When JH first called me in April 2024, her voice carried a quiet mix of exhaustion and hope. She was just 32, living in Chennai, and working hard as a teacher-in-training. But behind her calm words was a woman who had spent the last one and a half years longing for something she deeply cherished--a child.
For months after her marriage, she and her husband tried joyfully, enthusiastically, and then anxiously… but nothing happened. Six months passed. Then more. Doctors, tests, treatments—everything became part of her routine.

She went through two cycles of hormonal injections, hoping each time that this would be the month her life changed. But both attempts failed. The natural cycles brought only disappointment. Then came the test that changed everything. She then underwent tube test (HSG) which showed- Her tubes were blocked. Both of them. She cannot forget the day she heard it. The doctor suggested immediate laparoscopy. She underwent the procedure in March 2024 and was told she had salpingitis, an infection causing the tubes to close leading to bilateral cornual block. An endometrial biopsy was sent for TB PCR, adding to her anxiety. She was then referred for an IVF procedure. 

Investigations: 
AMH (9TH March 2024): 1.41 ng/mL
Pap smear was normal.
Laparoscopy (March 2024):

• Diagnosed with salpingitis (infection of fallopian tubes)
• Bilateral cornual block noted
• Endometrial biopsy sent for HP/TB PCR

Behind all of this, JH carried another burden—her periods had never been normal. Ever since she was 14, her cycle came once every 45+ days, with barely any flow, just spotting, and pain in her hips every month. She also had a history of gastric discomfort and childhood wheezing. Years of irregularity, stress, and uncertainty had built up silently inside her.
🌿 The First Meeting
When she walked into my clinic in May, I could sense the weight she was carrying. But her eyes had something stronger than pain--determination. She asked softly,
“Doctor… will I ever be able to conceive?”
And I told her, “Let’s begin. Let’s work together. But first, we must wait for your TB PCR report.”
She waited patiently, anxiously. When it came negative, we finally began.
Based on her symptoms, her irregular periods, inflammation, and blocked tubes, I diagnosed her with Pitta-Vata yoni Vyāpada in Ayurveda.

🌿 The Healing Begins
For the first month, we focused simply on calming her disturbed Pitta and Vata. Surprisingly, after months of taking pills just to bleed, her periods came naturally.
This was our first turning point. Next, we planned TOT protocol—a cleansing therapy. She underwent the process, successfully passing 13–14 vegas, releasing years of accumulated heat and imbalance. After this step, we began medicines to reduce inflammation and open the blockages in her reproductive channels. Month after month, her cycles became regular, timely, and healthy. Even symptoms like breast tenderness slowly faded.
Her body was reopening, rebalancing. JH often said,
“Doctor, for the first time in my life… my cycle feels normal.”

✨ The Day Miracles Began
By October 2024, we both felt the time was right. She repeated her HSG test.
A few hours later, my phone rang.
Her voice was trembling—this time with joy.
“Doctor… both my tubes are open! They’re really open!”
It was one of those moments that remind a doctor why they chose this path.
In November, her AMH—earlier 1.41—rose to 2.33. Her hormones improved. Her ovulation improved. Her mind became calmer. Her body became stronger.
We began follicular monitoring and continued the treatment for natural conception.

Clinical Findings and Improvements

HSG Re-evaluation (October 2024)
Result: Bilateral tubal opening achieved
The patient reported immense relief and renewed hope.

Hormonal Profile (November 2024)

• AMH increased significantly from 1.41 → 2.33
• All other parameters normal
• Prolactin normal, TSH normal, Hb=12.2, Mildly elevated LH (9.5) compared to FSH (5.5), managed through egg-quality therapies, Rasayana and Vajikarna treatments, and continued Ayurvedic medicines

Follicular Monitoring

• Regular monitoring initiated
• Ovulation improved steadily

🌸 The Moment She Dreamed of 
In March 2025, JH called again. This time she was crying—happy tears.
“Doctor… the test is positive. I’m pregnant.”
That one sentence held months of struggle, pain, hope, prayers, and endurance.
Her pregnancy journey was smooth except for a little high BP and borderline sugar in the eighth month, which we managed. And then, finally…

👶 A New Life Arrives
She delivered a healthy baby boy.
Her dream—once blocked by fear, infection, and uncertainty—was now in her arms.
When she brought the baby to meet me, she said something I will never forget:
“Doctor… you didn’t just treat me. You gave me my motherhood back.”

🌿 JH’s Story Is Not Just a Case, It is a reminder that…
✨ Hope can return
✨ The body can heal
✨ TOT protocol can restore balance where there is imbalance
✨ And miracles do happen
This journey from bilateral tubal block and irregular cycles to natural conception and a healthy delivery stands as a testimony to the power of holistic healing, patience, and faith.
If JH’s story inspires even one woman who is struggling silently, then sharing it becomes meaningful.
Namaste 
Vaidya Vibhuti Rao
Natural Fertility Expert

Is Ayurveda Really Slow? Let’s Set the Record Straight here-

“Ayurveda is too slow" — but is it really?

One of the most common myths about Ayurveda is that it takes too long to work. Many people believe that Ayurvedic treatment is slow, especially compared to modern medicine. But let’s explore this idea from a more balanced perspective.

As an Ayurvedic Vaidya, I often hear this from patients who come to me after spending years—sometimes a decade—trying various treatments with limited success. Yet, when I tell them that 3–6 months or maximum one year of Ayurvedic care may be needed to see substantial improvement, they hesitate. A woman came to me after trying to conceive for 7–8 years. She had undergone multiple rounds of IUI and IVF, invested emotionally and financially, and still hadn’t achieved the results she hoped for.

When I recommended at least 3–6 months of Ayurvedic treatment to support fertility and prepare the body naturally, her first response was: That’s a long time. Isn’t Ayurveda slow? Is there something which can make me pregnant the next cycle, I am tired of trying and there is lot of pressure. ‘ I understand it all, I said, but we need to slow down here. May be this is why is it not working for you, you are in a hurry. she paused and understood what I was trying to convey- prepare your body for the conception.

But let’s consider this: Seven years were spent trying other approaches, but a few months for a natural, holistic system suddenly feels like a delay? This contradiction stems from a misunderstanding of what Ayurveda really offers.

Ayurveda Heals from the Root, Not Just the Surface

Unlike modern medicine, which often focuses on symptom management, Ayurveda works by identifying and correcting the root cause. It supports the body in regaining its natural balance—without pushing it forcefully.

This approach may seem slow, but it’s intentional. Ayurveda doesn’t offer temporary relief. It aims for sustainable healing.

> Think of it like planting a seed—you don’t expect fruit the next day. You nourish the soil, water it, protect it, and wait. Ayurveda is that process of *nourishing the roots* so the body can bloom naturally.

Speed Isn’t Always Healing

Modern medicine can offer quick fixes—but quick doesn’t always mean complete. Ayurveda may not always offer immediate results, but it offers something more important: lasting results.

And here's the truth: Many patients start seeing improvement in energy, digestion, sleep, and hormonal balance within just a few weeks . But to reset the body for deeper healing—whether it’s for fertility, skin issues, digestion, or chronic fatigue—it takes a little time, consistency, and care.

You’re a Partner in Your Healing Journey

Ayurvedic healing isn’t passive. Your diet, sleep, routine, stress levels, and mindset all impact how well the treatment works. That’s why Ayurveda is often more effective when you’re actively involved in your own healing.

