Thursday, December 1, 2011

Ayurvedic Health & Menopause

Ayurveda is an ancient Indian method of keeping your body in balance. It's known as the sister science to yoga. Ayurveda can be used to treat all sorts of illnesses and conditions. Ayurveda addresses menopause by balancing out the body's dosha with certain foods and activities.


Finding Your Dosha


In order to use Ayurveda to treat menopause, you must first understand your personal dosha. Your dosha is the characteristics and physical qualities which make up your being. To discover your dosha, you have to take a test (Whatsyourdosha.com/) which asks a wide variety of questions that pertain to all areas of your life from your physical makeup to your spirituality, to your eating habits. Most people are a mix of doshas (vata, pitta or kapha) and some people are all three doshas.


After Figuring Out Your Dosha


After your have established your personal dosha, the next step is to learn what foods and activities will bring your body back into balance. Ayurveda says that conditions like menopausal symptoms are simply an imbalance in your dosha. You will likely have to stick to certain diet restrictions.


Vata Menopausal Symptoms and Treatments


Your menopausal symptoms depend on what dosha is the strongest in your personal constitution. For example, if you are a vata, your symptoms will likely include hot flashes and many of the psychological symptoms associated with anxiety and depression, as well as constipation and bad skin. Offset this by eating cool foods to quiet your hot flashes, meditate often to quiet the mind, and make sure that you're getting enough sleep. Vatas tend to be night owls, which really throws them out of balance.








Pitta Menopausal Symptoms and Treatments


Pittas have a firey constitution, meaning they are constantly trying to cool the flame. Pitta menopausal symptoms are characterized by anger, mood swings, breakouts and hot flashes. To bring your constitution back into balance avoid spicy foods or too much alcohol, and instead drink plenty of water. Eat raw foods often and avoid over cooked foods. Don't stay out in the sun for too long. Use aloe vera to cool down as well. These will all help quiet down the body and mind.


Kapha Menopausal Symptoms and Treatments


Kaphas tend to be rounder and have large frames. Their menopausal symptoms are therefore characterized by weight gain, feeling tired and moving slowly. Kaphas should watch their diets and not eat too much food. They should eat lighter foods in small portions and avoid foods that are too sweet or too salty. They should also avoid sleeping too much and get plenty of physical exercise.

Tags: Menopausal Symptoms Treatments, Symptoms Treatments, your personal, back into, back into balance