cycle is shed throughout your period and your body cools down.
The qualities of vata dosha are: cold, drying, mobile (quick), rough, light (airy), and subtle.
Follicular phase: Once your period ends, you enter the growth phase of your cycle (follicular phase... technically the follicular phase starts on cycle day 1 but your uterine lining doesn't begin rebuilding until after your period ends and estrogen levels begin to rise). This phase is governed by kapha dosha (anabolic energy).
The qualities of kapha dosha are: cool, moist, heavy, stable, and soft.
The follicular phase of your cycle is when estrogen (estradiol) is the dominant hormone. The uterine lining builds. Follicles develop and mature.
Ovulation marks the transition from the follicular phase to the luteal phase of your cycle.
Luteal phase: The luteal phase is when progesterone dominates! The luteal phase is governed by pitta dosha because progesterone is a hotter (more thermogenic) hormone than estrogen.
Pitta's qualities are: hot, oily, smooth, mobile (quick), subtle, and sharp.
Supporting a pain-free period
Ask any woman who suffered from heavy periods when she first started menstruating how her period changed from her teens to her 40s and this becomes clear:
Your unique balance of these 3 energies within your own body and your stage of life influence your period.
How are you able to use this knowledge to support a pain-free period?
According to Ayurveda, whenever one dosha (energy) dominates, your body is more agitated (physically with pain) and it plays out in your mental/emotional state as well. So, a painful period (cramps, headaches before your period starts/during your period, nausea, etc.) and a moody premenstrual phase are caused by these energetic influences.
With this in mind, let's look at how to use this knowledge to support a pain-free period.
Ayurvedic tips for a pain-free period
-
As your period approaches, slow down.
Did you notice that both your luteal phase (2nd half of your cycle) and your period itself have the qualities of mobile (quick)? The opposite of this quality is stable/grounded.
If you're unable to free up your schedule, some great ways to support stability and groundedness are to:
- lighten up your work-out routine. Swap HIIT or activities like running with weight training, slow flow yoga, Pilates, or even swimming!
- sleep more. Aim to get 15 minutes more sleep in the couple of days leading up to your period.
- relax more. If you're unable to sleep an extra 15 minutes, carve out time for yourself to enjoy an herbal tea and just sit and either drink your tea or if you have to do something, journal (the old fashioned way, notebook in hand, no tech in sight)
- lay on the floor or in the grass. Physically grounding yourself (even bare feet in the grass) is a great way to prepare for the mobility of your period.
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once your period starts, keep warm, go slow, and enjoy some baths.
- water is incredibly stabilizing, so warm baths (even warm foot soaks) are a great way to keep grounded during your period.
- keeping your body warm during this cooling phase with herbal teas (chamomile, lavender, chai, raspberry leaf, holy basil) and warm drinks and warm foods will help offset the cold, dry qualities of vata dosha dominant during your period
Want more?
In case you're ready to dismiss this entire article because it sounds too easy, would you be open to trying it for just one cycle?
In case you're fully onboard and want more, you'll find 10 ways to support a pain-free period with Ayurveda in this free video (downloadable cheat sheet included!)
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