So for you it may take a few months—but it’s a path that brings real change.

Final Word: Ayurveda Is Not Slow—It’s Smart

Ayurveda is not about speed, it's about strategy. if we’ve spent years struggling with a health issue, isn’t it reasonable to give our body a few months to reset, heal, and thrive—naturally?

So next time someone tells you that Ayurveda is slow, remind them:

“It’s not slow. It’s steady, intelligent, and sustainable.”

so-now you understand why I said-

​Ayurveda Works at the Speed of Nature—Not the Speed of Pills”- It doesn’t mask symptoms. It rebuilds health—gently, deeply, and naturally.

​thanks for reading..

Namaste
Dr Vibhuti Rao
--

A Real Story: Priya and Rohan’s Journey to Natural Conception  
Priya and Rohan (name changed to preserve identity) came to us in their late 30s, emotionally and physically exhausted after three failed IVF attempts and one IUI cycle. Priya had been told she had low ovarian reserve, and they were advised to move on to donor egg IVF. But deep down, they weren’t ready to give up on the dream of conceiving their own biological child naturally.

When they arrived at our clinic, what struck us most was how disconnected they had become—from each other, from their bodies, and from hope itself. They had been through so many clinical processes that intimacy had become scheduled, and every month ended in heartbreak.

We began with a detailed Ayurvedic assessment. Priya showed signs of vata imbalance—anxiety, disturbed sleep, and poor digestion. Rohan had mild pitta aggravation and high work-related stress. Both were depleted physically and emotionally.
Their personalized fertility program included:

• A targeted Ayurvedic herbal plan to support Priya’s reproductive tissues and hormonal balance
• Panchakarma-based detox and rejuvenation for both
• Nutritional changes to align with their body types and boost fertility naturally
• Guided yoga, breathwork, and emotional counseling sessions to reconnect them to themselves and each other

Over six months, we saw gradual but steady improvement—in cycles, energy levels, emotional wellbeing, and most importantly, their relationship. Then, in the eighth month of working with us, Priya conceived naturally. Today, they are proud parents of a healthy baby boy.

Our Multi-Dimensional Fertility ApproachWe don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all solution. Each fertility journey is unique, and so is our method. Our program blends ancient Ayurvedic principles with modern natural therapies to address fertility from every angle—body, mind, and spirit.
1. Ayurvedic Fertility AssessmentUsing traditional Ayurvedic diagnostics, we assess your body constitution (prakriti), imbalances (vikriti), digestive health (agni), and reproductive vitality (shukra dhatu and artava dhatu). This helps us understand your fertility challenges at the root level and develop a personalized treatment path.
2. Hormonal and Lifestyle BalancingWe support natural hormonal alignment through dietary guidance, herbs, and stress-relieving practices like yoga, pranayama, and meditation.
3. Detoxification and Rejuvenation (Panchakarma)Panchakarma therapies gently detoxify and rejuvenate reproductive tissues, restoring balance and vitality.
4. Mind-Body Fertility CoachingFertility is deeply emotional. Our coaching helps reduce anxiety, rebuild intimacy, and rekindle hope.
5. Nutrition & Herbal SupportFertility-friendly diets and individualized herbal regimens play a vital role in reproductive health.

Designed for Couples Who Are Ready to Try Something Different-whether you’re at the beginning of your fertility journey or feel like you've tried everything, our personalized fertility program offers a fresh and empowering approach. We’ve seen many couples go on to conceive naturally—once the body and mind are given the right environment to thrive.
If you feel like the joy has been taken out of your baby-making journey, know that you are not alone. And more importantly--there is still hope.
Book a consultation today to begin your journey toward natural conception.
Namastey,
Dr. Vibhuti Rao

Understanding Vamana Therapy: Vamana, also known as therapeutic vomiting, is a purification process that involves the controlled elimination of toxins from the body through the upper gastrointestinal tract. It is one of the five main procedures of Panchakarma, the renowned detoxification and rejuvenation therapy in Ayurveda. During Vamana, specific herbs and formulations are administered to induce vomiting, thereby expelling excess mucus and toxins accumulated in the respiratory and digestive systems.
Why Choose Vamana in the Spring Season:

1. Alignment with Nature: In Ayurveda, spring is characterized by Kapha dosha dominance, which can lead to congestion and sluggishness in the body. Vamana therapy helps balance Kapha dosha by clearing out accumulated toxins, promoting lightness, and enhancing vitality.
2. Seasonal Allergy Relief: With the arrival of spring, many individuals experience allergies and respiratory issues due to pollen and other environmental triggers. Vamana therapy can help alleviate symptoms by removing allergens and excess mucus from the body, providing relief from congestion and inflammation.
3. Enhanced Digestive Function: During winter, our bodies tend to accumulate ama (toxins) due to heavy, indulgent foods and sedentary habits. Vamana therapy jumpstarts the digestive fire (agni) and improves metabolic function, allowing for better absorption of nutrients and elimination of waste.
4. Mental Clarity and Emotional Balance: Just as nature undergoes a process of renewal in spring, Vamana therapy supports mental clarity and emotional equilibrium by purifying the mind and releasing accumulated stress and toxins.
5. Long-lasting Benefits: By undergoing Vamana therapy in the spring season, you set the stage for long-lasting health and wellness. The cleansing and rejuvenating effects of Vamana pave the way for improved vitality, immunity, and overall well-being throughout the year.

Conclusion: As we embrace the arrival of spring, let us embrace the opportunity for renewal and rejuvenation with Vamana therapy. By aligning with the rhythms of nature and harnessing the power of Ayurveda, we can embark on a journey of holistic healing and transformation. Consult with a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner to discover how Vamana therapy can support your health goals and enhance your well-being this spring season. Embrace the gift of renewal and step into a brighter, healthier future.

