Dosha Imbalances & The Menstrual Cycle

Menstruation as a Report Card

In a menstruating body, the menstrual cycle is just one of the markers we can use to “look under the hood” at our doshic balance. I like to think of menses as a kind of monthly report card on nutrition, hydration, stress, and dosha.

Symptoms are how our body communicates to us, and a healthy menstrual cycle is one that is fairly symptomless and unremarkable. With this wisdom, we look to any present symptoms to tell us what dosha(s) are out of balance by looking at the symptoms preceding and during our bleeding phase.


Vata Imbalances

Vata is comprised of air and ether elements, and is described by the qualities of dry, light, rough, cold, mobile, subtle, and clear. Imbalances will be marked by these same qualities, or gunas.


PMS:

A Vata-imbalanced premenstrual cycle may look like the following.

  • anxiety, fear, insecurity, insomnia, fatigue

  • low back pain, cramping, constipation, clumsy

  • crave: Salty, Sweet, Crunchy

  • symptoms are worse pre-dawn/pre-dusk

Bleeding Phase:

  • irregular/scanty bleeding

  • amenorrhea

  • brownish-red, dry menstrual fluid

  • stringy, hard clots

  • PMS discomfort at beginning of cycle

  • lower back and abdominal pain.

  • constipation prior to menstruation and/or first 1-2 bleeding days

  • insomnia, dizziness, nervous tension, vertigo

  • forgetfulness, anxiety, fearfulness

  • craving for salty, sweet, crunchy

Pitta Imbalances

Pitta is comprised of fire and water elements, and is described by the qualities of hot, sharp/quick, oily, light, intense, spreading, and sour. Imbalances will be marked by these same qualities, or gunas.

PMS:

A Pitta-imbalanced premenstrual cycle may look like the following.

  • irritability, anger, critical, judgemental, outbursts

  • Hot Flashes, Acne, Diarrhea, Headache/Migraine

  • Craving for Spicy, Fried Foods, Caffeine, Alcohol

  • Symptoms worse at midnight/noon

Bleeding Phase:

  • menorrhagia / heavy bleeding

  • long duration

  • bright red color

  • fetid smell, sweating

  • burning sensation in bladder

  • fever, migraine, rashes

  • loose stools, diarrhea

  • irritability, anger, fatigue

  • increased appetite, sense of hypoglycemia

  • craving for sweets, spicy

Kapha Imbalances

Kapha is comprised of water and earth elements, and is described by the qualities of heavy, slow/dull, cold, oily, slimy, dense, stable, and sticky. Imbalances will be marked by these same qualities, or gunas.

PMS:

A Kapha-imbalanced premenstrual cycle may look like the following.

  • Sadness, Depression, Weepy, Sentimental

  • Bloat, Heaviness, Slow Elimination

  • Craving for sweet, heavy, cold, salt.

  • Symptoms worse during early-AM/PM

Bleeding Phase:

  • Clots/Mucus, Stagnation

  • Flow is thick with mucus or clots

  • Deep, dull aching in back of belly

  • Pain at end of cycle

  • Discharge before/after cycle

  • Bloating, cramping, water retention

  • Nausea, tender, swollen breasts

  • Weepy, sentimental, depression, clingy

  • Craving sweets, carbs, dairy

  • Lethargic, drowsiness, day-sleeping

how to work with these imbalances

While the symptoms tell us about the doshic origin or the imbalance, they also point us towards the practices and tools that will create balance in the system.

To learn some of the tools I commonly use with myself and my clients who have doshic menstrual cycle imbalances, I invite you to join me for my FREE Ayurveda & The Menstrual Cycle Master Class on June 27th

Ira Ruiz