female health

I have a particular professional interest in the female body which is intricately and intimately linked to nature. The moon affects the female cycle, as does our environment, our relationship with ourselves and other people, the food we eat, the births we may or may not have given, and many more factors. Many women or people with female-sexed bodies have experienced a lack of access to understanding how our natural cycles (and the inevitable end of them) impact our health and wellness. On top of this, we were brought up to prioritise others’ needs over our own, ignoring niggles that are signs of dosha imbalances and soldiering on until we burn out, too embarrassed to call the GP or even tell a friend.

Both Ayurveda and yoga can significantly improve signs of imbalance such as irregular menstrual cycles, amenorrhea (missed periods), polycystic ovaries or PCOS, estrogen dominance, endometriosis, fibroids and POI (premature ovarian insufficiency). Movement, herbs, oils and food combining can also help with anxiety and depression linked to your cycle (or lack of), pelvic floor dysfunction, fertility issues, peri-menopause and menopause symptoms such as aching joints, dryness, emotional fragility, fatigue, changes in desire, bladder control, insomnia, flushes, irritability and so on. Blood and lymph flow have a huge role to play in female health, and movement (yoga, pilates and other low-impact calisthenics) can completely transform how the body works

Ayurveda and yoga helped me to overcome irregular periods and very low fertility. As a result, I now have two daughters, one of which was born in January 2023 at the relatively old age of 39, just when I was hitting peri-menopause! Pilates helped me to strengthen my entire hip girdle after suffering with debilitating pelvic girdle pain during my second pregnancy, allowing me to feel strong and free after feeling weak and weary for months!

As a process, treating symptoms in isolation rarely works as it disconnects us from our bodies and nature. Instead, a holistic approach is one that I have found works over and over again, and I will never cease to be amazed both by how much our bodies can endure, and how much they can bounce back!