How I Started Understanding My Body in Perimenopause
When My Body Broke Down — and I Learned to Listen
There was a moment when everything changed.
Not gradually.
Not gently.
Severe symptoms arrived all at once — sudden, relentless, and deeply confusing. Pain spread through my body. My nervous system felt constantly on edge. I had the unsettling sense that I was unraveling from the inside out.
I felt desperate and isolated, as if I had fallen into a dark hole with no clear way out.
Doctors had no real answers.
Friends couldn’t relate.
I was subtly — and sometimes directly — encouraged to push through and endure.
I tried. Until I couldn’t anymore.
That was the moment I chose a different path.
If no one could explain what was happening in my body, I would learn to understand it myself.
Discovering a Language My Body Finally Responded To
My search for answers led me beyond symptom management and quick fixes, and toward ancient, holistic healing systems — Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
For the first time, my symptoms weren’t treated as random malfunctions.
They were treated as information.
These systems didn’t view my body as broken or failing. They recognized it as intelligent, responsive, and deeply communicative.
Ayurveda and TCM didn’t “save” me in a dramatic sense — but they gave me something far more powerful: a map back to myself.
And that understanding changed everything.
Your Symptoms Aren’t Random — They’re Messages
Perimenopause isn’t chaos.
It’s communication.
Your body isn’t betraying you — it’s speaking to you.
When you learn how to interpret its signals, you stop fighting your body and start supporting it in ways that are sustainable, intelligent, and deeply personal.
This is not generic advice — because no two women experience perimenopause the same way.
Your nervous system, your stress history, your hormonal shifts, your energetic makeup — all of it matters.
Ayurveda and the Doshas: Understanding Your Energetic Blueprint
Ayurveda teaches that every person is made up of three fundamental energies, known as Doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
We all have all three, but usually one or two dominate. During perimenopause, imbalances in these energies are often what drive symptoms.
As you read through them, notice which patterns feel familiar. This isn’t about putting yourself in a box — it’s about developing clarity and compassion for your body.
🌪 Vata (Air + Ether)
When balanced: Creative, energetic, expressive
When imbalanced: Anxious, scattered, dry, in pain
🌀 Vata-Type Symptoms:
Cold hands + feet
Joint pain or cracking
Insomnia or light sleep
Racing mind, anxiety
Bloating, constipation
🌿 Vata Needs:
Warm, grounding meals (soups, ghee, root veggies)
Gentle rhythm + routine
Sesame oil self-massage (Abhyanga)
Calming breathwork + gentle yoga
🔥 Pitta (Fire + Water)
When balanced: Focused, confident, determined
When imbalanced: Irritable, overheated, inflamed
🔥 Pitta-Type Symptoms:
Hot flashes + night sweats
Skin breakouts or rashes
Irritability, perfectionism
Heartburn or loose stools
Waking at 2–3am wired and restless
🌿 Pitta Needs:
Cooling foods (cucumber, mint, coconut)
Less spice, caffeine, alcohol
Time near water or in nature
Gentle, non-competitive movement
Breathwork with long, cooling exhales
🌊 Kapha (Earth + Water)
When balanced: Steady, nurturing, peaceful
When imbalanced: Sluggish, heavy, emotionally stuck
🌊 Kapha-Type Symptoms:
Fatigue, heaviness
Brain fog or low motivation
Weight gain or water retention
Sinus issues or mucus buildup
Emotional numbness or depression
🌿 Kapha Needs:
Light, warm, spicy meals (ginger, greens, lentils)
Movement that uplifts (dance, brisk walks)
Morning stimulation + dry brushing
Emotional release + inspiration
Your Dosha Is a Decoder - Not a Box
This framework allows you to understand your unique body and its needs — without needing a medical degree or years of study.
It gives you simple, yet powerful tools to learn the language of your symptoms and respond in natural, supportive ways through small, intentional lifestyle shifts.
Over time, you begin to know your body better than anyone else.
And that knowledge makes you increasingly self-sufficient — able to care for your body in ways that align with how it actually works, rather than forcing it to fit external rules.
Instead of fearing symptoms, you start interpreting them:
“This anxiety is Vata asking for grounding.”
“This rage is overheated Pitta asking for cooling.”
“This heaviness is Kapha asking for movement and stimulation.”
With understanding comes trust.
With trust comes choice.
And gradually, you move out of confusion and dependence —
and begin to feel at home, capable, and aligned in your body again.
Where to Begin — Gently
If this resonates, the first step is regulating your nervous system.
I’ve created a FREE Nervous System Reset to help you move out of survival mode and reconnect with your body’s signals in a calm, grounded way.
This is a gentle starting point — no pressure, no fixing — just support.
👉 [Download the free Nervous System Reset]
Ready for Deeper, Personal Support?
If you’re done guessing and ready for true transformation, my 1:1 coaching offers a highly personalized, unconventional approach to perimenopause — with ripple effects that extend far beyond your health and into every sphere of your life.
Ira,
Founder of PeriPowerful