Contact us to know more and undergo Vamana

Ayurveda for infertility in women
Ayurveda has been known to treat infertility from its root cause: imbalance in vatta. Vatta is associated with the movement of breath and general circulation of body fluids. A balance in Vatta, Pitta, and Kapha lets your body function at its most optimum. Your body has an intelligence of its own. It can take care of itself; ensure immunity, sustain energy, induce strength, and, with the concern in question, promote procreation.
A case study:
April this year, Suneeta (name changed) had visited my clinic. A 38-year-old IT professional hailing from Bangalore, Suneeta had been trying to have children for about 7 years. She had even gotten pregnant a few times (4 times; 3 times naturally and 1 time with IVF). However, sadly none of them were successful and could not progress more than 7 weeks.
In the past two years itself, the patient had suffered two miscarriages. In order to understand the case better, I got into Suneeta’s medical history. Here’s what I found:
In the year 2020, she was diagnosed with a 3 cm fibroid in her uterus. The allopathic professional she was consulting inferred that the fibroid could be causing her recurring miscarriages. So, he asked her to get it removed through Laproscopy. Fortunately, Suneeta was able to conceive soon after the surgery; once in 2020 (naturally) and twice in 2021 (one with IVF). Unfortunately, each pregnancy lost heartbeat around 7th or 8th week of conception.
Naturally, this was disheartening. But, resolved to experience motherhood, Suneeta went for further finding. Her chromosomal analysis came out normal. No aberration or abnormality was noted. Her capping and clotting factor were normal too. While consulting a fertility specialist, a deeper analysis was done to rule out any other genetic or hormonal irregularities. And everything came out to be normal. The fertility specialist she was consulting back then reported that perhaps her egg quality was the issue. Her AMH count was pretty low (0.7 ng/ml). AMH or Anti-mullerian Hormone test is done to find out the quality of eggs ovaries can produce in an individual. AMH levels help evaluate a woman’s ovarian reserve: how many egg cells she has left. A normal AMH level (2 to 4 ng/ml) suggests that you might not face big difficulty in conceiving provided everything else is good.
However, Suneeta had a low AMH count. Although her menstrual cycles were regular, they’d often come early. While an average woman has a 28-day cycle, Suneeta would only have a 20–21-day cycle. Her longest cycle was reportedly 25 days only.
Suneeta’s chances of getting pregnant by natural means were very bleak. Her fertility specialist suggested that her best option was to go for an IVF but with donor treatments. Reluctantly yet, Suneeta opted for an IVF treatment with self-eggs, once. However, the pregnancies resulted in miscarriages. I can only imagine how difficult it must’ve been for Suneeta; a hopeful woman like all of us, seeing no light at the end of the tunnel.
She did not want to go for donor egg IVF and that's when she started looking for alternate options. When a friend suggested Suneeta to go try Ayurveda for her condition, Suneeta was reluctant. She was skeptical about how Ayurveda could help her where the modern medicine had failed. But, since she had nothing to lose, Suneeta decided to give Ayurveda a try. And she found me through her friend's referral. Thanks to God that people still refer someone to Ayurveda. So, she decided to approach me at Amruth Ayurvedic Centre for a consultation.
In Ayurveda, it is of deep value to do a thorough analysis of the patient’s existing conditions to supply whatever else is necessary. A true Ayurvedic practitioner believes in the body’s ability to come to balance on its own with the help of a balanced inner and external environment. I began analyzing Suneeta’s case by making a preliminary review of her symptoms. I started by assessing her ovarian health and her vata, pitta, and, kapha components.
As is often the case for people with infertility issues, Suneeta’s Vata was in imbalance. In Ayurveda, we call it the Vata Dosha. Along with that, I found that the patient had putra agni pith, which creates a heat imbalance. Making a thorough evaluation around her Vata Dosha, Agni Pith, her endometrium lining, uterine health, and overall nutritional health, I decided to introduce a holistic plan for her. Alongside, her husband took treatment from Dr. Samarth Rao who takes care of male infertility. We found that her husband's morphology was only 4% and had poor DNA fragmentation index. No doctor previously looked deep into his case. He began his treatment too.
The treatment started with a panchakarma. To simplify, Panchakarma is a deep detoxification treatment that includes oleation and fomentation procedures. This is performed alongside other associated therapies and medications. The rest of the treatment was structured with physical treatments, medicinal applications, and oral medications. I topped this deep treatment with a Basti procedure. Suneeta had already began feeling lighter and more accepting to the mystical nature of her body.
Once the preliminary detoxifying treatments were through, Suneeta was put on oral medication that included a mix of natural herbs that I myself make.
Within two months of taking these herbal medicines, Suneeta informed me that she had missed her period and confirmed pregnancy. This was a great news! I had never heard her to be so relieved. She had been pregnant before, but she admitted that this time it felt different like her body was finally ready for it!
Not wanting to take a chance, I kept a keen eye on her FSH and AMH count. While the FSH count was remarkable, her AMH count went further low just a bit, but her follicular count improved drastically. This meant good news actually. It suggested that Suneeta’s body was naturally responding to the treatment and accepting this pregnancy just as someone with zero fertility issues would. We were both on the right track!
Of course, the lowering AMH values were a concern, so the doctor suggested to keep Suneeta on her Basti plan and start the medication around it. It was a good-seized follicle and the lining looked supportive. And soon, Suneeta conceived. The real challenge started now. This time she decided to be on Ayurvedic treatment only. I involved an obstetrician in her care who supports Ayurveda antenatal care and normal pregnancy just for regular checkups and support. I started her on Garbhasthapaka and Garbharaksha medicines up to 3 months. NT scan and other parameters came normal. We did not lose the heart beat this time. So far, the case is going well, and she is due soon to meet her bundle of joy.
We, at Amruth Ayurvedic Centre are on a mission to make healthy balance and bodily governance a possibility for everyone. While modern medicine would suggest that something is wrong with your body and you can mask it or substitute it with a chemical that would probably induce another effect, we try to tap into the nature-made body and remind it how to heal itself and come to balance. In this process, we are succeeding in women infertility treatments just so the people who want to make those picture-perfect memories, don’t have to wait any longer.
Namaste,
Vaidya Vibhuti Rao

The human body has its mechanism of constant checking what’s going wrong and then fixing the problem. For women, this mechanism is complex and more important when it comes to reproductive health. A Uterus is an organ where an embryo takes shelter and grows into a baby. A balanced and strong immune system is needed here, to receive the embryo and nurture it well for 9 months. If the immune system goes wreck, and you end up being vulnerable to many infections. It can affect your fertility in many ways, especially when the body identifies its body tissue as a foreign threat, which leads to serious inflammation. And then, ovulation does happen and conception becomes impossible without an egg. Additionally, the body starts destroying sperms- thinking it is a dangerous object and even embryos (you might have heard of issues with implantation even with well-graded embryos. Autoimmune abnormalities (antiphospholipid, antithyroid, antinuclear and anti-sperm antibodies) have been investigated for possible associations with reproductive failure.
The couple went to one of the acclaimed best infertility centers in Bangalore. First, they tried 6 months of ovulation induction with Letrozole. Sadly, it did not work out for them. After that, the doctor advised them to go for IUI and they tried 2 IUI which all failed. Finally, the couple were left with the only option to go for IVF/ICSI. Thinking that there is no other way to have a child, the couple took the undesired decision to go for it, as doctors were constantly reminding them that they are losing their age and it will be difficult to conceive once they are 30 plus. Moreover, she also had poor ovarian reserve (AFC was poor) although AMH was 1.7ng/ml. The main issue doctor found was the presence of Natural killer K cells (High positive) and Tumor Necrosis Factor activity (moderately positive) in the endometrium lining. And that might be the reason for not conceiving considering it as immunological infertility. For this she was treated with some medications.
​
The Fertility doctor diagnosed her with primary infertility and low ovarian reserve. The stimulation had started in August 2019. After 10 days of stimulation (rFSH 300IU + HMG 300IU), 4 oocytes were retrieved. Out of 4, only 2 oocytes fertilized and cleaved and formed embryos. Her husband’s semen analysis showed 2% morphology, normal motility. There was no treatment given for him considering all was fine at his side. 2 embryos were frozen for transfer later, using the ‘freeze all’ technique. The day 5 embryo (1-Early) and another day 6 embryo were (1-3AB) graded in quality. The embryos were transferred (ICSI) in February 2020. 

To their nightmare, the most awaited IVF failed. The couple could not leave that this might happen to them as they thought IVF can give them a baby as their case is not that bad. However, this was not the case. They were advised to go for donor egg, as the quality of eggs were poor. But the couple decided not to go for it and find an alternative solution. Thinking that there might be a way out to this, they walked into my clinic.

