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Valentine Month Special

Make your in-residence reservation this month and receive a jar of organic Rose Petal Preserve—an ayurvedic delicacy renowned for soothing the heart and emotions. In addition, our Winter Special on treatments lasts until March 1.

Ayurvedic Solutions for Women’s Health

Every stage of a woman’s life presents specific needs and challenges. Today’s women are looking for ways to balance family, career, community, and personal growth. By using completely natural approaches free from side effects, Maharishi Ayurveda^SM treatment programs offer an ideal opportunity to rest and revitalize, while balancing and strengthening your mind, emotions, hormonal system, and the entire physiology.

Whether you are seeking relief from PMS, menopausal symptoms, emotional disturbances or any other discomfort, an ayurvedic expert (vaidya) will take into account your unique needs and offer guidelines for restoring both inner and outer comfort. As your mind, body, and emotions are restored to a state of balance, your inner experience of joy and enthusiasm for life will naturally return.

Maharishi Rejuvenation program is a carefully structured in-residence treatment program that provides ideal conditions for this balancing process. In ayurvedic terms, this program focuses on 1) balancing the doshas (the inner intelligence responsible for all bodily functions) and 2) cleansing the body of accumulated toxins. This approach targets the root cause of your problems and opens the possibility for a long term relief of persistent symptoms without harmful side effects.

Finding Relief from PMS

According to Ayurveda, PMS symptoms can be classified in three broad categories: Vata-, Pitta- and Kapha-related. The type of symptoms you are experiencing will depend on which dosha is out of balance at that particular time and how much ama (accumulated toxins) there is in your tissues. Vata imbalance predisposes women to symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, headache, and interrupted flow as the menstrual cycle begins. Pitta imbalance predisposes women to anger, irritability, excessive heat, skin problems, and pain during menstruation. Kapha imbalance predisposes women to depression, heaviness, and lethargy as menstruation begins.

In addition to Maharishi Rejuvenation program, which is a powerful balancing regimen for PMS, Ayurveda also offers some simple guidelines you can follow at home to experience more comfort during your monthly cycle.

1. REST: Try to have as restful a routine as possible during the heavy days and ideally 1-2 days before your cycle begins. It is advisable to take time off work during the days of heavy flow. If you must work on those days, at least avoid taking on any new projects and make it a point to be in bed early, ideally by 9:30 PM. Avoid prolonged phone conversations and adopt an easy pace.
2. OIL APPLICATION: If you regularly do your morning oil massage (Abhyanga) or dry massage (Garshana), discontinue them during your cycle. However you may apply warm sesame oil (without the massage) on your body before showering.
3. EXERCISE RESTRICTIONS: Light exercise such as 15-minute walk or yoga asanas is more suitable than any form of vigorous exercise. If you are doing yoga, avoid positions that invert the uterus, such as the shoulder stand, the plow, the bow etc.
4. BATHING: A brief daily shower is preferable to a tub bath during the heavy days. If possible, shampooing, hair cutting and nail cutting are postponed until after your cycle.
5. DIET: Lighter diet is better since the digestive power, agni, is less active during your monthly cycle. Maintain adequate liquid intake but avoid cold drinks and foods. Follow the dosha-specific dietary recommendations for your mind-body type.
6. HERBAL PREPARATIONS, such as Maharishi Amrit Kalash, should be discontinued during this time. Ayurvedic rasayana preparations are meant to build up the body’s strength and immunity and are best utilized after the monthly purification is over.
7. PREVENTION: To help prevent menstrual cramps, three things should be included in your daily routine throughout the month: 1) daily walking or other light exercise, 2) use of Vata churna with your meals, and 3) daily warm oil massage (Abhyanga) especially in the week before your monthly cycle.

NOTE: This is a precious time for rejuvenation and purification. By being more on an “inward stroke,” we allow this delicate physiological process to proceed to completion, preventing imbalance and disease, and paving the way for more energy, bliss, and strength during the rest of the month.

