Menopause is a natural transition for women when the ovaries stop producing hormones and menstruation ceases. From an Ayurvedic perspective, it ushers in the vata stage of life and is celebrated for the insight and freedom that is gained by welcoming this transformation. Menopause is considered a sacred transition into deep wisdom and is symbolic of the autumnal time of life. Women at this stage are revered as sage grandmothers, as they enhance life for others around them with their spiritual acuity, their life wisdom, and the support they provide to the younger generations.
This is a stark difference in how menopause is viewed in the Western world where it is often considered a time of loss and a cause for concern associated with aging and a loss of sexual vitality. It is typically feared, wished to be avoided, and not well understood nor supported naturally. A big part of the fear is this attitude towards menopause and the rocky transition that can occur when we continue our fast-paced modern lives as usual and don't embrace and honor this time of life when Nature is prodding us to slow down and nourish ourselves more deeply.
As an advocate and devout practitioner of holistic natural health, I guide my clients going through menopause to first work towards making all the necessary adjustments they can naturally, through diet and lifestyle, before going down the path of using pharmaceutical intervention with hormone therapy via pills, creams, gels, and implants where getting the delicate balance of hormones becomes more tricky and risky.
Our bodies have an innate intelligence that is designed to work towards balance and vibrant health when we work with it and give it the right tools. Menopause is a process Nature designed as a necessary stage of life for women, therefore, Nature has also provided the medicine. We just need to heed the cues by aligning with the natural cycles and rhythms in Nature. We absolutely can heal ourselves naturally and that's empowering.
Menopause Defined
Clinically, menopause is the cessation of the menstrual cycle generally between ages 45 - 51 due to a decrease in the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone. It is a very gradual transition that starts with perimenopause around age 35 and is considered the commencement into the vata stage of life when the ovaries gradually begin to make less of these sex hormones. As this process progresses, the ovaries finally stop releasing eggs about the last 1-2 years of perimenopause, the drop in estrogen and progesterone speeds up and this is when menopause symptoms can become more obvious and challenging. The age the phases of perimenopause and menopause start can vary greatly due to lifestyle and genetics.
Estrogen is responsible not only for reproductive health, but this hormone also helps to protect our bones, retain muscle, moisture, and collagen, and protect us from inflammation and damage to the joints. It's the cooler, more moist hormone of the two and it pacifies vata and pitta dosha. This hormone also plays a role in regulating neurotransmitters, including serotonin, which is associated with boosting mood. It provides relaxation to the nervous system and gives a woman's body strength and juiciness.
Progesterone is considered the “mothering, nurturing” hormone that is necessary for the luteal phase of menstruation when the womb is looking to make the right environment for a fertilized egg. It helps us feel calm and relaxed by regulating the production of GABA, a neurotransmitter that promotes deep sleep and enhances mood. As this is the hotter, dryer hormone of the two, it has an important role in fat metabolism and helps relax the muscles. This hormone can aggravate the balance of vata and pitta, but it has a neutral effect on kapha dosha. You can see why transitioning into menopause can be challenging due to the decrease of these hormones that provide ample functions for the body and calming to the mind.
Menopause Brings in More Vata
Vata, the queen of the doshas, governs movement and transition, and as a result, the cessation of menstruation brings an increase of vata dosha in the body and mind. Vata also governs the nervous system, which influences the adrenals and hormones. Therefore, menopausal symptoms are largely vata-induced.
Vata is the energy of air and space - it is light, ungrounded, and constantly in motion so there is a lot of instability and changes in the body and the mind at this time.
Symptoms like dry skin and mucous membranes, digestive difficulty, constipation, trouble concentrating and sleeping, anxiety, and worry are all things that can present or increase during menopause.
Therefore, one of the major keys to finding balance, regardless of your dominant dosha, is learning how to pacify vata with diet and lifestyle, including practices that help you slow down and find more moments of stillness.
I have included a list of vata-pacifying diet and lifestyle practices towards the end of this blog, but first I want to explain a little bit about the other two doshas, pitta and kapha, and two subtle, vital substances that our hormones provide that are also significantly affected by menopause.