In my practice, history and case taking are very important. I like to listen to my patient and understand their case and diagnose them as per Ayurveda. People are not very much aware that Ayurveda has its own diagnostic and treatment method and it can work for them. They come to Ayurveda only when they don’t have options left in allopathy or other systems of medicines. They don’t show similar faith in the system as they show in the allopathy. They say ‘they want to try Ayurveda’. However, things are changing for good now.

Well, this is the opportunity for an Ayurvedic doctor to give their best to each case and make such people believe in Ayurvedic treatments. Once they have a natural conception with Ayurveda, their whole perspective changes and they feel more confident not just in their own body but also in natural conception. Ayurveda gives control to you, does not control your body. Ayurveda medicines are natural, mostly plant-based and help your body to work for you.  Ayurveda should be the first choice for any couple who want to start a family. We also help such couples with our pre-conception Ayurvedic planning and help them avoid going to IUI or IVF etc.

Anyways, coming back to my case, I diagnosed her with Vata-Kaphaja Bandhyatva and referred her husband to see Dr Samarth Rao, although his semen analysis reported showed normospermia. In Ayurveda, we have our ways to diagnose male infertility issues. I first decided to go for Panchakarma in this case. We conducted Vamana Karma followed by Virechana Karma, which took almost a month. Next cycle I started Ayurvedic medicines such as Garbhakara Ghritam (medicated ghee), Vatahara kashyam, Jeeraka combinations, Amrutha etc. We asked the couple not to try for at least 3 cycles of the treatment.
​
In June, she missed her periods, and the home pregnancy test - UPT was positive. I started Garbhasthapana medicines for her and referred her to a local obstetrician where she would like to deliver her baby. Sadly, there are not many health professionals, who believe in Natural conception, pregnancy care and delivery. Women take a lot of medications during the pregnancy and always are filled with fear of what if they lose this precious pregnancy. Well, it depends on the case, some cases don’t need many interventions and some require at-most care. At 13 weeks, we came to know that there is a low-line placenta and short cervical length for which she was given cervical stitching. Well, finally she delivered a healthy baby in early February 2021. I supported her with our 45 days of “Ayurvedic Sutika Paricharya” and my role was over here.
​
Many times, a difficult case looks impossible initially, but the perspective about difficult changes when we start to see results. When a patient walks into the clinic saying that there is hope left for us to conceive, and this is our last try with Ayurveda, it overwhelms us. Patients come to Ayurveda with a lot of expectations and in search of a cure. Ayurvedic practitioners have a huge responsibility of treating difficult cases. Alas, patients come to Ayurveda after years of conventional treatments, weak body and hopeless minds. The science makes me believe that this couple will not conceive naturally or without donor egg IVF. But Ayurvedic science and practice has made me believe differently; hopeful with so many successful pregnancies in our clinic. Let me come back to you with another case study, until then keep trying well. 
Namaskara,
Vaidya Vibhuti Rao
Ayurvedic Fertility  Expert 

And then she found my clinic and came to me. After assessing her case, I made my diagnosis and started the treatment. Her cycles were regular 26-28 days apart with 2-4 days bleeding. The flow was gradually decreasing, she said. She was anxious, and stressed. As the lockdown approached, I could not see her much, but she continued her oral medicines. We did tele-consultation and she picked up the medicines form our clinic. In the month of May 2020, she rang me and informed that her urine pregnancy test is positive. She could not believe her own eyes. Moreover, at 6 weeks scan, we came to know that it was ‘twins’ for her. As I am writing this article, she is due for selective C-section in 2 weeks’ time. She continued Ayurvedic antenatal care. In the middle of 6th months, she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and for which I gave her other Ayurvedic medicines along with regular garbini paricharya.  I am waiting to see her and the twins soon with a big smile.
​

So, ladies, what I can suggest here is that, do not just blindly go by the reports, consult and take opinions and chose what you believe in. Believe in your body, it can do miracles if you nurture and support it. Trust yourself and remember where there is a hope there is a way. See you next time in the brand-new year with another case story. Let’s end 2020 with a good note. “If you want to achieve something impossible, then you will need to do something extra-ordinary too”.
Namaskara,
​Vaidya Vibhuti Rao

Ayurveda is the oldest system of medicines which can help you prevent diseases, cure them and even promote your health. Preventing of diseases is the strongest pillar of Ayurveda practice. To my knowledge, there is no other medical science in this world, which has given such a detail explanation of prevention of diseases with food, herbs and lifestyle.  Ayurveda helps give a very personalized sense of understanding the disease and work on it to remove it from its roots. Ayurveda has documented many such conditions. So, coming back to the question, can Ayurveda help cure PCOS permanently?  Well, before I answer this, let me give you an overview of Ayurvedic ways of understanding PCOS and the treatments.
​
Ayurveda helps you understand your disease deeply
There is no condition called as PCOS in Ayurveda. It is a diagnosis made by the conventional medicines. Ayurveda has many other diseases which has symptoms as told in PCOS. Ayurveda talks in detail about female related problems, their treatment and how a woman can restore her fertility and prevent all menstrual disorders. Fertility is not required only to have babies but it is a very “core concept” of being a woman. It is more to do with a healthy life for a female. A woman’s body goes through a lot of changes since her childhood and the very first change appears when she starts having her periods. In medical terms it is called as ‘menarche’ and Ayurveda calls it – ‘Rajo darshanam’. Ayurveda suggests that from this time onwards, a girl needs extra care and support to look after her body, to be free from all kinds of menstrual disturbances.
A regular menstrual cycle is an indicator of women’s health in Ayurveda. Ayurvedic medicines safe and effective in corrective various menstrual-related problems and used extensively worldwide. The menstrual disturbance is the basic symptoms of any underlying pathology. For example, when there is an imbalance between ‘Doshas’ the body shows sign and symptoms of that abnormal Doshas. Doshas are stated as bio-energies in the body which initiate, sustain and complete all the functions in the body, they are three – Vata, Pitta and Kapha, for easy understanding we can see them as – Vata – relates to the wind and causes movements, Pitta related to fire and cause metabolic activities and Kapha relates to the earth and causes formation. Majority of the female related problems are due to imbalance in Vata dosha which further vitiates Pitta and Kapha dosha.

Vata is considered as a special one and so, in the female body, all the fertility-related functions are governed by Vata itself examples – the expulsion of blood during periods. It is more to do with ‘Apana Vata’ – a subtype of Vata dosha which is responsible for downwards movements. According to Ayurveda, health is a balance status of Doshas, in sort ‘being in Balance’ is Health – complete health. This imbalance can thoroughly diagnose by a qualified Ayurvedic doctor. So, pay a visit to one of the best. However, the following information can be a good guide for you to understand Ayurvedic management of PCOS.

Ayurveda can help you cure PCOS permanently, provided you are aware to follow Ayurvedic lifestyle. Taking some medicines for a few months, and lading a junky lifestyle, and then wishing for not to have PCOS again. It is not sensible and I hope you agree with me too. To remain healthy, one needs to put efforts but these efforts should be so easy that you should not feel any burden of doing so. For example, adopting 30-40 minutes of Yoga 5 days week, having one detox day in a month, and visiting your Ayurvedic doctor if you see any imbalance in your body. We are humans and prone to diseases if we do not look after ourselves.

