Why choose Ayurveda now?

Western medicine often thinks in "one-size-fits-all" solutions: the same pill for similar symptoms. Ayurveda recognizes three constitutional types, the so-called Doshas, offering a much more nuanced lens through which to understand your own body. The Doshas are based on the elements of air, space, fire, earth, and water. Everyone carries all three within them, but in different proportions. This unique blend influences how we look, how our metabolism functions, how we react to stress and which ailments we are prone to during menopause.

• •Vata (air and space) is the principle of movement. Vata types are communicative, mentally highly active, often slender, and fast-paced but they also burn out quickly. During menopause, they frequently experience sleep disturbances, dry mucous membranes (including vaginal dryness), inner restlessness, and mood swings.
• •Pitta (fire) is the principle of metabolism and heat. Pitta types are determined, performance-driven, need regular meals, and tolerate hunger poorly. During menopause, they are more likely to suffer from hot flashes, skin redness, emotional outbursts of anger, and eye problems.
• •Kapha (earth and water) is the structural principle. Kapha types are calm, strong, resilient, and act as a "rock in the storm." During menopause, they tend to experience weight gain, sluggishness, and joint discomfort.

Which type you are is established in childhood and fundamentally remains the same. The goal of Ayurvedic nutrition is to stay in balance and to find your way back if you fall out of it. Those who want to find out their type can take a Dosha test (for example, the "Body Type Test" provided by Dr. Ulrich Bauhofer's practice).

What happens in the body - and why nutrition matters now

As estrogen drops, the microbiome undergoes measurable changes. The result: Digestion becomes more sensitive, metabolism slows down, and glucose spikes after eating become more frequent and pronounced. Such recurring blood sugar peaks have a pro-inflammatory effect - they fuel silent inflammation, which in turn lays the foundation for chronic conditions like high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, or type 2 diabetes. Poor sleep is often added to the mix, proven to cause stronger cravings for sweets and ultra-processed foods the next day, a vicious cycle.

The good news: Nutrition is one of the most effective levers to break this cycle. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet, keeping blood sugar stable, and maintaining muscle mass - these are the three major adjustments to make.

The most important nutritional rules - for all Doshas

Ayurveda should not cause stress; otherwise, it defeats its own purpose. These basic principles apply regardless of your type and already make a significant difference:

• •Three meals, no constant snacking. This is perhaps the most important rule of all. Three clearly defined meals give the digestive system breaks, keep blood sugar stable, and reduce inflammatory processes. Constantly nibbling in between throws the body off rhythm - a piece of cake every now and then is fine, but not continuous snacking.
• •Make lunch the main meal; keep dinner light and early. Digestive power is at its strongest at midday, so schedule the warmest, most substantial, and richest meal for lunchtime. Ideally, dinner should be eaten by 7 PM and be easy to digest: a vegetable soup, a slice of toasted bread with a vegetarian spread, or a light vegetable dish. Eating this way almost naturally leads to a 12 to 14-hour fasting period overnight, a gentle form of intermittent fasting whose positive effects are well documented.
• •Warm instead of cold. The body operates at roughly 37 degrees Celsius (98.6°F). Large quantities of refrigerator-cold food slow down digestive enzymes; the body has to warm them up first, nutrients are absorbed less effectively, and waste products accumulate in the gut. Room temperature is a good, practical compromise for everyday life. So, take yogurt out of the fridge in good time rather than eating it ice-cold.

Sweets as part of a meal, not in between. If you enjoy sweets, you should integrate them compactly into a meal - classically as a dessert right after eating, rather than at 3 PM as an isolated piece of cake with coffee. This keeps blood sugar much more stable.

What belongs on your plate

• •High-quality dairy products. Contrary to popular belief, from an Ayurvedic perspective, there is nothing wrong with milk - quite the opposite, it provides calcium, which is particularly important during this phase of life. Quality is key: Organic, full-fat milk of biodynamic (e.g., Demeter) quality is highly recommended and affordable in supermarkets today. Fermented products like yogurt or kefir are especially beneficial for the microbiome.
• •Complex carbohydrates instead of white flour. Whole grains, quinoa, millet, oats, anything that digests slowly and doesn't spike blood sugar. Simple carbohydrates, fruit juices, and white flour products, on the other hand, are among the biggest drivers of inflammatory processes in this phase and should remain the exception.
• •Enough protein—at every meal, if possible. Muscle loss accelerates starting in menopause. The recommendation is around 1 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you don't want to count grams, simply make sure that at least once or twice a day there is a clear source of protein: legumes, tofu, beans, lentils, eggs, yogurt, quark, hummus, and occasionally fish or meat. Protein should be moderate in the evening, but can be more substantial at lunch.
• •Plant-based protein sources with phytoestrogens. Soy, tofu, flaxseeds, legumes, and broccoli contain substances that are particularly beneficial during menopause. Green leafy vegetables also provide a lot of calcium - so you don't necessarily have to drink milk to meet your needs.
• •Sweet, ripe fruits. They have a particularly calming effect on Vata, strengthen the immune system, and provide vitality. Important: Eat them as part of a meal, not as a snack in between.
• •Meat in moderation. Ayurveda is not strictly vegetarian here. Those who eat meat should do so moderately. Type recommendation: Pitta tolerates it poorly, Vata types generally do better with poultry, and Kapha types can tolerate red meat best.

The 30-plants-a-week rule

One of the simplest and most effective rules of thumb: eat at least 30 different plant-based foods per week. That sounds like a lot, but it is easier to achieve than you might think, because herbs, spices, nuts, and seeds all count.

A mixed vegetable curry with Garam Masala easily scores ten points at once: turmeric, coriander, cumin, cardamom, ginger, plus lentils, carrots, spinach, tomatoes, and onions. Add to that the "Eat the Rainbow" principle: aim for as many different colors on your plate as possible, from dark radicchio and yellow bell peppers to green broccoli. Each color represents different secondary plant compounds - the polyphenols that act as antioxidants, feed the microbiome, and support skin, liver, memory, and cellular health.

Practical tip: Consciously pick up one or two items while grocery shopping that you normally never buy. A new vegetable, an unfamiliar spice, a seasonal product. After just a few weeks, your menu will expand significantly, without pressure, without a strict system, simply driven by curiosity.

The little morning routine

Ayurveda has extensive morning rituals—but even a shortened version makes a noticeable difference:

• •Brush your teeth, then scrape your tongue. The body detoxifies overnight, and the morning coating on the tongue contains waste products that we shouldn't swallow. A stainless steel tongue scraper (not plastic) is inexpensive and can be pulled over the tongue in seconds. If you just want to try it out, you can start by using a teaspoon.
• •A large glass of water, at least room temperature. This gently activates digestion before breakfast follows. If you like, add a little lemon juice, an advanced version with psyllium husks and turmeric is a great upgrade, but not a must.

These steps take less than two minutes and are a great way to consciously begin the day.

Start small - and stick with it

If you want to anchor Ayurveda in your daily life, you shouldn't change everything at once. It's enough to pick out one thing and stick with it until it becomes second nature, then move to the next. A warm breakfast. Making lunch your main meal. One new vegetable a week. The tongue scraper in the bathroom. The early dinner.

Ayurveda is not a religion, but an invitation to treat your own body with more attention. In menopause, when so much is uncertain and new, this can provide surprisingly stable guidance - not through restrictions, but through a different relationship to food, time, and your own rhythm. And the beautiful part is: Much of this is not far removed from what we already know from Mediterranean cuisine or our wise grandmothers. Fresh ingredients, good fats, lots of spices, eating together, taking your time. Sometimes the most effective approach is also the one that feels the most familiar.