Finding Relief from Menopausal Symptoms

According to Ayurveda, menopause marks a major transition in a woman’s physiology as she moves from a time of life influenced by pitta dosha to one influenced by vata dosha. Most of the discomforts associated with menopause are directly related to imbalances in these two doshas. A balanced physiology, on the other hand, can make this natural transition without discomfort. Maharishi Ayurveda offers natural and effective approaches, such as Maharishi Rejuvenation therapy, dietary and lifestyle guidelines, to help restore balance and comfort during these years.

Vata and Pitta Imbalances and Related Menopausal Symptoms 

Classic signs of increased vata dosha include drier, thinner skin and mucous membranes, thinning of the hair and bones, lighter sleep, and an increased tendency to worry. Maharishi Ayurveda experts say that these symptoms can be largely avoided by keeping vata in balance through a Vata-pacifying diet, herbal preparations, and regular daily routine.

Imbalanced pitta dosha also plays a part in menopausal symptoms. Because pitta regulates hormonal balance, heat production and metabolism, it is the dosha primarily involved with the hot flashes. Before menopause, women’s monthly cycle allows physiological impurities to be eliminated on a regular basis. When this monthly cleansing stops, excess pitta can build up. The Ayurvedic solution to hot flashes is to balance the pitta dosha through a pitta-pacifying diet, daily routine and herbs and keep the body free of impurities through purification therapies such as Maharishi Rejuvenation treatments.

Long Term Menopausal Symptoms and Related Disorders

To understand the Ayurvedic approach to long term symptoms such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, it is necessary to first understand the development of the bodily tissues or dhatus. According to Maharishi Ayurveda, tissues are formed sequentially in seven steps, with each step relying on the previous one for proper nourishment and balance.

The step responsible for fat, sugar, and hormone metabolism is called medha. The following step is called ashti, and is responsible for bone metabolism. If medha is blocked by impurities, then fat, sugar, and hormone metabolism will be compromised. Women with medha out of balance will be more prone to high cholesterol, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. And if medha is out of balance, the next step, ashti, becomes improperly nourished. As a result, the bones become weak, as in osteoporosis.

The traditional rejuvenation treatments of Maharishi Ayurveda are especially effective in balancing the transformation of the tissues. When the tissues are balanced at the onset of menopause, symptoms such as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis should not appear.

For more information on Maharishi Rejuvenation programs for women, please contact Heather at 877-890-8600, ext.1111 or email: scheduling@lancasterhealth.com.

Recipe From Our Kitchen

Chickpea Halva

This is a traditional Ayurvedic sweet made of chickpea flour and other natural ingredients. The rich, nutty flavor makes it very satisfying even in small amounts. In moderation, it is good for Vata and Pitta body types.

Serves 10

1 ¼ cups chickpea (garbanzo) flour
1/3  cup ghee
1/3  cup cashew or almond pieces

For the syrup:
1 ¼ cup organic crystal sugar or Sucanat
1 ¼ cup water
1/3 cup raisins
5 green cardamom pods and/or 1 cinnamon stick

1. In a small pot, bring sugar, water, raisins and spices to a boil. Let it simmer for 5 minutes with a lid on, then turn off the heat and let it rest. 
2. Melt the ghee in a thick skillet or pot with thick bottom.
3. Add chickpea flour and nuts and slowly roast them over low to medium heat until the flour turns golden. Stir all the time to prevent burning. This will take about 10-15 minutes.
4. When the flour is ready, turn the heat off.
5. Remove the cardamom pods or cinnamon stick from the sugar syrup. Stir the syrup well.
6. Slowly, pour the syrup into the flour while mixing constantly to prevent clumping. The mixture will be soft and smooth. Turn the heat back on low and let the mixture “cook” with a lid on for about 5 more minutes.
7. Grease the bottom of a pie dish or cake pan with some ghee. Pour the warm halva mixture into the dish and press it into a large flat “cake.” Let it cool down to room temperature, then cut into small square pieces (1”x1”) and serve. The halva will harden as it cools down.  

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Contact Us:

For more information on our programs please call (toll free) 877-890-8600. You can also email us at info@lancasterhealth.com.

© 2007 Maharishi Vedic Health Center. All rights reserved.
® Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health, Transcendental Meditation, Maharishi Rejuvenation, and Maharishi Vedic Health Center are trademarks licensed to Maharishi Vedic Education Development Corporation and used under sublicense or with permission.
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