Endometriosis comes in many forms, ranging from severe menstrual cramps, painful sexual intercourse to infertility. The many faces of endometriosis deeply affect the lives of the women who have it. This disease is caused by tissue that is similar to that of the uterine lining but that grows outside of the uterus. The abdominal cavity or other organs, such as the bladder or intestines, may be affected with endometriosis lesions. The World Health Organization estimates that endometriosis affects up to 10% of reproductive aged women and girls worldwide.
Many women wait up to 10 years until they can be successfully diagnosed. While waiting for their diagnosis, women will continue to suffer from symptoms and often see a revolving door of doctors or hospital visits. Currently, modern medicine has declared endometriosis to be incurable but that the symptoms can be treated with surgery and hormonal treatments.
Ayurveda takes a far more holistic approach to the disease, not only trying to minimize the symptoms to provide relief in the moment, but to also treat the root cause for long-term relief of symptoms. This blog will introduce you to how therapeutic Ayurveda is used to treat endometriosis and how you can incorporate Ayurveda into your daily life.
Causes of endometriosis from an Ayurvedic perspective
Ayurveda sees the cause of most chronic diseases in an accumulation of metabolic waste products, the so-called “ama”, in the tissues, which upset their sensitive balance. The waste products hinder the circulation in the body tissues, which therefore cannot be sufficiently supplied with nutrients. This process weakens your immune system and your body and the doshas go haywire.
Due to the proliferating mucous membrane cells, endometriosis can either be deemed a kapha disorder, or a pitta disorder from to its strong influence on the disease due to the inflammatory properties of the growths and the involvement of blood, hormones, and menstruation. Underlying the painful course of endometriosis is vata. Since vata represents the element of air and movement, it is also attributed with the misplacement of endometrial cells. This makes endometriosis a “sannipatika”, a disease in which all three doshas are subject to disturbance. Often the causative disturbance of the vata unbalances the other two doshas.
Ayurveda for endometriosis: these treatments bring relief
Since Ayurveda suggests that the disease results from an accumulation of toxins, poor nutrition, weakened digestion and an imbalance in the nervous system, Ayurvedic treatment focus on balancing the resulting imbalance to alleviate the endometriosis.
The aim of the Ayurvedic therapeutic approach is to strengthen your body and activate its self-healing powers. To get the accumulated metabolic waste out of your body and to rebalance your doshas, it is recommended to perform an Ayurvedic cleansing therapy. Since the liver plays an important role in hormone production and your menstruation, this should be the focus of the cleanse. Ayurvedic oil massages and body wraps release toxins from your tissues. Through subsequent elimination procedures, Ayurvedic therapists direct the waste products out of your body through your digestive system. Healing herbal preparations and Ayurvedic acupuncture also bring relief from endometriosis. Besides the deep cleansing of your body, your digestive fire should be strengthened, for which changing your diet plays an important role.
10 tips on how to help alleviate endometriosis with Ayurveda
1. Change your diet.
By changing your diet, you can influence the course of your endometriosis. Above all, avoiding gluten will help to reduce your pain. Also make sure to keep acidic foods to a minimum. Coffee, soy, sugar, dairy products, vinegar, meat and fruit juices should be avoided. High-quality fats and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids can have a positive influence on your endometriosis.
2. Benefit from Ayurvedic medicinal herbs.
Yam roots 
Tea of lady’s mantle 
Tea of yarrow
The use of healing herbs is indispensable in Ayurveda. Yams, lady’s mantle and yarrow are often used for endometriosis. All three herbs are known as women’s herbs and have a quite helpful effect on the female reproductive organs.
3. Make lifestyle changes.
Endometriosis is mainly caused by an excess of vata, which should be reduced. By establishing regular daily routines, i.e. meals and bedtime at the same times, you give your body continuity and security. This helps to lower vata in the body.
4. Support your detox with nettle tea.
If you want to detoxify from home, you can regularly add nettle tea to your diet. The medicinal plant has a blood purifying effect and supports your body in its natural deep cleansing processes.
5. Massage yourself with vata oil.
At least once a week you can massage yourself with soothing vata oil. Take enough time for yourself and make self-massage a small ritual. The oils will help calm your nervous system and reduce the vata in your body.
6. Stimulate your chakras through dance.
For relief of your endometriosis symptoms, you should stimulate your two lower chakras. Hip dances, such as belly dancing or salsa, will help you stimulate the Muladhata and Swadishthana chakras specifically.
7. Practice yoga.
Targeted yoga exercises stimulate the organs in your abdomen and get their energy flowing again. Through deep and soothing breathing during yoga, you calm your nervous system and find inner peace.
8. Reduce stress.
Stress is very harmful to your body that it can make the disease much worse. Be sure to minimize your exposure to stress to reduce the vata in your body and positively affect your endometriosis. Meditation and breathing exercises will help you reduce stress levels.
9. Follow a detox treatment.
At least once a year, preferably in spring, you can carry out an Ayurvedic detoxification therapy. Drink two glasses of warm water every morning for two weeks on an empty stomach, spiced up with a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you like, you can also add honey. The herbs Amalaki and Ashoka support your detoxification.
10. Book an Ayurveda retreat for endometriosis.
Figuring out how which changes are right for you as well as incorporating all these tips can be overwhelming. If you want an Ayurveda doctor to look at your personal history and give you a highly individualized treatment plan as well as nutritional suggestions, book an Ayurveda retreat. This will help you incorporate all the other tips as well as to help you learn how you can integrate Ayurveda into your daily life while under the supervision of a fully trained Ayurveda doctor. Under the guidance of the personalized treatment plan developed by your doctor with you, skilled therapists will cleanse your body using soothing massages, draining procedures, as well as warm oils and Ayurvedic herbs. The retreat will also help you relax, destress, and let you focus on getting back on track with your health.
Check out our hotels that offer Ayurveda for endometriosis:
