AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO MENSTRUAL HEALTH: A CLINICAL OVERVIEW OF RAJASWALA PARICHARYA

Menstrual symptoms refer to the set of symptoms associated with onset of cyclical menstrual blood flow. These include pain, breast tenderness, bloating, headache, nausea, diarrhea or constipation, anxiety, mood swings, irritability etc. Most common symptom among all is abdominal pain or dysmenorrhea. According to a study, conducted in 2016 in an urban city of south India, prevalence of dysmenorrhea was found to be 70.2%. Prevalence of menstrual pain is high among reproductive age group women. Dysmenorrhea in adolescent women badly affects their daily work and quality of life. In Ayurveda classics, it is mentioned, that one should observe specific lifestyle regime known as rajaswala paricharya during menstrual flow. Observance of this lifestyle regime leads to smooth symptomless menstrual flow. This lifestyle regime includes celibacy (brahmcharya), consumption of Yavanna (hordeum vulgare or barley) processed with cow milk as porridge, which should be consumed in moderation (not up to full satiety), should avoid day sleeping, sour, salty, hot food, and oil massage. In this review article, this lifestyle regime has been discussed and analyzed with special reference to menstrual symptoms.