In my clinical practice of treating PCOS for 10 years now, I can say that yes, Ayurveda can permanently cure PCOS. I have seen young girls in their 18-19 of age with PCOS and after coming to Ayurveda they have been leading a very healthy life in their early 30’s without pills. I remember one of my recent patients getting permanent cure from PCOS, however, it took almost two years for her to see ‘no cyst’ in her scan – a normal USG. The only thing she could say was – ‘it was beautiful, how symptoms by symptoms got relieved one by one’. She did not want to have a baby at that time but wanted to have ‘No-PCOS’.  Later, after 6 months, I heard from her that she was expecting. It all comes down to a good guidance from an Ayurvedic doctor, excellent Ayurvedic herbs, and healthy habits. You will be amazed to see how it works. It is a combined effort of the patient and the Ayurveda practitioner. 

Namaskara,
Vaidya Vibhuti Rao

Ayurveda is the most popular traditional system of medicine which is practiced by many people around the globe. Due to several challenges in the current medial system, people are looking for alternatives and finding Ayurveda has their answers. Lifestyle problems and metabolic and reproductive issues are very well treated in Ayurvedic medicines. Contemporary research is also suggesting that there is a need of an integrated approach to treat PCOS. Ayurveda says diseases start from your gut and ends in gut. Your gut is your second brain. Specially in PCOS, your gut goes through lot of changes over a period of time. But many women do not consider their simple symptoms related to hunger, craving, digestion, acidity, metabolism, constipation and nutritional deficiency – these all could be alarming. What those women want is to fix their periods or fall pregnant or look pretty, slim and pimple-less.
​
Recently, I a patient diagnosed with PCOS had come to my clinic seeking Ayurvedic treatment to regularize her cycle and help her in diabetes issues. She had never taken Ayurveda treatment before. We talked and discussed her medical history. She was in her early 20’s and recently started a very stressful job. At this early age she was taking Glycomet SR 1000 mg once a day. She was on and off taking hormonal tablets to bring her cycles. After consultation I realized that her Agni is imbalance at the very tissue level with Pitta and Vata imbalance. Presence of inflammation in her gut and skin was very clear to me.
“I never cared for these symptoms, she said. I take some tablets for gastric and constipation. When I got skin rashes my doctor gave me some tablets and I take them when I get these rashes and they go off. But my gastric is very bad and I am not able to regularize my periods, please help me”. She gets periods once in 4-6 months with the help of hormonal tablets. She recently learned about the news that some gastric tablets are not good (under question for causing cancer and kidney damage), she was scared as she took lot of them. I assured her that my medicines will not harm her in anyway, however will take time to heal her.
 I tried to explain her that she has to work on her body’s tissues and not just the symptoms. She has to get down to the root cause and understand and listen to her body sufferings. Initially, she was not pleased with the idea of changing her lifestyle. But slowly, after 2-3 consultations, she broke down crying and said that she feels very unhealthy. I asked to start recognizing signals her body is giving and maintain a routine. She underwent Panchakarma – (Vamana and Virechana and Basti karma) and with some internal medicines. I strongly suggest my patient to undergo Panchkarma first and then start medicines. For some of my Ayurveda believers, I do panchakarma once in a year to help them stay healthy.
 
She followed my advices of healthy lifestyle. There were days when she was not able to follow anything but slowly, she learned the art of managing her routine. I always say to my patients that do not alter your routine for your work needs. Never compromise with your routine. Adjust other things but not your healthy routine. After 11 months, I saw a healthier version of her. She was out of her diabetes medicines and was able to manage her gastric. He periods were coming every 45 days. Moreover, she was feeling healthy and confident about herself. She did not get any body rashes in the past 3 months. We are continuing our treatment. 

Gut bacteria and gut inflammation
Recent research says that your bacteria’s/microbes in the gut are related with the symptoms of PCOS. The healthy gut bacteria are altered in women who have PCOS. If you have PCOS, it’s important to remember that your intestine is the first entry point for the nutrients that your body needs to function, and that a healthy gut is a foundation through which your immune system develops. A simple inflammation in your gut can cause many unwanted symptoms such as bloating, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, IBS, autoimmune disorders and different skin conditions, like rashes, acne, psoriasis, and eczema. Due to the reduction in healthy bacteria in gut and diversity of bacteria in the gut a woman with PCOS experience symptoms of excess male hormone such as unwanted facial hair, acne and insulin resistance- diabetes, weight gain etc.
Agni and Ama:
Briefly I want you know about Agni and Ama. Agni is present in your body at all levels which help digest, metabolise, transform and building tissues. It could be enzymes, chemicals, signals etc. Ama can be understood as toxins or unwanted material of the body which should not stay in the body. Ama is generally formed due to the imbalance in Agni. Ama formation is the very first stage of a disease manifestation.  
What can you do to help your gut?                                                                                                                

• Regular Panchakarma – detox your body
• Remove all the foods which causes inflammation in the body or cause irritation to your gut.
• Eat according to your Agni.
• Remover all packet food with preservatives and refined foods. Anything which you are eating straight from a packet please don’t eat.
• Minimise eating outside and start cooking at home.
• Remove foods which you think you are not able to digest them well.
• Add cumin, coriander, lemon, mint, rose, green tea in your routine.
• Eat lot of fibres.
• Milk with turmeric – ‘haldiwala doodh’ at night time may help you too.
• Eat your Idli, dosa, buttermilk, in good quantity- fermented foods help your intestine- you do not probiotics form outside.
• Take the antibiotics only when needed. Do not self-medicate yourself with any medicines.
• More and more veggies and fresh fruits.
• A good sleep, Yoga and Meditation.

Final words: Ayurveda can help you correct your body and mind. Your body should work according to your brain and gut. Agni and Ama these two things should be looked after. Agni should be built and balanced and, Ama should be removed from the body. If you have PCOS and have such symptoms, see your local Ayurvedic doctor who can help you understand what’s wrong and help in your PCOS journey. 
Namaskara,  
Vaidya Vibhuti Rao

“Is the donor egg only way forward for us to have a baby? Doctors have scared hell out of us that we my wife cannot have her own baby and we need to seek donor egg. They have promised to get us a young, fair and our caste female’s eggs. However, before we decide on that I wanted to look around and do whatever else can help us to conceive our own child. We are against donor egg, it is hard to accept that at the age of 28 with normal periods and no other health issue, my IVF failed two times. And now because of low AMH of 0.7ng/ml, doctors are suggesting donor egg. We are confused and exhausted. We do not know what else would help us. We discussed this one of our close friends who is a fertility expert too to try Ayurvedic medicines. And here we are Infront of you- confused, scared, hopeless and exhausted. Please tell us if there is any hope in Ayurveda for us. We would like to try”. This is what Ramya (patient’s name is changed to protect the identity) told me when she saw me for the first time.

In the past 5-7 years now, I am seeing such patients in my clinic. Almost 40-50 new patients who have been suggested donor eggs visit my clinic every month (Click here to read about falling pregnant naturally with low AMH).

I totally agree to chose donor egg when it is needed, however, it seems to be pushing now a days. If you do not start the process next month, you will never be able to conceive, time is running out, Ramya was told by her fertility doctor to go for IVF. And Ramya decided to chose IVF. Almost 8-10 eggs were retrieved. However, some eggs could not fertilize and many did not mature. Finally, in the second cycle of stimulation, there were 1 grade A and 1 grade B embryos, which were transferred. Sadly, the IVF failed.

