The cacao bean is the source of perhaps the most magical and beloved foods on Earth because it is the source of chocolate. Even the cacao tree's official name, Theobroma cacao, recognizes the long-standing love most of us have for the fruit of this tree. Theobroma comes from the Greek language for "food of the gods." And while chocolate is the most popular and favorite of these foods from the cacao bean, an even healthier choice is raw cacao powder. How Is Cacao Powder Made? To produce raw cacao powder, raw cacao beans are simply cold pressed to remove the fat, and the remaining solids are ground into a fine powder. Cacao vs. Cocoa: What's the Difference? Cacao powder contains all the beneficial nutrients and beneficial compounds of the raw cacao bean minus the fat. In contrast, cocoa powder is made from roasted cacao beans. And even if they look alike, the two are different. In making cocoa powder, up to 90% of the nutrients and beneficial compounds in raw c
Holly Huntley, Pukka's Herbal Education Specialist, talks about how we
can harness the power of our menstrual cycle in the following video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQpHGNBaxAk
In Ayurveda, understanding your own health is centred on recognising your ‘dosha’. In some ways, your dosha is a little like your ‘health star sign’. Understanding your dosha will help you to understand how your body works and, therefore, how you can help it.
There are three core Ayurvedic ‘dosha’, vata, pitta and kapha. Everyone will have a little bit of all three, but there is often one that is more dominant than the other.
Vata types are highly creative and a whirlwind of ideas, pitta types are fiery, passionate and determined and kapha types are steady, grounded individuals. Already, you can possibly recognise which one you might be.
But, how does this relate back to your menstrual cycle? Interestingly, in Ayurveda, the menstrual cycle has its very own vata, pitta and kapha stage. If you can recognise which phase affects you most, we have some helpful tips to support you.
Here is how the Ayurvedic menstrual cycle works:
• Day 1 – 5 (from the first day of bleeding) - the vata phase
• Day 4 – 14 (from the end of bleeding until ovulation) - the kapha phase
• Day 14 – 18 (from ovulation until your period starts) – the pitta phase
Vata – (day 1 – 5)
Vata is the force that regulates all downward movements in the body, pushing the menstruum down and out of the body.
If your vata
is out of balance, it will manifest as PMS, headaches, digestive upset,
constipation, pain on intercourse, fatigue, anxiety and insomnia
indicating the need for some vata balancing practices.
How can you balance vata during your period?
Time to take some guilt-free ‘me time’ and create space for calm and peace to recharge during this time.
Try
to avoid anxiety-inducing stimulants, such as alcohol or caffeine.
Calming, nourishing herbs - such as licorice and ashwagandha - that will
strengthen and support your adrenal glands are helpful at this time.
Kapha - (day 4 – 14)
Kapha types naturally support and strengthen others. So, the kapha
stage of the cycle is all about building the endometrium (the mucous
membrane that lines the inside of the uterus). Oestrogen is the hormone
that builds and increases at this time - restoring strength to the body
and preparing for conception.
If your kapha is out of
balance it will manifest as symptoms such as fluid retention, breast
tenderness, weight gain, tiredness, back ache and general heaviness. Kapha
types are not only good at holding on to energy, but also to memory and
emotion. If women notice they feel teary and low at this time, it could
also indicate imbalanced kapha.
How can you balance kapha at this stage of your cycle?
Decongesting
herbs such as turmeric and aloe vera can be helpful during this time to
remove any stagnation. Shatavari is a strengthening and nourishing herb
that supports oestrogen balance throughout your menstrual cycle.
To counteract kapha’s cold and heavy qualities, enjoy warming herbal teas such as ginger, turmeric and cinnamon.
Opt
for an exercise routine that will stimulate sweating and movement of
circulation. A dynamic yoga class or a brisk lunchtime walk would be
perfect to get the blood flowing and shift stagnation.
Pitta (day 14 – 18)
Pitta
is the main dosha involved in the ovulation and luteal phases. Fire is
transformative and this is the stage where the body prepares itself for
new life. Essentially, pitta fires our body in readiness for conception through a peak in the hormone progesterone.
Libido is high at the start of ovulation, but as the luteal phase (after ovulation) prevails any excess pitta can become apparent through hot pitta
accumulating in the blood and liver. As the blood channels and
menstruation are connected, this causes extra heat in the system,
leading to skin irritations, headaches, diarrhoea, feelings of
irritation and emotional overload. This is when pitta types can
really manifest as fire. Feelings of bloating, diarrhoea, cravings and
breast tenderness are also common PMS symptoms.
How can you balance pitta as you prepare for your period?
This
is an important time to give your liver a helping hand to metabolise
high hormone levels. You can help by increasing the amount of colourful
and cruciferous vegetables you eat and incorporating movement into your
day.
Heat-clearing and liver-regulating spices such as aloe vera,
turmeric and spirulina can be helpful during this stage of your
menstrual cycle.
Keep yourself in balance by favouring cooling
herbal teas such as mint and nettle. Tune in to your emotional needs,
this may be a time you want to push yourself a little extra but
practicing calming yoga will keep those fiery feelings in check
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