In the West, where the ages of human life are changing in favor of an increasingly long youth (real or only believed), the boundary that nature has placed through the cessation of the menstrual cycle is not always welcomed with serenity.
The menopause in fact marks the end of female fertility and manifests itself, in a variable way, around 50-55 years .
Although during this time of life a woman is generally healthy, in the midst of her physical and mental energies, immersed in the work reality and with a life journey presumably still long, this period is often associated with old age and decline.
Not surprisingly, it is increasingly medicalized in the fight against all those typical symptoms of this age and due to hormonal changes .
In Indian medicine, ayurveda, the approach is completely different and much more conciliatory towards the natural phases of biological life .
Far from frowning upon the dullness of a sad isolation, the woman who is no longer fertile paradoxically acquires authority in the eyes of society.
Free from sexual obligations towards her husband and from the constraints that the possibility of ovulating her imposes, becomes the role of matron, a wise member of the community .
See also how traditional Chinese medicine addresses menopause
Menopause: a passage, not an end
For ayurveda, menopause is a natural phase of existence, a step in the journey of life . This period is dominated by the dosha vata and therefore is characterized by the disorders associated with it, namely irritability, anxiety, insomnia .
If this is at a general level, at a particular level, in pitta types are typical hot flashes, episodes of sweating and a tendency to anger .
Kapha instead is characterized by symptoms such as demotivation, tendency to depression, increased water retention and body weight.
In addition to these disorders that represent classic pictures, psychological and strictly personal problems may arise in response to the physical and mental changes connected to the menopause. " You must understand that the cessation of menstruation is as natural as their beginning. (...) The end of menstruation indicates the end of your reproductive period and not the end of your sexuality or the beginning of old age. It only means that you will not have your bloodstream and you will not be able to have children, "advises the well-known Ayurvedic doctor Vinod Verma .
A period therefore certainly delicate, but not to gray with sad considerations: nowadays, thanks to the lengthening of life, to the best hygienic-sanitary conditions, to the support that medicine (traditional and alternative) offers, it can be lived in health, harmony and well-being.
Also discover all the natural remedies for menopausal disorders
Some Ayurvedic advice for a dazzling menopause
Ayurveda offers a series of tips and practices to be adopted during this period. First of all the specific treatments that require the prescription of a doctor who will be able to calibrate them according to the specific needs of the individual.
Very useful are the massages performed with oils, pastes, ointments to which you can add essences and herbs that regularize the hormonal processes and pacify the emotions .
Particular attention should be paid to skin care that an excess of vata can make dry and cracked. It is recommended daily to anoint the body with sesame oil, for example by insisting on the joints.
Not to be neglected, also the lifestyle: the physical exercise helps to maintain the high level of the endorphins and to be in shape. Excellent is yoga carried out in a gentle and soft way because it helps to preserve elasticity and strength, maintain balance and activate immune resources, alleviating many disorders typical of this age.
Finally, as popular wisdom suggests, do not underestimate the environments : vata is dry and cold, so to keep it from rising further keep your home warm, humidified and without drafts.