When I saw their reports, I saw morphological issues in her husband’s report. Her husband never stated that he has issues. He was advised that nothing is wrong with him and was given some multi-vitamin tablets. I asked him toc heck with our male doctor who sees such cases. He was reluctant. He believed that everything is fine with him. Anyways, I left him out. Sadly, the women only go through the horror of injections, medicines, operations, and rejection. Not all males are like that, there are some couple I have seen who will proactively ask to see a male doctor for any issues if they could identify. The problem is infertility is believed to be a female issue and not male issue. This stigma has to be broken. Both men and women should be examined as per Ayurveda and given treatment for infertility. You can not ignore the 50% of the disease- the male factor.

The egg donation market
Egg donation in increasing rapidly among Indian women. Not only to cater local Indians needs but also worldwide. India is one the favorite spot for donor egg for NRI/s and foreigners too, because it is affordable for them. A couple (men and women) use another female’s eggs, forms an embryo using the men/s sperms and transferred to his wife’s womb. Such child is thus genetically related to the father but not to the mother who raises the child. This procedure is on boom. There are females who are poor, need money so selling their eggs. And then there are middle men who connect them to the big hospitals to sell their eggs. And finally, there are coupes who are looking for donor eggs. Many things go around this network of so-called donor egg.

I don’t know why they are called as ‘donor’- females get paid for their eggs. So, it is a kind of selling eggs. Donation would mean no money is expected and a female wants to help a couple have a child. A times of India article’s heading read like this- Young Bangalore girls donate their eggs for easy money where the writer explain the situation – where Young girls in their early 20s are choosing to become egg donor to make quick money to fulfil their financial demands. In one sitting they earn around 30,00-50,000 rupees. In another article of India today- there are agencies who recruit women for egg donation, there is a specific price for eggs selection, for example, a fair, young female’s egg would cost more. They can see the profile of egg donors too. There are couples who are particular about the donor’s profile-  the egg donor had to be under 25, fair, beautiful and educated. But most of all, she had to belong to their caste. I hope that there are some legality and morals in pace in these cases.

Her After that the doctor suggested to go for donor egg. Fair enough. This is what is the protocol for such procedures. But patients should be given option- option to go for traditional medicines, herbs etc. But I guess due to the fight between modern and ancient, Ayurvedic medicines are neglected and completely ignored by the modern doctors. I do not complain. But I feel the ignorance as an Ayurvedic doctor. Anyways, that is another topic to talk about. I will write abut this sometime later. Coming back to Ramya, she did not believe that I can actually help her. I told her to take her time and come to me when she believes in Ayurveda. I asked her to go home and think about this. Gave her few things to read about Ayurveda.

After 1 month, she visited me on day 2 of her cycle. The husband and wife both were ready to give me 6 months -1 year for the treatment. I started my treatment. And her husband also started his medicines. She visited me once in 2 weeks. I gave her Panchakarma, medicines and counselled her about many other things. In Ayurveda, your fertility is at the deepest level of health. Everything that you consume is transformed into your shukra, “the seed of life”. To optimize fertility health and to provide the best nutrition for your seed of life, pay special attention to your diet and mind-body health, and utilize herbs to bring your body into balance.
 
We also re-checked her hormones and did the scan when needed. We were going well except for few days when we were very close to pregnancy but it did not happen. However, we continued and after 7 months, we checked her AMH which wet up to 1.85ng/ml. Meanwhile they were relocated to Pune, but she continued my medicines and came for checkup once in a month.

 I reduced my medicines and gave some necessary medicines to continue and asked them to start trying for pregnancy for next 3 months. After 2 months, she texted me that she is expecting. They were surprised. She did not believe that this could happen to her. She was pregnant naturally and that to with her own child.  Last week she had sent me a picture of her baby shower and she is under my care for Ayurvedic pregnancy care along with modern obstetrics care. Till today, all is going well. There are many stories with me like Ramya. These stories keep me encouraging to work in this field and keep giving hope to the couple who need it most. I feel proud to say that Ayurveda came to their rescue when nothing world for them. Not only they conceive with their own child but also naturally.

Final words: There are couples who cannot afford IVF or donor egg IVF. Many couples can pay such a huge amount, they do not like the idea of donor egg. They have their own challenges. Ayurveda may help tremendously in these cases. There is a need of more awareness and acceptance for Ayurveda and many myths should be busted out. Perhaps I should write my next article on it.  
Namaskara, 
​Vaidya Vibhuti Rao

What modern medicines says- 
Medically, POF/POI- Premature Ovarian insufficiency is a clinical syndrome defined by loss of ovarian activity before the age of 40. In this woman has menstrual disturbances (either no periods from pasr 4 months or very less frequent periods). In laboratory tests she has raised gonadotropins (FSH more than 25 IU/l)  and low estradiol. ​Women think that POF means menopause has occurred and now, there is no cure for it.Remember, menopause is a natural process and not the abnormal one. Around 45-50 years women’s ovarian hormones fall. So, if you stop having periods or ovulation before the age of 40 years, its not menopause but an abnormal ovarian function. In a Korean study, low socio-economic status was related to high number of POF cases. In a recent research review, it was suggested that there are chances (2-14%) to fall pregnant with POF if the women is of age 30 years.

For menopause there is no reason as it is a normal process of body, similarly to the way you get your first periods -you get your last periods too. But POF, has reasons and is not expected to happen before your menopausal age.

You don’t have enough follicles in your ovaries- In POF your FSH hormone levels increases significantly because of low estrogen in the body. Low estrogen is caused by low/no follicles in the ovaries. Less follicles in the ovaries- less estrogen levels-high FSH levels

There are disturbances in ovarian functions- There is a possibility that you may have follicles in your ovaries but they are not working well due to various reasons. They have stopped listening to your brain. If you have any autoimmune problems such as autoimmune thyroid issues or rheumatoid issue etc, there are chances that you may be suffering with ovarian dysfunction.

How can you avoid POF?
There are lot of reasons of POF. Out of them some are not in your control such as environment toxins, Pollution, genetics etc. But there are some factors you can certainly avoid and avoid having POF. Such as-

• Having a healthy lifestyle
• Being physically active
• Having a routine
• Buying organic and non-GM foods.
• Growing your own vegetables and fruits.
• Following meditation or mindfulness practices
• Eating green leafy vegetables
• Eating in moderation and eating all variety of food
• Avoid use of chemicals in toothpaste, shampoo, soap, foods, deodorants, paints, beauty products etc.

How do you know if you have POF?
A patient had come to me a while ago saying that she has PCOS and have been suggested for laparoscopic surgery to remove those cysts. She was on fertility treatment- injections and hormones intake form last one year and also had tried IUI. There was no success. After seeing her reports, I came to know that it is not PCOS, and likely to be nastapushpa. She was getting her periods for one year as she was on hormones. Before that her periods were irregular. Now after stopping hormones, again her periods are not coming in time and coming once in 2-3 months. She compliant of vaginal dryness, itching, loss of libido, mood swings and hot flushed at night.  These were not PCOS symptoms. I checked her FSH levels which came very high and very negligible AMH levels (0.01ng/ml.)

