Did you ever think your untreated constipation could be the reason for your period pain?
A way that you can tell is if, when you are starting to get your period, your flatulence increases and hurts when you release it.
The air element which is supposed to flow freely downwards gets trapped in the pelvic region (due to chronic constipation) and it creates pain. This air element creates extreme dryness and dries out the tissues in the pelvic area.
In this scenario following protocol and giving herbs to relieve constipation will actually help with period pain.
Some common causes of excess air element in the pelvic region are:
a) Excessive physical activities without enough rest to counteract them
b) Excessive foods that contain a lot of air element
c) Lack of exercise
Excessive physical activities
You may think I am talking about exercise here, but that is not necessarily true. Just the act of being up, doing all kinds of activities such as running errands, driving, cooking, cleaning, walking around at work or at home, etc. are all physical activities too. Have you met someone who never stops staying busy? Sure, they must be doing important things, but trying to achieve everything in one day is just not realistic sometimes.
We need to rest enough in between activities and set some limitations for ourselves. We need to make peace with not trying to achieve everything. Learn to prioritize what really needs to be done today, and not worry about what you didn’t finish. Constipation and painful periods aren’t the only consequences of not resting enough, but other conditions such as dry joints/pain, anxiety or sleep problems could also come up.
Excessive foods that contain a lot of air element
There are too many too list here, but some qualities of foods with a lot of air element are: bitter foods, fluffy/puffy/hard/dry foods, and carbonated/fermented drinks.
Examples of bitter foods: coffee, tea, chocolate, leafy greens, brussels sprouts, broccoli, peels of certain vegetables and fruits, and some ingredients commonly used in protein powders such as matcha, chlorella, etc.
Examples of fluffy/puffy/hard/dry foods: popcorn, corn, puffed rice, cookies and crackers, potato, anything dehydrated, bread made with yeast, big beans, uncooked apples, etc.
Keep the above foods at a minimum or avoid them altogether if gases are contributing to your period pains.
Lack of exercise
Just as too much activity creates an anti-gravity effect which can contribute to constipation, thus period pain, not enough activity may not allow the bowls to move enough to come out. The bowls then stagnate, accumulate, and ferment…causing even more air to be created and trapped in the pelvic region. There are many yoga postures that are good for even amateurs to practice that help the bowls move down and out of the body. But don’t just do those postures, make sure to give your body a nice and complete stretch…it will benefit you in all aspects, not just to prevent period pain!
Do you know of anyone suffering from period pain? Be a detective and find out the causative factor for your pain before you pop in the pill. If you would like a more accurate analysis and a personalized protocol for your period pains, book an appointment with me!
510.556.3738, manju@ayurhitam.com