Category: Female Health

December 1, 2021

Effective Ayurvedic Formulations to Stop Excessive Bleeding

ABSTRACT

Excessive bleeding can affect people of all ages and sexes. Ayurveda holds the pitta dosha aggravation responsible for excessive bleeding in both men and women.  Usually excessive bleeding in women is caused by disturbed hormones due to aggravated pitta dosha and this bleeding may occur even between periods in addition to heavy and prolonged periods that last for seven or more days. Other underlying causes of excessive bleeding may be abnormalities in the platelets, or problems in normal coagulation of the blood, or deformities in blood vessels. All of these happen due to aggravated pitta and vata. This article lists the most beneficial ayurvedic formulations and pure herbs to decrease or stop excessive bleeding in both men and women.

Introduction

Bleeding disorders are the occurrences of abnormal or excessive bleeding, indicated by many physical signs in a person. When the reason behind bleeding from the nose (called epistaxis), or extremely heavy menstruation for longer than normal duration (called menorrhagia), unstoppable bleeding from injuries, cuts and wounds, and bleeding even after usual activities such as brushing or flossing the teeth, such cases of bleeding are considered abnormal. Sometimes people even experience unexplained episodes of sudden bleeding from small punctures in the skin. Internal bleeding is also considered abnormal and it is called hemorrhage which happens due to bursting of the blood vessels.

menstrual-periods

Excessive Bleeding

If the bleeding is not related to uterine bleeding in women, excessive bleeding can be caused by a variety of factors which are all considered blood disorders. Examples of blood disorders resulting in excessive bleeding are

  • Low platelet count, decreased function of the platelets, extremely increased platelet count, etc., called platelet disorders.
  • Blood’s inability to coagulate, therefore bleeding is continuous and unable to stop, called coagulation disorder.
  • Ruptured or dilated blood vessels.
  • Thrombocytopenia i.e. platelets are either not produced, or attacked and destroyed by the body itself, or are diluted.
  • These disorders can be caused as side effects of certain blood thinning medications or as family history of blood disorders.

Excessive Menstrual Bleeding

Usually women have menstrual periods lasting between three to six days. Menstrual periods are considered abnormally heavy when they last for seven or more days, and the bleeding is heavy enough to stain the garments even while wearing sanitary pads. Bleeding when the periods are not around is also considered abnormal. Menorrhagia can cause severe blood loss and impair your normal activities.  Along with menorrhagia, conditions that require attention are:

  • Bleeding even after menopause
  • Bleeding on non-menstrual days i.e. between periods
  • Excessive bleeding with clots

Excessive uterine bleeding (also called vaginal bleeding) is caused by the imbalance of the hormones in women which is also seen as an imbalance of the doshas in ayurveda.

Ayurvedic remedies for excessive bleeding

1. Chandrakala Ras

Chandrakala Ras tablets are also known as chandanadi vati in some preparations. This medicinal formulation contains camphor, cardamom, pure mercury, Iron ash, Tin Ash, Semal tree extract, Amla prepared in giloy juice and honey. It is an ayurvedic remedy for all kinds of bleeding disorders. It is also used in the infections of the urinary tract in both males and females. It is indicated when blood is passed in bowels or urine, and also when any kind of bleeding becomes prolonged and heavy. Its secondary use is regulating blood sugar levels. It prevents the loss of red blood cells and iron from the body by increasing the coagulation and constricting the affected blood vessels.

2. Kamdudha Ras

Kamdudha ras is an ayurvedic formulation categorized as herbomineral preparation. It is used for heavy menstrual and non-menstrual bleeding, leucorrhea, bloody diarrhea, gastritis, gastric and colic ulcers and all bleeding disorders. It contains silica ash or Abhraka Bhasma, Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) sattva and red ochre.  It is also indicated in skin diseases which are accompanied by the symptoms such as burning sensation, blood discharge and other fluidic secretions. It primarily balances pitta. Therefore it is indicated in chronic fever and digestive ailments too. It is administered with cow’s milk and sugar and for specific conditions it is also administered with grass juice. It is prepared in the form of tablets.

