Every woman’s body between 12 and 50 years of age undergoes changes every month. It’s a natural process wherein raja (menstrual blood) is shed from the linings of the uterus when she has not conceived a child. During this period women are called Rutumati as per Ayurveda. When a woman gets menses regularly every month, when it lasts for 5 nights, when the flow is neither heavy nor scanty, when it’s not associated with pain, burning sensation and clots then it’s a sign of shudha artava as per Ayurveda.
When a woman gets menses regularly, but she has pain in lower part of stomach or back then she is said to be afflicted by vata dosha aggravation as per Ayurveda. The medical term for periods with pain is dysmenorrhea and as per ayurveda it is kastartava. Kastartava (dysmenorrhea) is caused due to consumptions of excessive junk food, spicy food, oily fried food, sedentary lifestyle, excessive exercise during periods, day sleep, being awake at night, indigestion, lack of nourishing foods, mental stress, and congenital anomalies as per Ayurveda.
Almost 84.3% of women in reproductive age suffer from dysmenorrhea of various intensity. As per modern medicine, when dysmenorrhea is due to a medical condition like polycystic ovary, fibroid, endometriosis, etc. then it’s called secondary dysmenorrhea. When the same dysmenorrhea is caused due to no underlying medical condition then it’s called primary dysmenorrhea.
Chaturbeeja is a combination of 4 seeds which when taken is helpful in both primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. These 4 seeds are also readily available in every Indian kitchen! They are as follows:
- Methika (Trigonella foenum-graecum): commonly called Fenugreek Seeds
- Chandrashoora (Lepidium sativum): commonly called Aliv Seeds
- Kala Ajaji (Nigella sativa Linn.): commonly called Kalonji
- Yavani (Trachyspremum ammi Spragne): commonly called Carom Seeds
The above 4 seeds when taken in equal quantity are called Chaturbeeja. If it’s consumed every day then it pacifies diseases caused due to vata dosha like pain in the abdomen, bloating, indigestion, and back pain, as per acharya Bhavamishra. Chaturbeeja can be taken in different dosage forms and proportion as per women’s prakruthi (body nature), digestive power and associated symptoms.
Natural Properties of Chaturbeeja
All 4 seeds are pungent and bitter in taste, hot in potency, light to digest and pacify Vata Kapha dosha. Fenugreek and Aliv seeds are unctuous in nature, whereas kalonji seeds are dry in nature. Kalonji and carom seeds aggravate pitta dosha when consumed without assessing a person’s condition and prakruthi.
Action of Chaturbeeja in primary dysmenorrhea: Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) (period pain without any pathology) can be associated with headache, loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea and bloating from 6 to 72 hrs. during menses. All the above symptoms are caused due to aggravated vata and reduced digestive capacity. When women consume Chaturbeeja in the form of powder or kashaya (seeds boiled in 8 parts of water and reduced to 1/4th) or Arka (distilled essential oil of Chaturbeeja) 7 days before expected menses and 3 days during menses, it helps in pacifying vata and improve digestive power, thereby reducing all symptoms of PD.
Action of Chaturbeeja in secondary dysmenorrhea (period pain due to a pathology): Diseases causing dysmenorrhea can have three types of menstrual flow i,e; scanty, normal and excessive. In case of fibroid, polycystic ovary, endometrial polyp, and endometriosis which can be correlated to disease Gulma (abnormal round mass in body) told in Ayurveda, if the menstrual flow is scanty or normal with pain then it’s Kapha vata aggravated condition. In such cases, Kalonji and carom seeds can be taken in more proportion than other two seeds among Chaturbeeja. It will help to reduce pain, improve menstrual flow and act as Gulma hara (pacify abnormal round masses in body).
If menstrual flow is heavy and associated with weakness in case of fibroid, polycystic ovary, endometrial polyp, and endometriosis then fenugreek and Aliv seeds can be taken in more proportion among Chaturbeeja by boiling it with milk as they act as balya (strength promotions) and reduce pain.
A note of caution while consuming Chaturbeeja: As all 4 seeds are hot in potency and pungent in taste, in case of pitta prakruthi women and in those suffering from excessive menstrual flow during and between periods, it is good either to avoid using Chaturbeeja or use in less quantity or use along with cooling adjuvants like milk, ghee, butter and sugar candy.
Research proving Chaturbeeja efficacy in dysmenorrhea:
In a pilot study, 5 women suffering from Primary dysmenorrhea were given Chaturbeeja arka twice a day for 7 days before menses and 3 days during menses for three cycles. Chaturbeeja arka was found effective in reducing both stomach pain and low back pain in this pilot study.
In research comparing effects of Methika (fenugreek seeds) and chandrashoora (Aliv seeds) in 20 women each suffering from primary dysmenorrhea, it was found that both were effective in reducing pain, nausea, vomiting associated with PD and that fenugreek was statistically more effective in comparison to Aliv seeds in overall action.
A clinical study was done to compare the effect of fenugreek powder capsules and placebo (non-medicine) in women students suffering from PD. It was found that fenugreek when given for two cycles for three days reduced pain effectively compared to placebo and reduced symptoms like vomiting, nausea, headache, fatigue and lack of energy during periods.
Through animal studies, each of the seeds in Chaturbeeja are also proven to possess good anti- inflammatory action (reduce pain, swelling, and redness that is caused by inflammation).
Overall Effect of Chaturbeeja
Vata dosha is the one that controls movement of all other dosha and dhatu in our body. When Apana vayu (vata dosha responsible for timely normal menstrual flow) gets aggravated, it results in kastartava(dysmenorrhea). 4 seeds in Chaturbeeja by virtue of their hot potency pacify the cold Property of Vata and help in normal flow of menses. When Kapha dosha is blocking vata dosha in the form of fibroid or polycystic ovary or endometriosis in the uterus, menstrual pain increases. So, the hot potency, pungent and astringent taste of Chaturbeeja act against Kapha dosha which is cold and bulky in nature, thereby reducing pain. Chaturbeeja not only acts as a pain killer, but it also improves appetite, reduces vomiting, headache, back ache and weakness commonly seen in PD.
We are living in times where women consider it natural to suffer every month in pain! We are living in times where period pain is said to be so severe that it mimics heart attack! In order to reduce the most common pain found in women in most of their lifetime, it’s important to use an easily available and affordable medicine! It’s high time we avoid factors causing kastartava, adopt a healthy lifestyle and use Chaturbeeja, an anti-inflammatory herbal medicinal combination either every day or during periods so we women can experience the normal process of menses that is pain free throughout our life!
