Menopause is a profound physiological transition that comes with its share of physical and emotional challenges—one of the most insidious being inflammation. But what if the “healthy” diet and lifestyle choices you’ve been making could actually be fanning the flames of discomfort, fatigue, and that feeling of being ungrounded in your own body?
Drawing from the rich discussion between Dr. Betty Murray and Dr. Shivani Gupta on the Menopause Mastery Podcast, let’s unravel how inflammation sneaks up during menopause and how the time-tested wisdom of Ayurveda offers nourishing, practical, and sustainable solutions.
Understanding Menopause and Inflammaging
Menopause does not just mark the end of menstrual cycles; it ushers in a cascade of hormonal changes that make women more vulnerable to a chronic, low-grade inflammation dubbed “inflammaging.” As Dr. Betty Murray explained, the sharp decline in hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone triggers an uptick in inflammatory markers—interleukin-6, NF-κB, and others—while also decreasing immune regulation and altering metabolism.
This underlying inflammation manifests in joint pain, fatigue, brain fog, disrupted sleep, weight gain (particularly around the middle), and a frustrating lack of response to once-reliable strategies—like cutting carbs or working out harder.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to be swept up by restrictive, trendy “fixes”—think strict keto or carnivore regimens—that promise quick results but may undermine your health in the long run. Understanding this crucial hinge point is vital for resilient, vibrant aging.
The Ayurvedic Blueprint: Your Elemental Design
One of the standout principles Dr. Shivani Gupta brought forth is the concept of elemental design, rooted in Ayurveda, India’s ancient medical science. According to Ayurveda, every person is born with a unique constitution—a blend of the elements air (vata), fire (pitta), and earth/water (kapha). Knowing your own ratio can transform the way you approach nutrition, exercise, and self-care, making your choices personalized, preventative, and healing.
Especially crucial for women in perimenopause and menopause: the vata element surges in this life stage. Vata’s qualities are dry, cold, light, and mobile—precisely the symptoms that so many women describe: dry skin and hair, anxiety, overwhelm, disturbed sleep, difficulty focusing, and a body that feels “unmoored.”
Ayurveda teaches us that when vata is aggravated—by skipping meals, excessive fasting, eating raw/salads/cold foods, overexercising, or failing to rest—the body protests with inflammation, dysregulation, and depletion.
Why Popular Diets May Fuel Inflammation in Midlife
It’s tempting to double down on what worked in your 20s and 30s—harder workouts, fewer carbs, or trendy elimination diets. However, for midlife women, these strategies often backfire. Dr. Betty Murray highlighted that extreme diets like keto and carnivore can dramatically restrict the kinds of foods needed to feed your gut microbiome—the collection of good bacteria critical for everything from hormone balance to brain health and immune function.
When your microbiome diversity drops (like it does with animal-heavy diets), harmful bacteria proliferate, increasing toxic byproducts and impeding estrogen detoxification through the gut. This can actually undermine metabolism and make your body more reactive and inflamed.
Furthermore, continuous restriction or “biohacking” regimens are not sustainable for most women. They demand extraordinary willpower, can disrupt circadian rhythms, and, as Dr. Shivani shared candidly, often leave women exhausted, depleted, and less able to recover.
Ayurvedic Solutions: Nourishment Over Depletion
So what does Ayurveda recommend as you enter the “vata stage” of life? The answer: grounding, nourishing, and rhythmic self-care—the exact opposite of restriction and harshness.
1. Eat Regular, Nourishing Meals
Instead of intermittent fasting or one-meal-a-day protocols, Ayurveda prescribes three grounding meals daily, rich in healthy fats (think ghee, coconut oil, avocado, almond, seeds, butter). Meals should be cooked, warm, and easy to digest—think stews, porridges, root vegetables, and whole grains.
This approach supports your digestive fire (agni), feeds your microbiome, stabilizes blood sugar, and—crucially—calms the nervous system. Grounding foods help rebuild ojas: your vital energy and resilience.
2. Spice Is More Than Flavor—It’s Medicine
Super spices like turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and paprika not only reduce inflammation but are also warming and circulate energy where it stagnates. Dr. Shivani Gupta emphasized supplementing with high-quality turmeric (with black pepper and fat for best absorption) and using warming teas throughout the day as an anchor for both body and mind.
3. Prioritize Oilation—Inside and Out
Dryness is a telltale sign of vata aggravation. Self-massage (abhyanga) with organic oils like sesame or sweet almond is a daily grounding ritual in Ayurveda. It soothes anxiety, supports joint health, hydrates skin, and strengthens boundaries in an overstimulating world.
Oil pulling and simple rituals like tongue scraping also remove toxins and support overall rejuvenation.
4. Sync With Your Circadian Rhythm
One of the most overlooked yet powerful anti-inflammatory strategies is aligning your daily routine with the sun and the seasons. Regularity in waking, eating, self-care, movement, and sleep entrains your body to the natural world, lowering stress and optimizing metabolism.
Take walks in nature, transition to nurturing forms of movement (like yoga or gentle strength training), and allow yourself more rest and reflection.
5. Tea Time Is Me Time
Dr. Shivani‘s signature practice—“tea time is me time”—anchors both hydration and nervous system support. Even brief pauses with a cup of warm, spiced tea several times per day can pull you back into the present, reduce sympathetic (fight-or-flight) arousal, and let you check in with your body’s real needs.
Embracing the Middle Path: Redefining Success in Midlife
Both Dr. Betty Murray and Dr. Shivani advocate for a shift in perspective: moving away from the “white-knuckle” approach to diet and self-worth that’s tied to outdated beauty ideals or old versions of yourself. Instead, success in this season means honoring metabolic health, mobility, mood, cognitive clarity, and nourishing relationships—with yourself and others.
Menopause isn’t just an ending; it’s an invitation to step into wisdom, sovereignty, and a richer definition of well-being.
Practical Next Steps
- Get to know your elemental type: Take an Ayurvedic constitution quiz to begin personalizing your self-care.
- Prioritize stable, nourishing meals; not deprivation.
- Infuse your day with anti-inflammatory spices—in both food and teas.
- Cultivate daily oilation and mindful rituals that calm and ground you.
- Reframe your expectations: Aim for wholeness and vitality, not perfection.
Menopause may make you feel as if you’re weathering a storm, but ancient wisdom lights the way. By embracing Ayurveda’s nourishing, rhythmic, and compassionate approach, you can dampen the fires of inflammation and emerge into the next phase of life more grounded, vibrant, and truly well.