I explained her that she needs an expert opinion on this. After two weeks, she came back to me saying that her diagnosis of PCOS was wrong and she has been diagnosed with POF. And doctors are suggesting donor egg IVF. She was devastated. She asked me “will I never get my periods back? Will I never have my own baby?”. Looking at her age (she was 28 years old) I suggested to undergo Ayurveda treatment and have healthy lifestyle. Either she could sit at home and cry with this diagnosis or she can get up with head high and take treatment for it. 

She wanted some hope. She wanted to fight with her problem. As a doctor, I told her that we should never leave hopes of recovery even if we know that it is impossible. And Ayurvedic medicines works wonder when given and taken properly. So many at times, the diagnosis is not done properly. Do not self-diagnose yourself. Got to an expert and know your condition. It is better to act when you start having irregular cycles. After one year of treatment, she had a spotting on regular interval (monthly) and flow also increased slowly. She feels better about herself- those menopause symptoms are very less. She still has not conceived but I am hoping to continue her treatment and help her further. Her hormones are looking better also. But it has a long way to go for conceiving. I have other patients with similar problems and saw quick results compared t other patients.  So it depends on case to case.

How Ayurveda may Help-
Yes, Nastapushpa is a challenging problem. Ayurveda has suggested a treatment line for it, if a woman come to Ayurvedic doctor in initial stage of her problem rather than coming very late. She may have to take the treatment for a longer duration (at least more than a year) with regular counselling sessions and lifestyle changes.
Panchakarma- Depending on the condition of the disease and patient, it is recommended to conduct 5 cleansing procedure before starting nay treatment. Vamana-Virechana- Two types of Basti and Nasya Karma, all these have special role to play in helping women. You need to consult your local Ayurvedic doctor and undergo these procedures. Basti karma is highly important and may be given frequently along with Nasya karma.

Ayurveda lifestyle-

• Regular oil massage is suggested.
• Avoid caffeine
• Avoid use of plastic
• Use all 6 taste food and eat at regular interval
• Eat easily digestible home cooked food only
• Moderate exercise is suggested. Avoid going to Gym.
• Practice Yoga and meditation
• Have a sound sleep

 
Ayurvedic medicines –

• Fennel seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Garlic
• Sesame seeds
• Rasayana drugs- guduchi, ashwagandha, shatavari, Kumari, Gugglu formulas may be effective if taken for longer terms.

Final words: I know it is hard. I have seen broken marriages or relationships because of such cases and I have seen strong marriages too. It depends on you how to take your diagnosis. Chose a path which leads you to your success. Never be dishearten. Take care and you will win over your problem.
Namaskara,
Vaidya Vibhuti Rao
References: 
https://webofproceedings.org/proceedings_series/ALSMB/ICBSIS%202019/ICBSIS1904.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378512218306832
https://www.rbmojournal.com/article/S1472-6483(19)30396-7/abstract

​Women in India say- 'don’t eat pineapple when you are trying for a baby as it causes heat in the body.' On the internet pineapple is said to help in implantation. The fact is Pineapple is a new symbol of the infertility community. They love it. There is a current trend for pineapple among women undergoing IVF- they eat the core of it and says it helps in implantation of their frozen embryos. Now, the craze is so huge that women are wearing everything with a pineapple picture on it and worshiping it. Two different concepts create confusion among women who are trying to fall pregnant and desperately looking for some options. Well, after seeking pineapple blessing, I am writing my views about this fruit for fertility. Being an Ayurvedic doctor my views are largely influenced by my Ayurvedic clinical practice. ​

​It is nor a pine and or an apple but we call it pineapple. Anyways, we have pineapple lovers all around the world. In Ayurveda we call it Bahunetra phala (means which has many eyes). It balances abnormal Vata and Pitta dosha in the body and increase Kapha.

​Vata dosha abnormality leads to pains- period pain, low back pain, or migraine before periods. Also Vata imbalance causes scanty or heavy flow. The Apana Vata gets disturb which cause lot of menstrual abnormality. Eating pineapple may help in balancing Apana Vata and may helps women with constipation, flatulence, and periods pains. So eat pineapple 1 week before your expected period date. For women with endometriosis with scanty flow I suggest to eat pineapple. 

Pitta dosha abnormality leads to toxins in blood, poor blood circulation and invites inflammation in the body. Women often complaints that they have thick clots in their periods, suffer with burning sensation, have issues with digestion. For them eating pineapple may help too. It also helps in liver cleansing so that the excess hormones flush out from the body.

• Strengthen uterus- improves blood circulation to uterus. Removes old blood out. 
• Guru in quality- heavy to digest. People with poor Agni should not eat much.
• Snigdha- Best for Vata people who are looking for some smoothness in their body. I also suggest this to women who suffer with dry vagina- not enough mucous. Also women have very dry periods can have it. 
• Sheeta Veerya- As it is cold in temperament (not hot) . So, women who complaint of heat in their body can have it.
• Krimighna- Removes worms/ toxins out from the body. Have cleansing effect on gut.
• Balyam- Strengthen body- uterus and its parts.
• Tarpaka- Nourishes your body. So Vata people with good Agni can have pineapple juice. Pitta people can eat it like that.  

“Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is rapidly growing problem among young girls. Among Indian women almost 9.13% of young girls have PCOS. PCOS totally destruct the quality of life of a young girl and have serious health consequences if not diagnosed and treated in time. 

We are living in a constantly changing world. Generations have much more gap than before as things are moving faster than before. My mother and grandmother come from an age where things were slow and steady. They both use to think the same way and may be agree on things pretty quickly. Mobiles were not there and my mother always considered her mother’s advice as the best one. But now things are different among today’s generation. Before a mother realizes what would be the best suggestion for a problem, children are on google to search and learn. Parenting is quite challenging. For women’s health, which starts from womb, there are lot of health issues which also starts right from there.

Roma had a very different perspective of herself. She thinks that she is very different from other girls in her school. She had hit the puberty very early and ever since then her periods were irregular. Her mother- a doctor by profession told Roma that it takes time for hormones to get adjusted and not to worry too much about it and suggested to focus on her studies. At the age of 16, Roma had a difficult time managing her weight. Her cravings were making her feel guilty. She could not resist eating all the time. As if some fire is constantly burning in her tummy. She had collected lot of fat around her tummy, arms and thighs. Carbohydrates and sweets were her favorite. She had erratic moods and feeling tired most of the time without doing any sort of hard work.

The problems were endless for Roma. She was very much anxious. Soon she saw that her skin is breaking out, she had bad pimples by then and that’s when she asked her mother to take her to a doctor. Beauty issues can make anyone worried. Her mother took her to a dermatologist and who gave some ointments, creams and suggested to lose weight. But nothing seems to be working for her. She was putting on weight despite doing exercise and diet control. Her cycles stopped coming. And then her mother took her to a gynaecologist who advised her to take birth control pills to get regular cycle. Roma had her ultrasound done which showed Polycystic Ovaries. Roma’s mother was reluctant to choose the hormonal pills and then started looking for alternative ways rather the natural ways to correct things for her daughter. 

