Endometriosis is a disorder associated sometimes with a pain. The endometrium, a tissue underlying female’s uterus, tends to thicken in the preparation for conception, however, when this does not happen, it will be expelledform one’s body through a process known as a menstruation. Sometimes it can grow outside of a uterus to ovaries,Fallopy’s tubes, bowel, or a tissue lining the pelvis. In some cases endometriosis can involve other regions outside the pelvis. During the menstrual cycle the endometrium will thicken, fall apart and bleed, just as the normal tissue would do. However, this displaced tissue cannot be discarded from one’s body and this will cause formation of cysts, such as endometriomas. The pain occurs due to the irritation of surrounding tissues, which can get scars and adhesions. Endometrisis is classified as a disorder I woman reproduction system. It can be treated efficiently.This is very common with younger woman in the age group 25-35 and very rare in menopausal women. There were Cases of endometriosis with children (girls). The studies have shown that it is more likely to occur in women with low BMI (body mass index) or those, who had never given birth or had postponed their first pregnancy.
What causes endometriosis?
Medical science has yet to identify the particular cause for endometriosis. It is known that several factors or their combination can lead to developing endometrisosis. One of the causative factors include the retrograde menstruation, and the theory behind it with the same name (also known as trans-tubal migration). It explains that some endometrial tissue can go back through the Fallopy tubes to the abdominal during menstruation, where it will grown and form cysts. However, it is easy for endometrium to reverse its movement and come back in many women, but only few of them will develop endometrisosis, which is believed to be dependent on the strength of immunity system and hormonal system balance. Endomentrius not only can travel back to the uterus, but can be found as distant from it as in lungs or brain, which suggests lymphatic system can act as a transportation network for it to travel to many parts of woman’s body. This can also be traces of embryonic endometrius since the birth.There are others points of view on where endometriosis originates from, such as high levels of oestrogen or autoimmune response can both trigger this disorder in females. Toxins can also be responsible for endometriosis.The research has shown that women who consume alcohol can develop endometriosis more frequently than those who abstain. Hereditary factor can put some risk on attaining endometriosis as well. The surgery undergone (Cesarian, episiothomy) can transfer endometrius back to the uterus.
What Ayurveda says about endometriosis?
Ayurveda view most chronic diseases as the result of ama (toxins) build-up in one’s body. EndomegtriosisIs believed to be caused when two doshas (vatta and pitta) are not pacified. When these toxins are not removed they will interfere with the fragile balance of tissues. Moreover, toxin can block the circulation in tissues,and this will prevent the elimination process of tissue waste as well as the nutrition of tissues. Hence, eliminationof toxins and the restoration of healthy metabolism can heal the chronic diseases. This can be done through the purification (panchakarma), improving the digestion (increasing Agni), improving one’s diet by introducing moreeasy to digest and eliminate products, balancing one’s mind to prevent stress and depression.One of the unwanted complications of endometriosis is the infertility, which affects about 40% of those, diagnosed with this disorder. Others can experience miscarriage or painful periods. The mechanism is still not clearly understood, as some say endometriosis can change the hormonal balance thus disrupting the conception. Others see the cause in the irregular tissue formation in the Fallopian tubes (scarring and abrasion).
How Ayurveda treats endometriosis
Patients are placed into preparatory cleansing diet for 40 days prior to the panchakarma. During the agni-regulating diet proper nutrients through a diet and herbs are taken by females with endometriosis, which will help to eliminate toxins and improve the digestion. The program incorporates Ayurvedic oil massages and other body treatments which help to eliminate ama from different part of one’s body. A course of body treatments may include abhyangam, shirodhara, swedana, vasti along with a diet of easily digestible food such as broths and light kichudi. After seven days of such a regimen the ama would be eliminated from to digestive system. Vata dosha will be balanced after it, while there would still be increased pitta present. This can be eliminatedfrom the small intestine with the help of virechana (when a castor oil is given and a broth diet for 1 day). You can see from the program of treatment that Ayurveda goes deep to the root of the diseases and never treatsonly exterior or symptoms of the disease. The modern medicine still is not aware of the causal mechanism of endometriosis formation, hence it might not eliminate the very cause of it over the healing process. In most cases the treatment will only include the surgical methods like elimination of grown tissues of endometriosis, this will notbalance the hormonal and digestive systems, which are believed to be true roots for endometriosis in Ayurveda.
Diet in Endometriosis and Ayurvedic remedies
Eating in a healthy way that prevents ama formation and eases its elimination from the body is very beneficialIn preventing and healing endometriosis. Certain food, which add up to toxins formation like meat and dairy Products (the latter increase oestrogen levels), should be avoided. Lowering prostaglandins (created byoestrogen) is your diet will make a huge change. This will bring the hormonal balance into its idealstate and by this it will help you balance your emotions by eliminating the factors causing stress and bad moods and depression. This is a vicious circle, hormones are responsible for the emotions we have, while emotions influence the stress levels, which can in turn trigger hormonal imbalance, if there arenegative emotions present. This is why Ayurveda is so keen on using meditation, yoga technique in helpinghumans tackle diseases and disorders.
In general, you should avoid every product which is not on a healthy diet list, like too much caffeine (i.e. coffee, tea), alcohol, refined carbohydrates (cakes, pasta, pastries), chocolate, saturated fats, butter and margarine, sugar-containing drinks and foods, anything fried. On the contrary, all healthy food, rich in fibre (improve digestion and lower oestrogen), Omega -3 (produces prostaglandine E1, which will surpress emdometriosis symptoms), calcium, non-animal protein.There are certain Ayurvedic herbal remedies for endomegtriosis, which help in toxin-eliminationa and restoring the hormonal balance. Chandrakala Ras and Shonitargal Ras, Niranhjan Phal, Nagkesar are herbalremedies. Since constipation is preventing ama elimination, it should be avoided by any means by consuming mild laxatives such as Avipattikar Churnam, Shatapatryadi Churnam or amalaki with Manjistha powder, Isabgol (Psyllium). In some cases tonics, which make up for the loss of haemoglobin due to excessive period bleeding, can be prescribed, such as Drakshavaleha and Gulkand. If there is a depression,body heat, eruptions, itching one can be treated with Ashokarishtam, Lodhrasav, Patrangasav.Since every woman is unique and her health should be considered separately from other women, we would Recommend to consult the nearest Ayurvedic doctor for additional help in endometriosis treatment.
