MENOPAUSE: This is just the vata time of life

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MENOPAUSE:

This is just the vata time of life

 

In today's fast-paced, high-stress world, menopause sounds like a

horrible event looming over a woman's productive time of life.

Ayurveda offers us a look at menopause from a different point of

view, one steeped in tradition over thousands of years. Ayurveda, the

traditional system of medicine and natural system of healing of

India, recognizes that there are certain forces, called doshas, at

play in all people all their lives. By recognizing how these forces

play out in each of our lives, we can learn to bring our lives into

balance, creating the opportunity for health and contentment.

 

According to Ayurveda, there are three stages of life, the Kapha

stage, which is the stage of youth, a time of growing and learning

and of being nurtured. This is followed by the Pitta stage, which is

the productive, working period of our lives. This is followed by the

Vata stage of live, a time of inner reflection and growth. It is a

time of service, to our loved ones and our society. Menopause

signifies the time of change from the Pitta, productive time period,

into the Vata stage of life. When we recognize this natural cycle of

change and accept the gifts each stage offers we can live happily and

at peace. But when one is unaware of this time, and one struggles to

remain in the Pitta stage once they've naturally moved beyond it,

much stress can be created.

 

These forces, or doshas, of Vata, Pitta and Kapha, are made up of

certain qualities. Vata is made up of the concepts of ether and air,

which gives us the qualities of lightness, dryness, coolness and

mobility. Pitta is made up of the concepts of fire and a little

water. It has the qualities of heat, a little moist or oily,

lightness and is unstable. Kapha is made up of the concepts of water

and earth. This gives Kapha the qualities of heaviness, coolness,

moistness and stability.

 

As we move from the pitta time of life to a vata time of life, the

vata dosha will naturally increase. For some women, this increase

does not cause an imbalance. For others, different symptoms of a vata

imbalance will be present. Common symptoms include hot flashes,

vaginal dryness, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, palpitations,

urinary incontinence and constipation.

 

There are several components to an ayurvedic treatment program for

managing an excess of the vata dosha. Since vata is a condition of

dry, light and cool qualities, ayurveda recommends food plans that

contain warm, heavy and moist qualities. An example of this would be

vegetables lightly sautéed in ghee (clarified butter) with digestive

spices such as fennel, cumin and coriander, served with rice. How you

eat is just as important as what you eat, if not more so. Ayurveda

has healthy eating guidelines that revolve around taking the time to

eat in a quiet calm environment with your attention on what you're

eating. In ayurveda eating is a time of respect and appreciation for

the food you are consuming.

 

Ayurvedic treatment also includes herbs that complement the food

plan. Shatavari, literally `she who has one hundred husbands', is an

ayurvedic herb used for maintaining a healthy female reproductive

system. It is tonifying and has a demulcent property which is helpful

for vata's dryness. It also has a calming effect and can be used for

insomnia and a cooling effect which is beneficial for hot flashes.

 

Ayurveda has several therapies which are helpful for women entering

menopause. These include abhyanga, which is a warm oil massage,

shirodhara, a treatment where a continuous stream of warm oil is

poured across the forehead, and anuvasana basti, a warm oil enema.

 

Ayurveda also encourages meditation to aid in the inner search for

self.

 

Seen through the eyes of ayurveda, this is a beautiful time of

transition. When we live in balance it is a natural time of grace.