Wellbeing-Period problems

For many women, the medical condition called amenorrhoea can be really worrisome. It is basically the absence of menses or in other words, cessation or stoppage of menstrual flow. In Ayurveda, this condition is referred as anarthav or nastarthav. But the fact is that amenorrhoea is perfectly normal, especially in the following conditions:

n Before onset of puberty
n During pregnancy and feeding
n Menopausal stage (when menses fully cease)

When menses do not appear at puberty, it may be due to Turner’s Syndrome. For this primary amenorrhoea condition, surgical interference may be necessary. When it comes to secondary amenorrhoea, menses stop suddenly due to deficiency of ovarian hormones or hormonal imbalance, disorders of hypothalamus, deficiency of thyroid and pituitary gland functions, mental disturbances, anorexia nervosa, diabetes, removal of the ovaries and uterus and changes in the surroundings.

In the female body, lower pelvis or the seat of apana vata is responsible for the elimination of menstrual blood, stool, urine and reproductive fluids. Due to anxiety and stress, apana vata increases at the onset of menstruation. There are some situations where aggravated vata causes accumulation of toxins in minute channels, which
carry the menstrual blood. This blockage leads to amenorrhoea.

But with some exercise and proper diet, this condition is easily treatable. Firstly, avoid junk and salty foods like beef, ice cream, cheese and cold drinks. Include foods like soup, green leafy vegetables and fruits and drink lots of water too. Apart from this, regular walking, pranayama, and meditation are important to reduce stress. Fear, anxiety, and worry are anti-menses emotions. Daily massage with medicated oil will also prove to be beneficial.

(The author is a Bengaluru-based Ayurveda practitioner)