Four months back Roma and her mother came to my clinic. Roma told me about herself. She said, she has taken homeopathy medicines for 10 months and had visited naturopathy centres for few times to help lose the weight. She is putting all her efforts but her cycle is not coming and her weight is not going down. She was filled with shame, guilt and feeling of frustration. I could sense that she did not believe in any natural ways to help her problems. Her mother forced her to see me. During the history taking, I came to know that her mother also experienced the similar issues in her teenage. I asked if Roma had her blood tests done.
​
Her mother said, all hormone tests have done and she has no thyroid issues and no other hormonal issue. I asked her mother if she had the blood sugar levels checked. I wrote the tests and asked them for a follow up. I checked her Nadi, asked few questions and diagnosed her as per Ayurveda. It was a clear case of imbalance in all the three doshas. Her Kapha dosha was high along with Vata. Agni was impaired and Dhatu were depleting with lack of nourishment. I put her on herbs for 15 days which help correct Agni and balance kapha-vata dosha.

After a week itself, Roma was in my clinic again with her reports. She was sitting silently with head down and confused mind. Her mother spoke,’ doctor I never expected this to happen to my daughter. Look at the sugar levels, her fasting blood sugar is 180 and HbA1C is 7.9. There were no symptoms of this. I am terrified. What would happen to my daughter? Would she need insulin for life long? She is just 16 years old.’ Her mother was filled with guilt of not able to know what was wrong with her daughter and how she did not realise it earlier. Roma is diabetic now.

I asked them to continue my medications and assured that Ayurveda can certainly help her, provided Roma follow strict diet and lifestyle changes. These early days of hard work will help her in future good gains in her health. We decided on a ‘do-able’ and easy, healthy meal plans, We made small steps at a time and I always mentored Roma about her health goals. I never forced her to follow a health advice in which she did not like. And if we met failures, I assured Roma that this is not an easy path and journey is longer but with good gains. I told her to do any kind of physical activity- not necessarily gym or Yoga. Other things like dancing also helps. I asked to do what she enjoys the most or have variety of activities in a week. I also suggested having rest days of meditation.

I also offered her to visit an endocrinology or other modern doctor if she was not ready to take Ayurvedic medicines. Actually, the diagnosis of PCOS among adolescent is a still not clear. Many at time, the PCO morphology in ultrasound is very common among teenage. And this is the growing age so hormonal imbalances is quite expected along with those teenage pimples and frequent no-ovulation.

Roma and her mother both showed significant support to Ayurveda and towards me a as an Ayurvedic vaidyas.  And that’s what you would expect from a patient- the trust in doctors and their medicines. Last week, Roma got her natural cycle. She is working on her weight and also taking proper mediation. She also has a positive outlook to PCOS. She is enjoying her life better than before now, with a hope to overcome her symptoms. Her sugar levels are coming down slowly and I hope soon she will be able to manage them well without insulin. We are very much hopeful for her complete recovery.

Ayurveda and Menstruation:
Ayurveda, talks in detail about female related problem, their treatment and how a women can restore her fertility and prevent all menstrual disorders.  Fertility is not required only to have babies but is a very “core concept” of being a women.  It is more to do with a healthy life.  A women’s body goes through a lot of changes which first starts from when she gets her first periods.  In medical terms it is called as ‘menarche’ and Ayurveda calls it – ‘Rajo darsham’. Ayurveda suggest that from this time onwards, a girl needs extra care and support to look after her body, should it be free from all kind of menstrual disturbance. 

Menstrual disturbance are the basically symptoms of underlying pathology.  For example, when there are imbalances between ‘doshas’ the body shows sign and symptoms of then abnormal doshas.  According to Ayurveda, health is balance status of Doshas, in sort being in Balance is Health – complete health.  Doshas are stated as bio energies in the body which initiate, sustain and complete all the functions in the body, they are three – Vata, pitta and kapha, for easy understanding we can see them as – vata – relates to wind and causes movements, pitta related to fire and cause metabolic activities and Kapha relates to earth and causes formation.  Vata is considered as special one and so, in female body all the fertility related functions are governs by vata itself examples – expulsion of blood during periods.  It is more to do with ‘Apana Vata’ – a subtypes of vata dosha whic is responsible for downwards movements.

How Ayurveda looks at PCOS:
In Ayurveda, it has been clearly explained that if a person indulges in improper and unhealthy lifestyle that results into impaired Agni which further does not digest the food properly and what is called as Ama (toxins) remains in the body. Because of this ‘Ama’ formation, the body does not absorb anything and moreover, does not get proper nourishment. This further hampers the tissues (Dhatu) of the body and the person suffers from various disorders such as sthoulyata, Madhumeha, etc. 

In Ayurveda, PCOS is not explained under one particular disease but it is understood on the basis of abnormal al the three doshas (energies) in the body along with impaired Agni, especially under Artava-dusti (physiological disorders of female reproductive organs). The three doshas Vata, Pitta and Kapha plays an important role in a women’s menstrual cycle. Their function gets impaired and thus, abnormal vata causes heavy or no bleeding, abnormal Pitta impairs follicular maturation and rupture and finally Kapha causes prolonged cycle with increasing the size of the ovaries and formation of cysts on them. Ayurveda talks about looking at the abnormal dosha and diagnosing it accordingly to plan an effective treatment for PCOS. For example, if the Vata is abnormal, the women may represent with the symptoms of severe menstrual irregularities- heavy or no periods.  And for Kapha imbalance, the women may represent with overweight, hard to lose weight, sugar cravings, growth of facial hairs and diabetic tendency.

Ayurveda, Teen age and PCOS
During puberty lot of changes happens in a body as some are, considered as very normal being a “process of puberty.”  Such as irregular periods, mood changes, changes in the breast, Acne etc.  Irregular periods however, considered as it takes time to set them alright and so people ignore the irregularities in menses, which is now considered as a big health problem. 

Onset of PCOS has been suggested in early adolescent age (14-15 years) and some research in India suggest that young girls living in cities are more prone to develop PCOS than the girls living in rural areas.  As some girls are maturing at very early age such as at 10 years age, the irregularities in periods- especially having excessive, or no periods are more likely to be associated with the history of diabetes in the family. Or also, if you develop PCOS, you are highly likely to get diabetes, high Blood pressure and other metabolic disorders which affect the fertility. 
Today, almost 10% of the young girls are suffering from PCOS and there are chances that these girls may pass the PCOS to their children in future.

In summary , If your mother had PCOS, in your family is diabetic, if you live in city and moreover, you don’t do any physical activity and are obese, then, it is the ‘time’ to take control over your health through Ayurveda. Ayurveda believe in the prevention of the disease. For the menstrual disorder not to occur, Ayurveda suggest that before the onset of periods itself you need an extra care to prevent all the symptoms of PCOS. 
Also, once you get your first periods you need to provide a good care to yourself during those bleeding phase.  Watch out what you eat and do.   Walking, yoga, or any physical activity is must for 20 minutes daily.  You can choose to avoid high sugary and refined diet and follow a healthy Ayurvedic diet to stay healthy specially Ayurveda talks about a particular care during those ‘bleeding days’, I think which has almost vanished as women today is more outgoing and required to shoulder the work load.
Final Words: Take your daughter to an Ayurvedic doctor even if there is no health issue. I am talking about prevention of such rapidly growing lifestyle problems. Ayurvedic doctor will help you provide detail healthy lifestyle plans and offer an excellent teen age to your daughter where she can be stress free, regular with periods and enjoys a healthy lifestyle.

Namaskara, 
Vaidya Vibhuti Rao