Health of women affects the health of the future generation and wellness of the family. Women need special care in her different stages of life. These hormonal variations also make females prone to stress and degenerations.
As hormone levels vary significantly from age to age women needs special care in her different stages of life. Due to the changes in today’s diet and lifestyle during childhood, many girls are prone to an early start of menstruation; before they are mentally and physically prepared. These hormonal variations also make females prone to stress and degenerations. For thousands of years, Ayurveda, the science of life and a way of living is enabling women to combat these issues effectively.
Woman is unique due to:
- Menstruation:
In females the endocrine system is dominant, Menstruation divides women’s life into two phases, 1. Woman during the years of menstruation 2. After menopause.
The beginning of menstruation marks puberty with abrupt increase in female sex hormones and physical changes. Sometimes these changes can be difficult to adjust for the body and mind requiring help. Along with these hormonal changes, various social and emotional factors – exams, marriage and moving out from one home to another, relationship issues, anxiety about future, engaging in earning and many others- most of the time results in the occurrence of chronic health issues. Ayurveda can help to prepare adolescent girls to face this phase and problems successfully.
Each menstrual cycle is again divided into three phases; days of menstruation, after menstruation to ovulation (proliferative phase) and from ovulation to menstruation (secretary phase). Until ovulation (proliferative phase) oestrogen is dominant and until menstruation (secretary phase) progesterone is dominant. Around menopause there is a sudden decline in female hormone levels, making the body difficult to adjust. So we can see that the hormone levels vary considerably in females from time to time. Thus it is important for women to adjust their diet and life style according to the changes in hormone levels, so that general functioning and the transition from one phase to other are healthy and problem free. Ayurveda can help women to achieve this.
- Pregnancy, child birth and lactation:
Women are the receivers of sperms and provide the site for pregnancy so body should be strong enough to carry out all these functions effectively and smoothly. During these times, nutritional needs are high and hormone levels vary. An imbalance in metabolism can sometimes lead to serious troubles during this stage. Females are prone to deficiency diseases, body complications and stress during these times. Ayurveda can help them to prepare for and carry out this unique blessing more effectively and easily.
Women’s common health threats:
- Mental health:
Women are prone to stress due to the variations in hormonal levels and the multiple human and social roles they carry out. Stress result in burning out, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, somatic disorders, etc. Stress also make females prone to indigestion, obesity, muscle diseases, cervical spondylosis, degenerative diseases like osteoporosis and autoimmune diseases, etc. Ayurveda detox, herbs and Ayurveda massage treatments can help to reduce stress and increase the quality of life.
- Women’s reproductive health problem:
Women’s health problems is high due to many reasons. Though women are in physiological condition they require constant body care.
Some of main problems are
- Precautious menstruation: Ayurvedic life styles (and treatments, if needed) can help in these conditions for healthy and easy transition.
- Menstrual disorders: Menstrual disorders decrease quality of life for a number of days every month from work and/ or studying. It can be polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, peri-menstrual syndrome, excessive bleeding (dysfunctional uterine bleeding), dysmenorrhoea (painful menstruation), irregular cycles, prolonged periods, scanty menstruation, etc. These disorders can be managed by specific herbs and Ayurvedic treatments.
- Disorders of female reproductive system: Some examples are pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cyst, uterine fibroids, infections of cervix and vagina, leucorrhoea, precancerous changes of tissues, cancers, etc. By reducing stress, improving general metabolism, detox treatments and advising specific herbs, Ayurveda provides natural and better options for the treatment of these diseases. All these treatments generally improve the quality of life.
- Sexual and psychological problems: Females are completely different from males in sexual and behaviour. Understanding female sexual behaviour is an important step in enjoying sex. Various sexual disorders like decreased libido, painful intercourse, female sexual dysfunction, etc. can be managed with Ayurveda. Also Ayurveda can be boon for mental conditions.
- Infertility treatments: Various conditions that affect ovulation and decrease the capabilities of uterus can lead to infertility in women. Ayurveda teaches that an imbalance in general tissue metabolism can lead to infertility. Also an imbalance in vata in lower abdomen can lead to improper functioning of reproductive organs. Generally, these issues are referred as unexplained infertility, which can be easily corrected with Ayurveda, over Allopathy. Ayurveda has various herbs and natural preparations to correct the pathologies of infertility.
- Preparing for pregnancy:
Stress, addictions, multiple partners, use of contraceptives, etc. make a women’s body an uncomfortable place for babies. Also the psychology of females has a greater impact on the body type and development of the child. So always before planning to have a baby, it is good to detox systems, boost metabolism and immunity, rejuvenate body and mind. Ayurveda advises lifestyle modification, herbs and various treatments for this purpose. Also these treatments improve the health and hormonal balance, making you more successful to have a healthy baby, susceptible to stress and difficulties during pregnancy, delivery and lactation.
- Prenatal and postnatal care:
From ancient times Ayurveda advises special regimes which can help to improve the health of mother and child. They are also important in the prevention and management of complications of pregnancy and child birth, postnatal depression, adjustment with child and family.
- Peri-menopausal syndrome:
A sudden decline in female hormones around menopause lead to a range of symptoms like hot flush, anxiety, depression, mood variations, dry vagina, thinning of skin, hair, nail and bones, etc. Ayurveda can help you to adapt with this situation more easily and increase the quality of your life through life style advices, herbs and treatments.
- Care for wise years:
After menopause, the decline in the protective female sex hormones increases coronary heart disease, joint diseases, etc. in women. Also due to socio-cultural reasons women are prone to mental, psychosomatic and physical illness during this period of life. Ayurvedic lifestyle, herbs and massage treatments can help in a great deal to support quality of life during this time.
AYURVEDIC THERAPIES
Ayurveda medicine – panchakarma, yoga, massage, acupuncture and herbal medicine, helps to encourage health and wellbeing.
Ayurvedic techniques include:
- Dietary changes
- Herbal medicine, including combining herbs with metals, minerals or gems (known as rasha medicines) that can take the form of tablets and powders of various colours and scents)
- Meditation
- Breathing exercises
- Panchakarma
- Sound therapy, including the use of mantras
- Yoga
Ayurveda has remedies to treat all range of disorders
