REPLAY: Movement Choices for Menopausal Health

Episode Overview: Ayurvedic Movement for Perimenopause and Menopause

In this episode of The Art and Heart of Menopause, Chitra, an Ayurvedic Doctor explores the differences between modern exercise culture and ancient wisdom approaches to movement during perimenopause and menopause.

Learn why the "no pain, no gain" mentality can be particularly harmful for women navigating hormonal changes, and discover the Ayurvedic principle of exercising at only 50% of your capacity for optimal health benefits.

This episode delves into natural movement patterns, functional exercise, and mindful movement practices that support bone density, cardiovascular health, and lymphatic drainage during the menopausal transition.

Key Topics: TCM, Ayurveda, and Holistic Movement Practices

The episode features insights from both Ayurvedic medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspectives on movement, including the role of Qigong as energy mastery and the importance of meridian work.

How ancient cultures viewed exercise as whole-body health practices rather than isolated muscle building, and learn about the connection between doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) and appropriate movement choices. The discussion covers lymphatic massage techniques, the benefits of inversions for drainage, seasonal considerations for exercise timing, and why strength training should be natural and functional rather than repetitive and unnatural during menopause.

"No pain, no gain has never served women at all. It doesn't serve anyone really because all it does is damage. Pain is a signal that there's damage happening to the body."

Practical Tips: Natural Movement and Lymphatic Health for Menopausal Women

Actionable advice on incorporating walking, inversions (legs up the wall), and mindful movement into your daily routine.

Learn specific techniques for lymphatic massage using oils, understand why holding inversions for no more than 5 minutes is recommended for beginners, and discover how weight fluctuations affect skin integrity during menopause.

The episode also addresses muscle maintenance during hormonal changes, the importance of core strength for aging, and how movement practices can support mental health and combat depression commonly associated with Kapha imbalances in menopausal women.

The conversation touches on managing cardiovascular health, bone density, and maintaining muscle integrity. Practical advice on using mindful movement, lymphatic drainage techniques, and seasonal variations in exercise routines are provided to help women navigate menopause naturally and effectively.

00:00 Introduction to the Art and Heart of Menopause

00:18 Holistic Perspectives on Menopause

04:59 The Importance of Movement During Menopause

07:05 Ayurveda's Approach to Movement and Exercise

09:33 Challenges and Solutions in Modern Movement

17:41 Mindful Movement and Internal Energy

21:29 Practical Tips for Maintaining Strength and Flexibility

27:44 Q&A and Interactive Discussion

56:54 Upcoming Events and Final Thoughts

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Fresh unconventional conversations from the world of Ayurveda and TCM. Discover what’s really happening during perimenopause beyond hormones. Join us for the next Art & Heart of Menopause live salon on Thursdays.