3. Sheesham Swaras – Dalbergia sissoo

The juice of leaves of Sheesham tree is known as Sheesham Swaras and is an extremely effective remedy for bleeding disorders such as non-healing wounds, excessive and prolonged bleeding of the uterus, ulcers of the mouth, stomach, colon, etc., parasitic accumulation in the intestines, etc. It is widely used in the management of all pitta disorders. It also has pain relieving properties and also prevents bloody diarrhea and abnormal bleeding between menstrual periods. It heals the wounded tissues both inside and outside of the body. It is therefore able to reduce or stop uterine bleeding in women. It is also used in managing fever and liver diseases. It is also indicated in uterine disorders in both males and females.

5. Sphatika Bhasma Alum Ash- Alum Potash

Sphatika Bhasma or Shubhra Bhasma is the product obtained from oxidative combustion of alum. It is a medicinal compound used in menorrhagia, rectal bleeding, internal bleeding, irregular and prolonged uterine bleeding, pneumonia, body aches, leucoderma, bloody vomiting, and chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system. It primarily balances vata and pitta. It is recommended that this medication be taken only upon consultation from a competent physician. It is known for its haemostatic property. It is also antimicrobial and anti parasitic, and has a mild antipyretic effect. In addition to bleeding disorders it is also used in respiratory and skin diseases which are also related to blood disorders.

5. Mochras – Bombax ceiba

Mochras or semal tree is a deciduous tree the resin (gum) of which is used extensively in ayurveda, siddha and folk medicine. It is light and unctuous in nature and extremely cooling which is why it is used in raktapitta and similar disorders. It is indicated in blood purification and abnormal bleeding such as during ulcers, menorrhagia, skin eruptions, chronic inflammations of the heart and the digestive system such as coughing up blood and vomiting blood, enlargement of the spleen, gonorrhea and burning sensation in the body. This tree grows in the temperate regions of the earth such as the Andaman Islands, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.

6. Bol baddha Ras

Also spelled as Bol Baddha Ras, Bol Badh Ras is an ayurvedic herbomineral formulation prepared with giloy, sulphur and pure mercury which are known to suppress inflammation, reduce bleeding by controlling the related tissues and balance the aggravated tridosha. It is used in bleeding disorders such as excessive menstrual bleeding in women and bleeding piles. Its hemostatic i.e. the property to reduce blood flow by contracting the blood vessels makes it suitable for stopping bleeding. It is astringent in nature and therefore it is indicated in all bleeding disorders, such as blood vomiting, nasal bleeding, internal bleeding, leucorrhea, ulcers in the digestive system and abnormally prolonged menstrual periods as it is specifically strengthening for the uterus. It is available in the form of pills or tablets.

7. Mukta Pishti – Pearl Calcium

Mukta Pishti or Moti Pishti is a medicinal product obtained from pearls. It is primarily used for bleeding disorders and all conditions caused by the aggravation of pitta. It is sweet, light and cool in nature. It balances all the abnormalities related to blood.  It is used to balance the heat of the blood, the digestive system and the reproductive organs. It is used by milling pearls into fine particle sizes. It has anti inflammatory, analgesic, antidepressant, antipyretic properties to name a few. It also relieves cramps in women, associated with heavy menstrual bleeding. It is especially indicated in excessive uterine bleeding and menopause, ulcers, gastric problems, mental imbalances, heartburn and urinary disorders.

8. Rajat Bhasma – Silver Ash

Rajat is another name for silver metal. Rajat Bhasma is also known as Chaandi Bhasma or Calcined Silver Ash because it is made by oxidation reaction of silver metal. It is of great medicinal value in the traditional Indian medical treatment of various pitta disorders. The combustion of silver in presence of oxygen along with herbs and lime juice is followed by milling into particle sizes of the range 10-9m. It is used for its restorative properties in blood disorders. It pacifies the aggravated vata and the pitta which is why it is beneficial for excessive bleeding in both males and females.

9. Nagkesar – Mesua Ferrea

Nagkesar is a medicinal tree that has been a part of the traditional ayurvedic medicine for many years. It possesses very strong anti-inflammatory properties. The flowers of Nagkesar are used in medicines. It primarily deals with aggravated swelling, inflammation and bleeding. It is therefore indicated in many bleeding disorders such as menorrhagia, bleeding piles, etc. It has pain relieving properties which make it further suitable for heavy menstrual bleeding. It is also used in healing wounds because of its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. It is also used for various skin disorders which are also related to aggravated pitta.