Want to learn more about vata dosha, and actually, what even is a dosha? See my article here and learn about pitta and kapha dosha, too.
Ojas: a refined form of Kapha Dosha
A vital substance that supports Immunity
Ojas is a superfine biological substance that is created from the essence of complete digestion and after successful nourishment of all seven bodily tissues.
It is a refined form of kapha dosha, composed of earth and water elements. It is considered the "bliss factor" that goes beyond good health.
Ojas builds immunity, stability, and nourishment. It gives our bodies strength, vigor, and vitality, and it fights against aging, decay, and disease.
During menopause, our stores of ojas become vulnerable because as vata rises, it can erratically disperse our digestive fire away from the core where it's needed, and as ojas is created from strong, complete digestion, it can become more challenging to make this supreme, immunity-boosting nectar. It is imperative to ensure that kapha dosha is not depleted so that women can maintain balance and vitality while in menopause.
If kapha is in excess, due to a sedentary lifestyle and heavy diet, it can obstruct the flow of nutrients and waste products and lead to imbalances like a sluggish thyroid, uterine fibroids, and bloating.
Tejas: a refined form of Pitta Dosha
A vital substance that supports Digestion
Tejas is a refined form of pitta, composed of the fire element, that governs our digestive fire, intelligence, and discernment - all things related to transformation in the body and mind.
Tejas is involved with the production of digestive enzymes, molecular catalysts, and hormones. Pitta also governs the liver and blood, where many transformations occur. It provides the intelligence to direct our cells when and where they need to go to efficiently perform transformative tasks within our system.
As our hormone stores are vulnerable, tejas also can become imbalanced and this can lead to symptoms like digestive disturbances, uncomfortable temperature fluctuations like hot flashes and increased sweating, and difficulty with memory and concentration. Making sure pitta dosha is balanced and in its proper location in the digestive core is also imperative during menopause.
When pitta is imbalanced, it can impact hormone balance, particularly through liver function. Foods that aggravate pitta, such as sour, acidic, and heating substances like fermented or spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco all influence hormonal balance.
Every woman going through this transition will experience a lessening of these reproductive hormones and vital substances that have always been there throughout life to help us feel calm, centered, strong, and energized, so it is a noticeable change that needs mindful adjustment. Also, how we work with and manage stress is going to make a huge difference in how well we balance our endocrine system. Keep reading below to see how cortisol, the stress hormone comes into the mix.
Menopause & Stress
As mentioned above, the hormones estrogen and progesterone become significantly decreased as we move into menopause, by design. Understand that even though these hormones decrease significantly, women still have these hormones in their system, just not levels that support reproduction. For a smooth transition into menopause, it is imperative to protect our remaining stores of these hormones, and we do that essentially by slowing down and having robust diet and lifestyle self-care practices that nourish us deeply.
One of the biggest reasons women from the Western world have a greater risk of a rocky road to menopause is due to our highly stressful lifestyles and modern culture keeping us tethered in fight or flight mode. The chemistry of menopause that ensues from continuing to live a life of chronic stress paints a clear picture of how this delicate process gets hindered or derailed.
The delicate balance
As you recall, the ovaries stop producing sex hormones during menopause and the adrenal glands ultimately take over this task. As usual, stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine) are produced and released by the adrenal glands as a reaction to stress. So in a quick summary, releasing stress hormones and sex hormones is now solely the job of the adrenal glands, causing this important endocrine gland to take on an additional job.
If needed, cortisol can pull from the progesterone stores and make more stress hormones, but unfortunately, the reverse of that is not possible and this will diminish progesterone. Therefore the ratio of progesterone and estrogen can easily become imbalanced. Since progesterone is needed to help keep estrogen in check, chronic stress is thought to be one of the main reasons why so many women today experience estrogen dominance.
Clearly, we can see a greater imbalance during menopause when women continue a chronically stressful lifestyle that markedly depletes their progesterone stores. Aside from the constant buzz of activity in the modern lifestyle, one of the common ways women continue this stress cycle is by regular consumption of stimulants like caffeine and alcohol that tax the adrenal glands by requiring a release of more cortisol, continually overstimulating the nervous system. Cortisol chronically released in excess is responsible for a myriad of health issues, including insomnia, migraines, and weight gain, which are all common complaints and typical challenges for menopausal women.