10. Lodhra – Symplocos

Lodhra is an ayurvedic herb of great medicinal value in all bleeding disorders. It contains significant amounts of Loturine, Loturidine, Colloturine and glycosides which are alkaloids known for their benefits in bleeding disorders. Commonly found in the north eastern states of India, Lodhra has a direct impact on the hormones regulating the female reproductive system. It is extensively indicated for individuals who are prone to frequent bleeding (raktapitta) such as from the nose and also those who have heavy menstrual periods. It also absorbs lethargy, sluggishness and heaviness from the body. It decreases inflammation and helps coagulation therefore stopping hemorrhage and menorrhagia. Therefore it is also used in the cases of inflammation in the uterus. It is used in regulating irregular menstruation. It prevents the dysfunction of the female reproductive system, especially the ovaries. It is therefore used in PCOS and infertility.

CONCLUSION

Ayurveda can accurately point out the root cause of many unrelated conditions. In case of bleeding disorders ayurveda holds the heating pitta dosha responsible for excessive bleeding from the nose, from the rectum, blood in vomiting, blood in sputum, excessive and irregular bleeding from the uterus in women, etc. It is correlated with excess blood heat and the herbs and herbal formulations listed here all effectively manage the blood pitta by pacifying the aggravated dosha. Even though ayurvedic herbs and medications have minimal side effects, any programme should be started upon due consultation from an expert. Self medication should be avoided in case you are pregnant or suffering from multiple disorders.

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November 17, 2021

Traditional Ways of Indian Household work Maintain Women’s Health Better

ABSTRACT

The Indian households have been functioning in such a way that the men and women have been fit even though they have not been going to the gyms or the parks. But, the national institute of nutrition (NIN) has marked that the average BMI and weight of Indian men and women have increased over the last ten years. In this article we will see what it is about the lifestyle of Indian women, especially those of the previous generation or those living in rural India, that has been able to keep them fit and maintain their health, despite the lack of other leisure, sports and fitness related activities done by them.

Introduction

In rural India there are still many families where men do all the farming by simple machines and women do all household work and cattle rearing without help from gadgets, machines or even hiring servants or maids for such work. These practices were prevalent in all the societies of India until a few years ago. The usual tasks to be done in a typical Indian household included getting and storing water from ponds or wells which were away from home, cutting and bringing fodder for cattle that almost every household would rear, bathing the cattle and extracting milk from them, selling the milk, collecting wood or making dung cakes for stoves in the kitchen, applying mud or dung in the front and backyards of the house, etc. These activities may seem strenuous but these have actually been done by our mothers and their mothers. This can be the reason why our parents rarely fell ill even when they didn’t go to any gyms. Even today the people, who do their household work on their own, are much healthier than those who don’t.

Women Health

Advantages of Doing Household Work

Usually we are so busy with our daily activities and commitments that we do not get enough time to do any other activity, especially physical activity. In such circumstances, the only physical movement we can do (and get to do) is the household work that we do between various other works during the day. This especially holds valid for most of us during this period of lock-down imposed by almost all the governments in the world, because we are all staying at home to avoid social interaction and maintain distance. Some of us may not be contributing to household chores already, stating them as boring, but they do not know how tiring household work can be. Household work can in fact, be used as a proper physical activity – just like other timed workouts – you can decide which task to do for how long in order to burn a specific amount of energy. It is being said that doing regular and ordinary household work is as advantageous as any other workout. This is especially true because none of us is going to the gym and this is our only option right now.

The main advantage of doing household work is that one doesn’t have to take out special time when they are with the kids at home or cannot go out because of the lockdown. Another major advantage is that household work can be beneficial because it is a form of low impact and medium intensity exercise, which can be done for long durations of time without excessively tiring oneself. Various doctors also agree that doing household chores can improve overall fitness especially when one is not going to the gym for strength training or to the park for a jog .Another advantage is that while staying at home one is more likely to contribute to some household chore everyday rather than get ready and show up at the gym four days a week. It doesn’t require commitment and one can change the activity as per the need.

It is also a form of Physical Activity

It may surprise those who do not do household activities that doing household work takes a lot of energy and that too for a longer time compared to a workout. There are some fitness apps that recognize mopping and washing the clothes as physical activities and depending on the intensity of the activity, average calories burnt for half an hour are calculated to figure out how much energy did a person burn doing household chores in a day. For example, cleaning the floor for thirty minutes with a broom or a mop is comparable to doing thirty minutes on a stationary bike or the elliptical machine. Just like increasing the intensity of workouts and increasing the weights used during weight training can be more effective in achieving fitness, doing household cleaning with greater energy and speed can also result in more energy burnt during the activity. Activities of household chores are comparable to traditional workouts in many ways, like doing the laundry includes lifting wet clothes and water buckets, which makes it similar in form to weight lifting. Similarly, brooming and mopping the floor requires the body to move in such fashion that it resembles swimming. The time taken during household chores can be adjusted with speed, just like the time taken to do workouts can be adjusted with the number of reps.

If you already do your household work on your own, we have some tips for you

  1. Combine different activities together.
  2. Dusting before brooming and mopping.
  3. Keep the abdomen tight while doing all activities.
  4. Stretch your body more than you usually do.
  5. Skip the use of long mops and brushes. Instead, squat to do floor cleaning.
  6. Try to keep your back straight while doing all activities.
  7. Try to do each activity with more energy and in faster motion.
  8. Don’t make excuses to overeat or order food just because you are doing other work. It will ruin all the effort.

But, if you are still figuring out how to start doing more household work, these are the activities you can start with

  1. Cooking and cleaning side-by-side; it takes a lot of walking around the kitchen to keep the kitchen clean while working.
  2. Cleaning the bathroom floor and wall tiles; scrubbing them with a brush or a nylon scrub.
  3. Going grocery shopping on foot; where you will have to carry heavy bags with you.
  4. Dusting the whole furniture and railings and rods.
  5. Searching for and removing spider webs.
  6. Doing the laundry with your hands.
  7. Removing the beds and then cleaning the room.
  8. Brooming or vacuuming fast.
  9. Mopping the floor with a towel like a mop.
  10. Washing your car.
  11. Bathing your pets after playing with them.
  12. Washing and ironing extra clothing like curtains, rugs, etc.
  13. Rearranging furnishings and objects in the house, etc.

How Household Works Maintain Health

It is understood by us that our metabolism varies with age and people of different ages require doing different kinds of activities to maintain their fitness. The intensity of the activity also has a great role to play in the output of the activity that you’re doing. It is generally recommended that people ages between 25 and 40 should try to do at least thirty minutes of medium intensity physical activity every day. It is essential for health because an imbalance in metabolism i.e. energy consumed and energy utilized can be the basis of many other disorders in the body. Household works are gentle on the body i.e. they have effects similar to low or moderate intensity workouts. Therefore they can be carried out for durations longer than those recommended for workout sessions.

Household works can thus help maintain health in many ways

  • Household works are low to moderate intensity activities.
  • Household work moderately increases the heart rate.
  • Household work can strengthen muscles of the abdomen, which makes it less likely to store visceral fat.
  • They can be done without stressing out.
  • People can involve kids and do household work together i.e. it reduces stress and builds healthier relationships.
  • Doing household work oneself generally means lesser dependence on maids and servants, which also reduces stress.
  • Village people or those with traditional values do all household work on their own and rarely develop lifestyle diseases.
  • Doing household work ensures that there is no exchange of microbes with other families, which the house help or maid could have been carrying.

CONCLUSION

Many health services confirm that doing low intensity activities at home is essential during the present lockdown, because there have been restrictions imposed on outdoor activities and it can have an adverse effect on fitness of the society. Indian women somehow have been doing part of household work without gadgets like vacuum cleaners or automatic washing machines. Therefore it wouldn’t be wrong to say that traditional working mannerisms and routines of Indian households actually benefited the men and women of that era. The new generation too, shouldn’t shy away or hesitate while doing household work, rather they should set an example before the rest of the world.

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