In addition, it is very important to note this shifting of hormones that happens when we reach perimenopause and menopause is only partially responsible for the effects and symptoms we experience. Other significant factors that affect how smoothly women transition into menopause are based on how we have lived our lives during our entire premenopausal years. Cumulative lifestyle habits and the body's underlying state of health at the time of menopause all play a role in how we experience this transition into the autumnal time of life.
Fortunately, we have a wealth of ancient wisdom to draw from in Ayurveda that helps guide each of us uniquely on how we can find balance and well-being naturally at any stage of life. Ayurveda teaches us how to intricately align our biorhythms with a daily routine that is in tune with Nature's cycles, how to optimize diet and digestion, and how to reduce mental stress through practices like yoga, meditation, and many other deep self-care rituals. We can bring in certain foods, herbs, and practices that help naturally balance our hormones and bodily tissues and support the body's innate ability to heal itself.
Finding Balance with Ayurveda
Ayurveda aims to find balance with the new ratio of energies present in a woman's constitution and to build and support the remaining stores of hormones through diet and lifestyle by making sure we have practices that settle our nervous system, support digestive strength, bolster immunity, and maintain moisture in the body. Essentially, the keys to staying balanced as we move closer towards and into menopause include practices that pacify vata and lessen stress, while at the same time, an understanding that each woman is unique and her path to balance and well-being will also look unique.
Foods & Digestion
Digestive Health is Paramount
To maintain balance and wellness during menopause, first and foremost, our digestive system needs to be working efficiently and be clear of toxic build-up. This includes the liver as the liver is responsible for transforming our hormones and removing any excess. A few things that work against the liver are processed foods, fried foods, alcohol, and drugs including caffeine and nicotine. Minimizing or avoiding these as much as possible is best when balance during menopause is desired.
How do we cultivate a strong and balanced digestive system? Well, since we all have a unique energetic makeup that dictates our digestive personality and strength, our specific dietary needs will differ. But often, menopause can bring in a time of diminished digestion and toxic build-up. This is such an important factor when dealing with menopause, so to get the full picture I suggest you see my post The Importance of a Balanced Digestive Fire.
Your unique constitution, which we call doshas, also plays a part in how you find balance during menopause and during any part of the life cycle, for that matter. To delve deeper into the unique dietary needs of your constitution, I suggest you check out my article Doshas: Ayurvedic Constitutions.
Finding Hormonal Balance with Food
Mother Nature has her very own version of hormone therapy and it is provided naturally when you have an organic and wholesome balanced diet. Phytoestrogens and progesterone-rich foods in their whole, natural form are the most bio-compatible for the body. Supporting your stores of ojas and tejas will also make this sacred transition more smooth.
Phytoestrogens are plant compounds that have a similar structure to estrogen, yet they are not as strong as the estrogen found naturally in the body. These plant compounds don't act in isolation so they have a synergistic effect that helps to modulate and balance the level of estrogen in the body and improves the function of estrogen. Once we are truly in menopause, the level of estrogen dramatically decreases and we can experience symptoms of estrogen deficiency. The following foods can therefore help improve the function and balance of estrogen stores.
The practice of abhyanga, daily self-massage with warm oil, is also a way to naturally increase your estrogen stores. The skin (via the fat layer called the hypodermis) is one of the main sites where estrogen is formed in your body after menopause. Abhyanga also gives you the added benefit of detoxing the lymphatic system and other bodily tissues, and deeply nourishing parched skin.
To learn how to perform an abhyanga on yourself at home, see my article here.
As I mentioned earlier, chronic stress can lower our levels of progesterone even more dramatically than estrogen, causing progesterone levels to be insufficient enough to balance estrogen. Because of this, there is an increasing amount of women today experiencing estrogen dominance, otherwise called "unopposed estrogen".
Many women today with estrogen dominance are told to avoid foods containing phytoestrogens, but these plant compounds are an important part of a wholesome, balanced diet and holistic remedy when trying to balance female reproductive hormones. Instead of removing these nutrient-, vitamin-, and mineral-dense foods, what is more healing in the case of estrogen dominance is getting a healthy dose of progesterone-rich foods, improving digestion and the function of the liver since it is the site of hormone production. It is also necessary to decrease chronic stress and to remove processed and artificial foods and stimulants like caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, and harmful xenoestrogens (endocrine-disruptors in plastics, pesticides, and harmful chemicals).
Since progesterone stores are so vulnerable, particularly in the modern lifestyle, an important part of a healthy diet during menopause contains plenty of foods that help promote the production of progesterone. These foods provide nutrients that support hormone production, balance blood sugar, and support healthy digestion. These are foods that are considered tonic to the adrenals and liver, they often have a bitter quality to them and contain plenty of zinc, magnesium, B vitamins, and vitamins C and E.
Certain foods, like cruciferous veggies and green peas, also contain components like Indole-3-carbinol (IC3) that promote liver function, which is important for hormone balance where our waste products and “spent” hormones are cleared out. Cruciferous vegetables should be eaten daily as part of your hormone detoxification and balancing system to help modulate the metabolism of estrogen. Essentially, progesterone-rich foods will help balance estrogen in the body naturally.
More Lifestyle Tips
As we are all so unique, what works for one, might not work for another, so you might consider sitting with an Ayurvedic Practitioner like myself to gain thorough insight into your unique needs. In general, here are some supportive and mindful practices that can be very helpful to add to your daily self-care routine to assist you with managing menopause.
Our nervous system is our main operating system, so keeping it in balance is of utmost importance. Every single cell in our body has an internal clock that is regulated by our nervous system and by the rhythms of Nature, like the light/dark cycle and seasonal changes.
For more on the light/dark cycle and a recipe for a soothing nighttime tonic called Moon Milk, see my article here.
When we have a daily routine that puts us into a natural flow that is in alignment with Nature, we allow the nervous system to anticipate and entrain itself and it will therefore work with more ease, performing all necessary functions in the body more efficiently.
We call this daily routine dinacharya in Ayurveda. Dinacharya is a significant part of lifestyle medicine, that is also referred to today in the modern world as circadian medicine. It helps sustain our energy, our digestive system, and our blood sugar levels, among an infinite list of other essential tasks. Dinacharya is also an example of preventative medicine, because what we do every day creates our tomorrows.
Main take-away: getting into a daily rhythm will significantly support hormone balance.
Mealtimes should be considered a sacred ritual. How well we nourish ourselves and how well we digest our food is paramount to our health.
The right diet for our unique constitution is the best medicine and is the first line of defense for preventative health and healing, and therefore a critical part of managing menopause. We can adopt an appropriate diet for ourselves when we understand our unique constitution, which we call doshas in Ayurveda. Understanding the doshas acts as an intricate guide to help determine the best diet for you. It is a very intuitive and powerful tool for self-healing and it simply allows you to evolve to a more ideal state of health.
If diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. If diet is correct, medicine is of no need.
When we eat the appropriate diet for our constitution, our digestion finds harmony and that aids in the performance of all other systems in our body, including our endocrine system where all of our hormones are produced.
In addition, a diet that consists of whole, fresh organic foods that come directly from the earth is going to infuse our cells with intelligence and life-giving prana. Lessening or avoiding processed and artificial foods, nervous system stimulants, and drugs will help us lessen the toxic load.
If you're feeling ready to kick your caffeine habit, see my article Caffeine & Ayurvedic Alternatives on how to properly ween off and for healthy options to replace it with that will provide you with replenishment and support for your whole system.
When we do get bogged down with toxins, we can employ a gentle cleanse. The Kitchari Cleanse is a supportive way to give our digestion a break so that it can dedicate its energy to clearing out toxins.
See my article here for an in-depth look and how-to on the Kitchari Cleanse.
Main take-away: eating a healthy, balanced diet for your unique constitution is one way to give yourself a real advantage in managing menopause.
Our bodies were designed to move. Our lymphatic system, which is a significant part of our immune system, doesn't have a pump so it needs movement and stimulation to help circulate through the channels. It’s what drives the nutrients into the body and it’s what moves the toxins out. Any physical activity, including stretching, massaging, and dry brushing will all help support lymphatic movement.
For more on this, see my article All About the Lymphatic System.
Movement is also critical during menopause to support bone health, balance digestion and strengthen our muscles. Weight-bearing exercise and an exercise regimen like yoga that emphasizes stretching and mindfulness are some of the best ways to support yourself during menopause.
Appropriate exercise for each body type will also help improve balance and flexibility and will help release the feel-good hormones endorphins and dopamine, boosting mood. Understanding your dosha will help you gauge what is an appropriate level of exercise.
It's important to note that menopause is a time to reflect on your exercise habits, making sure you're not overexercising, as we do so commonly in our culture with the belief "no pain, no gain". Overexerting ourselves in menopause can more easily cause excess stress on the body, raising cortisol levels, depleting our precious energy, and will cause you to miss the opportunity to strengthen and regenerate healthy tissue. Exercise should act as a positive stimulus, boosting your energy and your mood, not stressing you out.
Main take-away: getting moderate exercise every day helps navigate the challenges of menopause by building strength, and by boosting immunity, digestion, energy, and mood.
Because menopause is a time when vata energy becomes more pronounced, it can be challenging to calm and settle the mind. Therefore, having regular practices in place that help quiet the mind, ground our energy, and promote stillness to calm the nervous system is paramount for balance during menopause. If we can properly support our nervous system, it significantly helps us to maintain overall health and well-being.
Above are several ways to support the nervous system, but one of the most essential tools for well-being during menopause in the modern world today is meditation. Meditation goes to the root of our consciousness and connects us with our higher self which then aligns us with healing forces and deeper wisdom.
Meditation helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression and can increase self-awareness, creativity, and tolerance. It also lowers our resting heart rate, reduces negative emotions, and helps us gain new perspectives.
For an easy and visually stunning meditation, see my blog on Kaleidoscope Meditation.
Pranayama, breathing practices, is also a very essential tool for the menopausal woman. When you practice conscious breathing, which is taking a moment to focus solely on the breath moving into and out of your lungs, you can control your mind and quiet the chatter. Conscious breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system which consequently slows down heart rate and digestion, lowers blood pressure, and promotes feelings of calm and relaxation.
For an easy pranayama practice using a simple mantra, see my blog post The Art of Being.
In addition, doing things regularly that make your heart light and make you feel good, like getting regular massages, spending ample time in Nature, and removing nervous system stimulants, are all profoundly important practices in managing menopause well.
Main take-away: regular practices that reduce stress and support the nervous system are paramount for managing menopause.
Menopause is a major physiological and psychological transition. It is a unique and seemingly mystifying time in a woman's life that can be challenging, especially if there is a lack of support and an inability to make necessary adjustments. Every woman's path to well-being and balance during this great change is going to have a unique path, but luckily Ayurveda has a storehouse of ancient, timeless wisdom to pull from.
I write this article as I am presently experiencing the start of these changes myself. Everyday tasks can sometimes feel daunting as I learn to navigate the fluctuation of my hormonal balance, and the changing tides of my energy and moods. I have lived my life with a dominant vata dosha, so I already have a lot of these practices in place, but I've had to become ever better at them, and sometimes, somedays, I'm not as good at maintaining balance, as every day seems to bring something different. But I know Ayurveda will see me through this radical transition and therefore I am incredibly grateful I have reached this stage of my life with these tools that are full of wisdom of deep self-care and balance no matter what life brings you.
Menopause is a great transformation, ladies, and any great transformation means upheaval and dramatic change for the ultimate purpose of bringing about a metamorphosis. We can choose to shift our Western thoughts of menopause into a positive light when we recognize this is a sacred transition and a gaining of deep spiritual wisdom.
So here is where we can embody the transformative and liberating spirit of the butterfly and embrace the changes that come. When we cocoon and nourish ourselves properly, we can emerge from our chrysalis as a wiser woman and experience menopause with more grace and ease.
I hope you have found something here that helps you navigate the changing tides of menopause. I offer one-on-one consultations, so if you'd like deeper guidance through menopause, please connect with me here: https://www.nature2balance.com/contact
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